Dan Finlay, co-founder of MetaMask and one of the people behind its rise, has announced he is leaving Consensys after about a decade.
Summary
Dan Finlay said he is leaving Consensys after helping build MetaMask over the past 10 years.
MetaMask launched Advanced Permissions, allowing dApps to execute approved transactions without requiring users to sign each time.
The new feature could support recurring crypto payments through user-set spending limits and clearer permissions.
In a post on X, Finlay said Wednesday was his “last day” at Consensys. He said he plans to spend more time with family and pointed to burnout after years of building MetaMask.
His departure marks a major leadership shift for one of the most recognized wallet products in the Ethereum ecosystem.
“Wishing the team the best — they have an amazing road ahead,” he wrote.
MetaMask Keeps Expanding
MetaMask launched in 2016 under Consensys and became one of the most widely used Ethereum wallets across desktop and mobile. It helped bring millions of users into decentralized apps, DeFi, NFTs, and the broader crypto economy.
Over time, MetaMask moved far beyond its original Ethereum focus.
The wallet added support for more networks, including non-EVM chains like Bitcoin and Tron. It also expanded into newer areas like prediction markets, tokenized stocks, and even a payment card with Mastercard that offers cashback in mUSD.
Soon after announcing his exit, Finlay pointed to a new MetaMask feature called Advanced Permissions, also known as ERC-7715.
The feature lets decentralized apps request specific permissions so they can carry out approved actions without asking users to sign every single transaction.
That could support things like scheduled purchases or repeated onchain activity with limits set by the user.
One example shared in MetaMask documentation showed a user allowing a dApp to spend 10 USDC per day to buy ETH over a month. Once approved, the app can use that daily amount under those rules without repeated signatures.
New Feature Could Help Unlock Recurring Crypto Payments
The bigger goal is reducing friction.
Instead of approving every transaction one by one, users can set rules upfront. That could make apps feel smoother to use and help bring more practical payment experiences into crypto.
Some see it as a big step.
Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm called the feature “extremely important” and pointed to one major use case.
He said crypto may finally be moving toward something traditional payment giants like Visa and Mastercard have long offered — recurring payments.
That could become one of the more important product directions for MetaMask as it moves forward after Finlay’s departure.
