Wallet Architecture Overview
ARGUS provides a unified wallet interface that supports both standard wallet operations and secure Argus Vault storage, all within a single application.
Architecture Overview
ARGUS is built as a Chrome extension that provides:
- Standard Wallet: Fast, convenient transactions for daily use
- Argus Vault: Multi-layer secure storage for high-value holdings
- Unified Interface: Seamless switching between wallet types
Standard Wallet Architecture
The standard wallet operates like a traditional hot wallet:
┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Chrome Extension │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ User Interface (React) │ │
│ └────────────┬───────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌────────────▼───────────────────┐ │
│ │ Transaction Construction │ │
│ │ (Solana Web3.js) │ │
│ └────────────┬───────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌────────────▼───────────────────┐ │
│ │ Encrypted Private Key │ │
│ │ (chrome.storage.sync) │ │
│ └────────────┬───────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌────────────▼───────────────────┐ │
│ │ Client-Side Signing │ │
│ │ (No server involved) │ │
│ └────────────┬───────────────────┘ │
└───────────────┼───────────────────────┘
│
▼
Solana Network (RPC)
Key Characteristics
- Single Keypair: Standard Solana keypair wallet
- Client-Side Signing: All signing happens locally
- No Server Dependency: Transactions don't require ARGUS backend
- Fast: Instant transaction execution
- Simple: Works like any standard wallet
Argus Vault Architecture
Argus Vault uses Squads V4 multisig with server-side verification:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Chrome Extension │
│ ┌──────────────── ───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ User Interface (React) │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Create Multisig Proposal │ │
│ │ (Squads SDK) │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ User Signs Proposal │ │
│ │ (User wallet signature) │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
└──────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ARGUS Backend Server │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Voice Verification │ │
│ │ (MFCC comparison) │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Geographic Verification │ │
│ │ (Haversine distance) │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Hardware/Bluetooth/Biometric Checks │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Server Co-Signs Proposal │ │
│ │ (If all verifications pass) │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
└──────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
Solana Network (RPC)
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Squads V4 Smart Contract │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Verify 2-of-2 signatures present │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Execute transaction from Vault PDA │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Characteristics
- Multisig Account: Squads V4 multisig (2-of-2)
- Server Co-Signing: ARGUS backend verifies security layers
- On-Chain Enforcement: Squads smart contract enforces rules
- Secure: Multiple independent security layers
- Flexible: Configurable security based on needs
Unified User Experience
Despite architectural differences, ARGUS presents a seamless interface:
Wallet Selector
Users can switch between wallet types easily:
┌─────────────────────────┐
│ ▼ Wallet SOL │ ← Dropdown selector
├─────────────────────────┤
│ ○ Standard Wallet │
│ ◉ Argus Vault │ ← Switch between wallets
└─────────────────────────┘
Transaction Interface
Both wallets use the same UI flow:
- Select token
- Enter recipient and amount
- Review transaction
- Approve (different verification based on wallet type)
The user doesn't need to understand the underlying architecture—ARGUS handles the complexity.
Balance Display
Users see balances for both wallet types:
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ Standard Wallet Argus Vault │
│ ◉ 0.5 SOL ○ 100 SOL │
│ $65 USD $13,000 USD │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
Technical Stack
Frontend
- Framework: React + TypeScript
- Platform: Chrome Extension (Plasmo)
- Blockchain: Solana Web3.js
- Multisig: Squads SDK
Backend
- Runtime: Node.js + Express
- Database: PostgreSQL (Prisma ORM)
- Security: Voice verification, geographic checks
- Blockchain: Solana RPC integration
On-Chain
- Multisig: Squads Protocol V4
- Program ID:
SQDS4ep65T869zMMBKyuUq6aD6EgTu8psMjkvj52pCf - Enforcement: Smart contract-based
Data Flow
Standard Wallet Transaction
User → UI → Transaction Construction → Sign (local) → Broadcast → Solana Network
Time: < 2 seconds Server: Not required
Argus Vault Transaction
User → UI → Proposal Creation → Sign (local) → Server Verification →
Server Co-Sign → Execute → Solana Network → Squads V4
Time: 30-60 seconds Server: Required for verification
Security Architecture
Standard Wallet
- Encryption: AES-256-GCM
- Storage: Chrome storage (encrypted at rest)
- Signing: Client-side only
- Protection: Password-based
Argus Vault
- Multisig: 2-of-2 (user + server)
- Verification: Multiple independent layers
- Enforcement: On-chain via Squads V4
- Protection: Multi-layer defense-in-depth
Key Takeaways
- Unified Interface: Single application, multiple security levels
- Flexible Architecture: Standard wallet for speed, Argus Vault for security
- Invisible Multisig: Users don't see multisig complexity
- On-Chain Enforcement: Security exists independently of infrastructure
- User-Friendly: Complex security made simple
ARGUS architecture provides the flexibility to choose security level while maintaining a simple, unified user experience.
Next Steps
- How Argus Vault Security Works - Deep dive into security mechanisms
- Multisig Enforcement - Understanding Squads V4 integration
- Security Layers - All security options explained