ERC-7702 vs ERC-4337 · Ethereum AA dual-track comparison
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
Keep reading
Read next
- Formal Specification ↔ Implementation Co-design This entry sits under systems index. Read it against Threshold BFT コンセンサス Rust 化トレンド（Tempo Simplex / Arc Malachite） for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / reg... systems/formal-spec-implementation-codesign
- Hook-Enforced Compliance This entry sits under systems index. Read it against Threshold BFT 共识 Rust 化潮流（Tempo Simplex / Arc Malachite） for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / regulator... systems/hook-enforced-compliance
- Hyperlane Interchain Security Modules (ISM) · Pluggable Verification Layer This entry sits under systems index. Read it against cross chain four poles overview for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / regulatory boundary. systems/hyperlane-ism-modular-security
Links here
- ERC-4337 Account Abstraction Primer for AI Agents ERC-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... agent-economy/erc-4337-account-abstraction-primer-for-agents
- ERC-7702 EOA Delegation Primer for AI Agents ERC-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... agent-economy/erc-7702-eoa-delegation-primer-for-agents
- ERC-7715 overview · Wallet Permissions and AI Agent auto-payment This entry sits under AI Agent 決済プロトコル全体図 · 7プロトコル俯瞰. Read it against payments index for peer / contrast context and systems index for the broader system / regulatory boundary. agent-economy/erc-7715-overview
- ERC-4337 Overview · Application-Layer Implementation of Account Abstraction This entry sits under systems index. Read it against ERC-7702 vs ERC-4337 · Ethereum AA デュアルトラック対照 for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / regulatory boundary. systems/erc-4337-overview
- ERC-7702 Overview · The Pectra Upgrade Where EOAs Temporarily Gain SCW Functionality This entry sits under systems index. Read it against ERC-7702 vs ERC-4337 · Ethereum AA デュアルトラック対照 for peer / contrast context and fintech index for the broader system / regulatory boundary. systems/erc-7702-overview