A cryptocurrency wallet is an app, program, or device used to access your cryptocurrency stored on the blockchain. Or, more accurately, a wallet stores your private and public “keys” that let you send and receive crypto.
A crypto wallet can be software, hardware like a USB device, or even a piece of paper. In this roundup I’ll share three software wallets and two hardware wallets.
Software Wallets
- Exodus is the wallet I’ve been using lately. It lets you buy Bitcoin with Apple Pay, tracks your portfolio, and lets you send/receive/transfer cryptocurrencies like your standard wallet. There is a giant list of coins it supports with security features like wallet backup and Face ID / Touch ID. App Store Link.
- Atomic is fully-decentralized wallet that supports over 300 cryptocurrencies. This is the first wallet I tried but I didn’t like it; I just think Exodus’ interface is better. But unlike Exodus, Atomic lets you stake cryptocurrencies, which is a whole other aspect in this space. App Store Link.
- Electrum is a wallet for the desktop and doesn’t have a mobile app (That I know of). I’ve never used it but it was recommended to me from someone who says it can track your capital gains for you. It, too, is free and decentralized. Website Link.
Hardware Wallets
This post in r/CryptoCurrency gives tips on using a hardware wallet like generating a new seed and factory resetting it before use. Here are two wallets to check out.
- Ledger Nano X is an upgraded version of the Nano S wallet. It uses a CC EAL5+ certified secure chip so that your private keys are kept isolated within the device. This is the same kind of chip used in passwords and credit cards. It has Bluetooth so you can use it with the mobile companion app. Website Link.
- BitBox02 supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Chainlink, BAT and 1500+ more. It has touch sensors on the sides to control it and backups are made to a microSD card. It has a 128x64px display that lets you verify directly on the BitBox02 what you are about to confirm, including all transaction details before signing. Website Link.
