A new Ethereum standard aims to end the era of blind signing, where users approved transactions without understanding the actual terms. The Clear Signing standard, built on ERC-7730, converts raw transaction data into structured, plain-language summaries before a user confirms.
Instead of a cryptic function signature, a wallet might display: 'You are swapping 1.5 ETH for 3,200 USDC on Uniswap v4.' This is made possible by contract descriptors - independently reviewed metadata files stored in a public registry at Clearsigning.org. Wallets query this registry in real time to render clear transaction summaries.
The standard works retroactively. It doesn't require redeploying existing smart contracts; descriptors serve as an overlay. Anyone can submit a descriptor, but each undergoes independent review before inclusion.
Blind signing has been a major attack vector for phishing scams. The Bybit hack is a high-profile example where blind signing enabled significant user losses. Binance reported blocking 22.9 million phishing attempts in Q1 2026 alone.
Major wallet providers and security firms back the standard, including Ledger, Trezor, MetaMask, and WalletConnect. WalletConnect's adoption is significant because its protocol handles connections across hundreds of dApps.
For professional fund managers and corporate treasuries, human-readable transactions address compliance and risk management concerns, allowing crypto approvals to fit into existing governance frameworks. The main risk is fragmentation: if major DeFi protocols don't submit descriptors, users will still encounter blind signing for some popular actions. Registry growth over the coming months will be the key indicator of adoption.