# Argent / Ready

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/argent
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Argent / Ready — official](https://www.ready.co/)

## Overview

**Argent** (now **Ready**) is **the pioneering smart-contract account-abstraction wallet for Ethereum + Layer-2 chains** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [global-cro]</sup>. Argent built **the first smart wallets for zkSync + StarkNet** <sup>[3][3]</sup> — pioneering **on-chain wallet UX with social recovery, multicall, session keys + flexible authentication**.

**Distinctive Argent positioning**: **Argent mobile wallet is the gateway to the zkSync ecosystem** with **350,000+ users on zkSync Era waitlist**. Argent X (browser wallet) = StarkNet gateway. **StarkNet has NATIVE account abstraction** — every account IS a smart contract; **Argent is a first-class citizen** on StarkNet.

**Argent rebrand to Ready** — focused on doubling down on StarkNet ecosystem with broader vision of bringing on-chain finance to mainstream users via account abstraction.

## History

**2018 — Argent founded** <sup>[2][2]</sup> by **Itamar Lesuisse + Gerald Goldstein** in London.

**2018-2020 — Ethereum-mainnet smart-wallet pioneer** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Multisig + social recovery + multicall + meta-transactions.

**2023 — First smart wallets for zkSync + StarkNet** <sup>[3][3]</sup>.

**2023-2024 — 350,000+ users on zkSync Era waitlist** <sup>[3][3]</sup>.

**2025 — Argent rebrands to Ready** + **doubles down on StarkNet** <sup>[2][2]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Ready Wallet Limited** (rebranded from Argent Labs).

**Co-founders**: **Itamar Lesuisse (CEO) + Gerald Goldstein (CPO)** — London-based ex-Index Ventures + financial-services veterans.

**Major investors**: **Index Ventures, Paradigm, Ribbit Capital, Animal Capital, Creandum, Firstmark Capital** + others.

**Regulator**: **Self-custody** (non-regulated; users hold own keys).

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Argent mobile wallet (iOS + Android; for Ethereum + zkSync) + Argent X (browser extension for StarkNet) |
| **Identifiers** | ETH address + StarkNet address + zkSync address + ENS |
| **Type** | Self-custody smart-contract account-abstraction (AA) wallet |
| **Networks** | Ethereum Mainnet + L2 (zkSync Era + StarkNet) |
| **AA features** | Social recovery + multicall (bundle multiple txs) + session keys (Dapps sign on user's behalf) + flexible authentication |
| **StarkNet native AA**: Every account IS a smart contract — Argent first-class citizen |
| **License** | Self-custody (no key custody; user holds keys via secure enclaves + social recovery) |

## Users & growth

**2024-2025 baseline** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- **zkSync Era waitlist**: 350,000+ users (gateway to zkSync ecosystem)
- **Pioneering AA**: First smart wallets for zkSync + StarkNet (2023)
- **Strategic 2025**: Argent → Ready rebrand + StarkNet double-down

## Use cases

Ethereum-mainnet self-custody DeFi + NFT; zkSync Era L2 gateway; StarkNet native-AA wallet (Argent X); social-recovery + session-keys + multicall AA-UX advantages; DeFi yield + lending + DEX interactions; NFT minting + trading; ENS-based identity.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Ready Wallet Limited** (Itamar Lesuisse CEO + Gerald Goldstein CPO).

**Major investors**: **Index Ventures, Paradigm, Ribbit Capital, Animal Capital, Creandum, Firstmark Capital**.

**Strategic ecosystem partners**: **zkSync (Matter Labs)** + **StarkNet (StarkWare)** — first smart-wallet builder on both L2s.

**Major self-custody smart-contract wallet competitors**:
- **Safe (formerly Gnosis Safe)** (multi-sig + smart-contract treasury wallet)
- **Ambire** (account-abstraction-focused; Web3 wallet)
- **Sequence** (multi-chain smart wallet)
- **[MetaMask](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/metamask)** (covered Batch 9; world's most popular EVM wallet — externally-owned-account model, not AA)
- **[Trust Wallet](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/trust-wallet)** (covered Batch 9; mass-market multi-chain)
- **[Rainbow](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/rainbow)** (covered Batch 9; EVM-focused; Apple-aesthetic)

**Regulator**: **Self-custody** (non-regulated).

## Fun facts

- **2018 founding** by Itamar Lesuisse + Gerald Goldstein in London.
- **Built first smart wallets for zkSync + StarkNet** (2023).
- **350K+ users on zkSync Era waitlist** — distinctive zkSync gateway positioning.
- **StarkNet native AA** — every account IS a smart contract; Argent first-class citizen.
- **Backed by Index Ventures + Paradigm + Ribbit Capital + Animal Capital + Creandum**.
- **2025 rebrand to Ready** + StarkNet double-down.
- **AA pioneer features**: social recovery + multicall + session keys + flexible authentication.

## Comparison

| Feature | Argent / Ready | Safe (Gnosis Safe analogous treasury) | Ambire (AA-focused analogous) | [MetaMask](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/metamask) (EVM EOA rival; Batch 9) | [Phantom](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/phantom) (Solana analogous EOA wallet; Batch 9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Ready Wallet Limited (Itamar Lesuisse CEO + Gerald Goldstein CPO; Index + Paradigm + Ribbit + Animal Capital + Creandum backed)** | Safe Ecosystem Foundation | Ambire | ConsenSys / MetaMask | Phantom |
| Type | **Self-custody smart-contract AA wallet (Ethereum + zkSync + StarkNet)** | Multi-sig + smart-contract treasury wallet | AA-focused Web3 wallet | EVM externally-owned-account wallet (not AA) | Solana EOA wallet |
| Networks | **Ethereum + zkSync + StarkNet (native AA pioneer)** | Multi-chain EVM | EVM + L2 | EVM + L2 | Solana + EVM (post-2024) |
| Distinctive | **First smart wallets for zkSync + StarkNet (2023); 350K+ zkSync Era waitlist users; AA pioneer; StarkNet first-class citizen** | Multi-sig + DAO treasury standard | AA pioneer | World's most popular EVM wallet | Solana ecosystem leader |

## Status

**Active, pioneering smart-contract AA wallet for Ethereum + L2s** <sup>[2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Ready Wallet Limited (rebranded from Argent)** since 2018.
- **First smart wallets for zkSync + StarkNet (2023)**.
- **350K+ zkSync Era waitlist users + Argent X StarkNet browser wallet**.
- **2025 rebrand to Ready + StarkNet double-down**.
- **Index + Paradigm + Ribbit Capital backed**.
- **Self-custody** (non-regulated).

## Sources

[1]: https://www.intothebytecode.xyz/julien-niset-argent/ "Julien Niset Argent + StarkNet AA primer — Into the Bytecode"
[2]: https://www.ready.co/blog/doubling-down-on-starknet "Argent → Ready doubling down on StarkNet"
[3]: https://www.starknet.io/blog/account-abstraction/ "StarkNet AA primer — StarkNet"
[4]: https://blog.ambire.com/best-account-abstraction-wallets/ "Best AA wallets 2025 — Ambire"

- [1] [Julien Niset Argent + StarkNet AA — Into the Bytecode][1]
- [2] [Argent → Ready doubling down on StarkNet][2]
- [3] [StarkNet AA primer — StarkNet][3]
- [4] [Best AA wallets 2025 — Ambire][4]
- [global-cro] In-corpus: see country reports for self-custody global context

## Source

Biography extracted from [argent.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/argent). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.