Hardware Wallets
Hardware wallets are physical devices similar to USB flash drives. They provide an additional layer of protection handling Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies by storing private keys in a protected area immune to malware and other cyber-attacks. In addition to security, hardware wallets offer greater convenience when transferring cryptocurrencies, as well as the option to store multiple assets in a single location.
Described below are hardware wallets from two leading manufacturers—KeepKey and Ledger—complete with purchase links. When you purchase a hardware wallet through one of our links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, which is how you can help us keep providing our services for free. For purchases made through our links, we give 1 hour of free online/phone or in-person technical support (within Brisbane) for any issues with the setup and use of the purchased devices.
KeepKey is a hardware wallet with many attractive features that make it stand out, including its beautiful aluminum case, stunning screen, which has the largest size of all hardware wallets, and very intuitive design with a native integration with the ShapeShift.io platform, which is owned by the same company as KeepKey and offers global trading of a variety of digital assets via web and mobile platforms.
The founder and current CEO of ShapeShift, Erik Voorhees, has become a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency world, in part because of his debates with other cryptocurrency believers and skeptics alike. His passion for cryptocurrency is evident from all projects he is involved with, including KeepKey.
For ShapeShift users, KeepKey is really an easy choice, but we highly recommend it to all cryptocurrency users who want to better protect their digital assets and enjoy PIN and passphrase protection against unauthorized use, customizable transaction speeds, the choice between 12, 18 or 24-word recovery phrases, and limitless wallet addresses on one device.
Headquartered in Paris, with a production facility in Vierzon, France and offices in San Francisco, Ledger is by far the most popular manufacturer of hardware wallets. The company is known mainly for the light Ledger Nano S, the highest-selling hardware wallet on the market today.
However, Ledger also sells the Nano X, which boasts Bluetooth connectivity, support for over 1,100 cryptocurrency assets, and state-of-the-art security features. Even though the Ledger Nano S is the most affordable hardware wallet from Ledger, it meets all needs of individuals who would like to store their Bitcoin with high security and convenience
All hardware wallets from Ledger can be managed with ease through the Ledger Live app, which works on all desktop and mobile devices and is essentially a companion to Ledger hardware wallets, with a step-by-step onboarding process and detailed overview of all managed cryptocurrency assets.
The Trezor hardware wallet was the first on the market & is still one of the most popular. It supports Bitcoin & the vast majority of cryptocurrencies with any significant market today.
Trezor also supports Ethereum both the native token ETH & all tokens based on the Ethereum blockchain of which there are far too many to list. Interacting with smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain which is necessary for decentralized financial (DeFi) products, is greatly simplified by Trezor's user interface.
Internally the KeepKey is very similar to the Trezor however Trezor has some added functionality. Trezor offers a great balance of security, functionality and easy to use interface.