ERC-7702 Overview · The Pectra Upgrade Where EOAs Temporarily Gain SCW Functionality

Wiki route

This entry sits under systems index. Read it against ERC-7702 vs ERC-4337 · Ethereum AA dual-track comparison for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / regulatory boundary.

Key facts

• Pectra 2025-05 mainnet activation (including 7702 + 7251 validators + 2935 blockhash, etc.) ^•
• In 2024-05 , after abandoning EIP-3074 , Vitalik personally drafted 7702 ^•
• SET_CODE_TX (EIP type 0x04) was newly introduced ^•
• 90% of ETH holders still use EOAs (MetaMask / Rabby / Trust Wallet) · this is the target of 7702 ^•
• 2026-Q1-Q2: MetaMask / Rabby / Coinbase Wallet support it by default ^•

Mechanism / How it works

Core problem: ERC-4337 requires users to migrate to a new address (SCW address ≠ EOA address). For EOA users who already have on-chain history, ENS, NFTs, and DeFi positions, the migration cost is unacceptable.

**The core reason Vitalik promotes 7702 **:

• 90% of ETH holders still use EOAs
• 4337 shows that in 2023-2025 over 2 years, SCW penetration was < 5% — proving that the “create a new SCW” route is too slow for adoption
• A route to directly upgrade EOAs is necessary · all EOAs can gain SCW functionality overnight

Mechanism:

• Introduce SET_CODE_TX (EIP type 0x04)
• The user (EOA), by signature, authorizes contract code to be assigned to their own address during that tx
• After the tx completes · the code can be retained (persistent delegation) or removed
• In persistent mode · the EOA’s behavior becomes fully equivalent to an SCW · but the address does not change

Typical application flow:

1. 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 SET_CODE_TX
3. The EOA address thereafter executes with SCW logic — batch, sponsor, session key, etc. become possible
4. The user can remove the delegation at any time by signature · returning to a pure EOA state

Origin & evolution

During 2017-2024 年 · Ethereum AA efforts were attempted multiple times: EIP-86 (2017 failure) → EIP-2938 (2020 failure) → EIP-3074 (2022 nearly realized but with signature replay issues) → ERC-4337 (implemented at the application layer in 2023-03 ) → EIP-7702 (drafted by Vitalik in 2024-05 ).

**Important differences from ERC-3074 **:

• 3074 uses the AUTH/AUTHCALL opcode · requires an invoker contract intermediary · UX is complex + signature replay risk is high
• 7702 directly sets code at the tx layer · closer to a native SCW experience · and shares 4337 and EntryPoint infrastructure

Timeline:

• 2024-05: Vitalik abandoned 3074 · drafted 7702
• 2025-05: Pectra mainnet activation (7702 + 7251 + 2935 , etc.)
• 2026-Q1-Q2: MetaMask / Rabby / Coinbase Wallet support it by default
• 2026-H2: Fusaka upgrade further optimizes the 7702 economic model

Related

• Wiki Index
• ERC-7702 vs ERC-4337
• ERC-4337 Overview
• ERC-7715 overview · Wallet Permissions and AI Agent auto-payment

Sources

• EIP-7702 “Set Code for EOAs” — https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7702