What should a wallet scope record before design starts?
The first scope record captures 6 inputs: users, custody, chains, assets, surfaces, and integrations. That record gives design and engineering one shared basis for decisions.
Start with the task a user must complete. A wallet inside an existing dApp may mainly need connection and transaction signing. A standalone wallet may also need onboarding, asset views, recovery guidance, and support paths. Write down the first release’s required tasks before adding optional features.
For each task, note the entry point, information the user needs, action they approve, and expected end state. Then connect each task to the chain and service it requires. This makes gaps visible before interface work begins.
A useful intake checklist includes:
- User group and primary wallet tasks.
- Custody model and intended recovery path.
- Supported chains, assets, and transaction types.
- Delivery surfaces and required integrations.
- Backend ownership, monitoring needs, and review preparation.
We use the record to separate wallet responsibilities from application logic. For a connected product, align the wallet scope with Web3 development and dApp development. The result is a defined boundary: what the wallet handles, what the application handles, and what each side must exchange.
How does key control change the product plan?
The custody decision sets the first design boundary: who controls signing authority, and who handles access problems. Record that answer before committing to onboarding, recovery, or support flows.
A custodial product places key access under service operations. Its scope must describe access controls, operational roles, support responsibilities, and the user-facing account model. Ask counsel to review the regulatory classification before launch. The engineering plan should reflect the operating model counsel evaluates.
A non-custodial product leaves signing authority with the user. The interface must explain signing requests and recovery expectations without suggesting that the service can restore access. Write the recovery guidance to match the actual architecture.
For hybrid products, document the boundary feature by feature. One product label may not describe every action accurately. Use a decision record with 3 answers: who authorizes each transaction, what happens after lost access, and who responds to operational incidents.
If the wallet includes custom on-chain components, align custody assumptions with smart contract development. This review helps expose mismatches between contract behavior, signing flows, and the product’s support commitments before implementation expands.
Which delivery surface fits the wallet’s main task?
The user’s main task determines which delivery surface deserves priority. Browser extensions, mobile apps, and Telegram Mini Apps each need a defined journey and support plan. Map the environment first, then decide which actions belong in the first release.
| Surface | Product fit | Scope questions |
|---|---|---|
| Browser extension | Users work with web products | How are connection and signing requests shown? |
| Mobile app | Wallet use centers on a phone | Which onboarding, transfer, and support flows are essential? |
| Telegram Mini App | Wallet actions sit inside a Telegram experience | Which actions must work within that experience? |
The integration map should list each chain, asset source, transaction type, and external service. For a swap flow, specify the route requested, the information shown before confirmation, and the status shown afterward. For dApp connections, define the permissions users see and the response the application expects.
Do not add a chain solely because it appears on a roadmap. Record the user need and the team’s ability to maintain its transaction flows. Coordinate a mobile product with Web3 mobile app development, or align Telegram-specific work with Telegram bot and mini app development.
What should users see before and after each wallet action?
A transaction-flow map records 5 moments: entry, review, approval, status, and resolution. Use those moments to check that the interface explains what the user is authorizing and what follows.
For each transfer, swap, or connection, record the starting screen, required data, confirmation content, and expected result. Before confirmation, make the action and asset clear. Show the destination or requested route where relevant. Include fee information when the product provides it. After submission, show whether the action is pending or complete, then state the next available action.
Also specify interruption states. A rejected request, loading screen, or failed action should tell users what happened and whether they can retry. If support is needed, show where to go. These details help engineering test behavior rather than only matching static screens.
For onboarding and recovery, keep instructions consistent with the custody model. A handoff should include screen states, interaction notes, and the data each screen needs. That gives the build team a concrete reference for implementation and validation. If the product needs a separate public site, define that scope through Web3 website and landing development.
Which security and operating records should the team prepare?
The architecture record should identify transaction authority, key-handling boundaries, and operational access. These inputs guide security planning and show reviewers which components can affect wallet behavior.
