In Conversation With The CEO and Co-founder of Edge, Paul Puey

Edge Wallet is one of the most prestigious multi-currency wallets, which can be used even by beginners. You can buy, store and trade multiple cryptocurrencies in a single app, where you are in total control over your private keys. Edge is focused on user privacy and security, hence they adhere to cutting edge technology where the users can have secure access with just a PIN or touch ID.

Paul Puey is the CEO and Co-founder of Edge Wallet, who will help us in understanding how Edge is simplifying the crypto space while maintaining the highest level of privacy.

• Edge (Formerly Airbitz) was founded in 2014. Its been more than five years that you are into the crypto space. What do you think, are the changes that has happened during this time period?

One of the most significant changes has been the decrease in the focus of Bitcoin as a payment method for merchants. This has done two things to the industry:

1. It created the rise of altcoins primarily focused around solving payments.

2. It refocused interest in crypto as a speculative asset. 

• What led to the renaming of the product? What were the critical changes or updates post Edge became Live?

Our original app, Airbitz, set itself apart with its unique security model of auto encrypting and backing users’ private keys with simple login credentials. In 2016, we offered this technology as a platform that we coined the Edge Security SDK. “Edge” comes from the concept of securing users’ data (private keys) NOT on centralized servers but on the “edges” of the network...on each users’ on personal device. In 2017, we decided to re-brand the company around this security model and launch our new app, Edge, which utilized our SDK and also refocused our mobile app to provide exchange functionality instead of payments. 

The biggest updates to Edge have been the expansion of exchange support to many different payment methods around the world, and the addition of auto price hunting across over half a dozen crypto to crypto exchange partners.

• How is Edge unique when you compare it with its potential competitors?

Edge has two unique differentiators:

1. The Edge security model of managing private keys makes self custody as easy and familiar as centralized financial services. 

2. Our rich integration of backend exchange partners gives our users great functionality to buy, sell, and trade crypto assets around the world. 

• There are many innovations happening in the crypto world, like introduction DeFi, Staking, etc. Can you comment on what you feel about these innovations?

I'm convinced that DeFi is a fundamentally important innovation to bring the success of cryptocurrency. I've long believed that self custody of crypto assets is critically important to the success of crypto. While crypto itself allows people to hold, send, and receive money without a custodian, DeFi allows users access to financial services without a custodian. 

• Edge has always been in the headlines for entering into notable partnerships. What are the plans for 2020 which drives innovation and user experience? Can you throw some light on the upcoming changes?

You can expect more key partnerships that broaden the selection of assets and exchange functionality in Edge. 

• Security and User Privacy are topmost concerns in the crypto world, as there are threats from external attackers. How is Edge boosting security in such a seamless manner?

Through 2020, our goal is to harden our Edge security model by making high-level security functionality, such as 2FA, automatic, and invisible to the user. We feel that only by making security features on by default can you really provide great security for the masses. 

About CoinSwitch

CoinSwitch.co is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange aggregator which supports 300+ coins and over 45,000+ pairs. It provides an easier way of trading through global exchanges like Binance, KuCoin, IDEX, Huobi, Ethfinex, HitBTC and Cryptopia without creating an account on them. If you are interested in buying cryptos, do give it a try!