---
eip: 7871
title: Wallet Signing API
description: Adds a JSON-RPC method for requesting a signature from a wallet
author: Lukas Rosario (@lukasrosario), Jake Moxey (@jxom), Cody Crozier (@wcrozier12), Conner Swenberg (@ilikesymmetry)
discussions-to: https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/new-erc-wallet-signing-api/22718
status: Draft
type: Standards Track
category: ERC
created: 2024-01-29
requires: 191, 712, 5792
---

## Abstract

Defines a new JSON-RPC method `wallet_sign` which enables apps to ask a wallet to sign [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) messages.

Applications can use this JSON-RPC method to request a signature over any version of `signed_data` as defined by [EIP-191](./eip-191.md). The new JSON-RPC method allows for support of future [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) `signed_data` versions.

The new JSON-RPC method also supports [EIP-5792](./eip-5792.md)-style `capabilities`, and support for signing capabilities can be discovered using `wallet_getCapabilities` as defined in [EIP-5792](./eip-5792.md).

## Motivation

Wallets and developer tools currently support multiple JSON-RPC methods for handling offchain signature requests. This proposal simplifies wallet & tooling implementations by consolidating these requests under a single `wallet_sign` JSON-RPC method. This also leaves room for new [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) `signed_data` versions without needing to introduce a new corresponding JSON-RPC method.

Furthermore, this new `wallet_sign` method introduces new functionalities via [EIP-5792](./eip-5792.md)-style `capabilities`.

## Specification

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 and RFC 8174.
One new JSON-RPC method is introduced.

### `wallet_sign`

Requests a signature over [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) `signed_data` from a wallet.

The top-level `version` parameter is for specifying the version of `wallet_sign` should the top-level interface change.

The `request.type` parameter is for specifying the [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) `signed_data` `version` (e.g. `0x01` for structured data, `0x45` for `personal_sign` messaged). The `request.data` parameter is the corresponding data according to the `signed_data` `version`.

The optional `address` parameter is for requesting a signature from a specified address. If included, the wallet MUST respect it and only respond with a signature from that address.

The capabilities field is how an app can communicate with a wallet about capabilities that a wallet supports.

This proposal defines `request` schemas for the three `signed_data` versions currently in [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) (`0x00`, `0x01`, `0x45`). Any future `signed_data` versions can be supported by `wallet_sign`, and their `request` interfaces are left to future ERCs.

#### `wallet_sign` RPC Specification

```typescript
type Capability = {
  [key: string]: unknown;
  optional?: boolean;
}

type SignParams = {
  version: string;
  address?: `0x${string}`;
  request: {
    type: `0x${string}`; // 1-byte EIP-191 version
    data: any; // data corresponding to the above version
  };
  capabilities?: Record<string, Capability>;
};

type SignResult = {
  signature: `0x${string}`;
  capabilities?: Record<string, any>;
};
```

##### Request Interfaces

Below are `request` interfaces for the `signed_data` `version`s specified in [EIP-191](./eip-191.md) at time of writing. These include:
* `0x00` - Data with intended validator
* `0x01` - [EIP-712](./eip-712.md) Typed Data
* `0x45` - Personal Sign

Any new `request` interfaces corresponding to new `signed_data` `version`s SHOULD be defined in their own ERCs.

```typescript
type ValidatorRequest = {
  type: '0x00';
  data: {
    validator: `0x${string}`; // Intended validator address
    data: `0x${string}`; // Data to sign
  };
}

type TypedDataRequest = {
  type: '0x01';
  data: {
    ...TypedData // TypedData as defined by EIP-712
  }
}

type PersonalSignRequest = {
  type: '0x45';
  data: {
    message: string; // UTF-8 message string
  }
}
```

##### `wallet_sign` Example Parameters

```json
{
  "version": "1.0",
  "request": {
    "type": "0x45",
    "data": {
      "message": "Hello world"
    }
  }
}
```

##### `wallet_sign` Example Return Value

```json
{
  "signature": "0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000e670ec64341771606e55d6b4ca35a1a6b75ee3d5145a99d05921026d1527331",
}
```

## Rationale

<!-- TODO -->

## Backwards Compatibility

<!-- TODO -->

## Security Considerations

<!-- TODO -->

## Copyright

Copyright and related rights waived via [CC0](../LICENSE.md).