Before implementation, list the services that handle wallet data and the roles with operational access. During the build, compare the technical design with the user-facing permissions and confirmation steps. For backend components, document what the team needs to monitor and who responds to an incident.
A review preparation package can include:
- Architecture notes and key-management choices.
- Integration boundaries and transaction-flow descriptions.
- Operational roles, monitoring expectations, and open decisions.
- Review findings and planned remediation, when available.
Treat these materials as preparation for an independent security review, not as a replacement for one. Keep unresolved findings visible in the release plan. A narrow first release can also reduce the number of actions the operating team must support. If the wallet uses application-specific on-chain logic, coordinate the review boundary with the product’s smart contract development scope.
How does the wallet build move from brief to handoff?
The delivery plan starts with 5 decisions: custody, user tasks, chains, surfaces, and integrations. At GeoMarketing Experts, we review those inputs in a wallet architecture discussion, then record open dependencies before agreeing milestones.
The work follows the agreed scope:
- Share the product brief, target users, and required wallet actions.
- Review key management, chain support, transaction types, and dependencies.
- Agree the first-release journeys, interface states, and deliverables.
- Implement the wallet and validate the specified user flows.
- Prepare operational handoff and materials for security review.
A focused MVP and a multi-surface wallet require different design, integration, and validation work. We set milestones after the architecture review. Progress reporting can track agreed deliverables, unresolved dependencies, and decisions needed from your team.
External store review decisions and changes in third-party chain or integration services remain outside the build team’s control. We can deliver the agreed implementation and prepare review materials, but cannot promise store approval or uninterrupted external service. Send us your custody preference, target users, and required integrations. We will use them to outline the architecture and next scope decisions.
How it works
- Send the product briefShare the target users, main wallet tasks, delivery surface, and any preferred custody approach. Include known chain and integration needs.
- Review architecture inputsWe map key control, transaction types, integrations, and operating responsibilities. Open decisions are recorded for discussion.
- Agree first-release flowsWe define the user journeys, interface states, deliverables, review needs, and milestones before implementation.
- Build and validateThe team implements the agreed scope and checks the specified transaction and user flows against the requirements.
- Prepare the handoffWe document operating needs, monitoring expectations, and materials for an independent security review.
Frequently asked questions
What should I include in a wallet development brief?
Include the target users, main wallet tasks, custody preference, delivery surface, required chains, and planned integrations. A short list of those 6 inputs is enough to start an architecture discussion. Also identify existing product or backend components the wallet must connect to. Mark undecided items openly so their effect on scope can be reviewed.
Can one wallet serve browser users and Telegram users?
Yes, the scope can include both surfaces. First list the wallet actions required in each environment. Then separate shared product behavior from surface-specific screens and integrations. A 2-surface plan needs its own journey and validation notes for each environment, even when some underlying product behavior is shared.
How do you decide whether a wallet should be custodial?
Start by recording who controls signing authority and who handles lost access. Those answers affect operations, support, and onboarding. For a custodial product, ask counsel to review regulatory classification before launch. If the model remains open, the architecture discussion can compare the responsibilities each approach creates.
What does the security review handoff contain?
The handoff can contain architecture notes, key-management decisions, integration boundaries, and transaction-flow descriptions. It can also record review findings and planned remediation when those exist. These artifacts explain the implementation for an independent reviewer. They do not replace the reviewer’s own examination or audit.
When can you give us a wallet delivery schedule?
We set milestones after reviewing the architecture and integration dependencies. A focused wallet and a product spanning several surfaces involve different implementation and validation work. To prepare a schedule, we need the custody approach, first-release tasks, target surfaces, required chains, and materials your team will provide.
Can you ensure a store accepts the wallet and integrations keep working?
No. Store teams make their own review decisions, while third-party chain and integration services can change availability or behavior. We can deliver the agreed wallet build, prepare review materials, and document operating requirements. The delivery plan should identify those external dependencies and the team responsible for monitoring them.
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