ERC-7702 vs ERC-4337 · Ethereum AA dual-track comparison
ConfidenceCertainUpdated2026-05-26Review by2026-09-22Sources2Machine-translatedOriginal (JA)
Wiki route
This entry sits under systems index. Read it against ERC-7702 Overview · The Pectra Upgrade Where EOAs Temporarily Gain SCW Functionality for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / regulatory boundary.
Key facts
- 4337 = new SCW creation (enabled at the application layer on 2023-03 mainnet) •
- 7702 = upgrade of existing EOAs (enabled at the protocol layer in 2025-05 Pectra) •
- Both share EntryPoint infrastructure •
- 4337 penetration < 5% (2023-2025) · 7702 is expected to spread rapidly •
- Main promoters are split: 4337 = Privy / Coinbase CDP / wallet providers · 7702 = Vitalik / Ethereum core developers / MetaMask •
Mechanism / How it works
Detailed comparison of the dual track:
| Perspective | ERC-4337 | ERC-7702 |
|---|---|---|
| Target users | New users / fintech embedded wallets | Existing EOA users / established DeFi wallets |
| Migration cost | New address + asset migration | Zero cost · in-place upgrade |
| Penetration speed | Slow (users must actively create an SCW) | Fast (one-click upgrade possible) |
| Main promoters | Privy / Coinbase CDP / wallet providers | Vitalik / Ethereum core developers / MetaMask |
| Protocol-layer change | None (pure application layer) | Yes (new tx type) |
| Applicable scenario | Merchants issue new wallets to customers | Wallet apps upgrade the experience for existing users |
| Risk model | Security audit of the SCW contract itself | Dual risk from delegation target contract + EOA private key |
Fundamental reason for complementarity: Ethereum already has tens of millions of EOA users, and historical assets / ENS / NFTs / DeFi positions cannot be moved lightly — this is the difficulty of the 4337 path. By contrast, new users arriving through fintech (end users of Stripe / PayPal / Revolut) have never had EOAs, so issuing SCWs directly through 4337 becomes the optimal path.
Practical separation by scenario:
- Stripe merchant issues wallets to new users → 4337 SCW (via Privy)
- MetaMask user wants to batch approve+swap in DeFi → 7702 temporary delegation
- Institutional multi-sig → Safe (based on 4337 Modular)
- Advanced DeFi user authorizes a trading bot with a session key → 4337 or 7702 + ERC-7715
Origin & evolution
Between 2022-2024 年, the Ethereum AA camp debated “protocol layer vs application layer” — 4337 bet on application-layer first, while 7702 later complemented it at the protocol layer. In 2024-05 , Vitalik’s push for 7702 was an important turning point, showing that Ethereum core developers formally endorsed “protocol-layer AA is the long-term direction.”
After Pectra 2025-05 activation, mainstream wallets are expected to support it by default in 2026-Q1-Q2 , and 7702 penetration is expected to greatly exceed the historical curve of 4337 (because EOA users do not need address migration).
Related
- Wiki Index
- ERC-7702 Overview
- ERC-4337 Overview
- ERC-4337 embedded wallet adoption map · Privy/Coinbase/Alchemy/Safe
- ERC-7715
Sources
- EIP-7702 vs ERC-4337 spec comparison (eips.ethereum.org)
- EIP-7702 (Set Code for EOAs) — https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7702
- ERC-4337 (Account Abstraction) — https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-4337
Discovery
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Links here
- ERC-4337 Account Abstraction Primer for AI AgentsERC-4337 is the application-layer account-abstraction standard that lets an Ethereum address be controlled by arbitrary code instead of a single secp256k1 key. For AI agents, that is the dif...
- ERC-7702 EOA Delegation Primer for AI AgentsERC-7702 (live since Pectra, 2025-05) lets an existing externally-owned account temporarily — or persistently — execute as if it were a smart contract wallet, without changing its address. F...
- ERC-7715 overview · Wallet Permissions and AI Agent auto-paymentThe origin of the 7715 draft lies in coordination discussions between the MetaMask Snaps team and the Coinbase Smart Wallet team in 2024 年 — both had independently implemented session keys...
- ERC-4337 Overview · Application-Layer Implementation of Account AbstractionThe core problem solved by ERC-4337 : the capability gap between EOA and SCW. A traditional EOA is controlled by a secp256k1 private key · can only send transactions / pay gas / sign · and h...
- ERC-7702 Overview · The Pectra Upgrade Where EOAs Temporarily Gain SCW Functionality1. The EOA user signs a delegationDesignator (SCW implementation contract · for example, a reference to Safe / Kernel) 2. The user (or gas sponsored through a Bundler) issues SETCODETX 3. Th...