In 2019, Ethereum proved that blockchain's ideals are alive and well

It has also been encouraging to see how blockchain projects took steps to update solutions for private key management.

Generally, the point is to put some distance between the user and their private keys, without compromising security.

On a daily basis the user should only have to deal with familiar things like biometric and pin code access, but still retain full ownership of their keys for the option of wallet recovery, if needed.

MEW's own mobile app MEWconnect was created to be a more secure alternative to software wallets and a more accessible alternative to hardware wallets.

Most modern-day smartphones have a secure enclave for sensitive information and it can be used by​ ​mobile wallet apps​ for ​storing keys​.

Developments in​ ​mobile​ and browser wallet​ technologies are especially significant: many users in developing countries, where decentralized finance is needed most, don't have, and may never have, access to desktop computers.

At MEW, we feel that one of the important goals for the Ethereum community in 2020 will be to continue transitioning users from less secure access methods like private key, mnemonic phrase, and keystore file, to more secure ones like hardware wallets and new key management technologies including MEWconnect, WalletConnect, WalletLink, and Universal Login.

It's essential to facilitate this process with support and education so that users are empowered to retain self-custody of funds without resorting to risky access methods.

2019 has been a year of meaningful developments in the Ethereum ecosystem that have made decentralized technologies more available, accessible, secure, and less intimidating for users.

The year 2020 will bring us much closer to a cryptocurrency space that's worth waiting for - a space where the decentralized choice is the natural choice, not for the sake of ideology, but for the undeniable benefits it brings to the users' experience of their daily lives.