суббота, 16 июня 2018 г.

bitcoin_wallet

Choose your Bitcoin wallet

Find your wallet and start making payments with merchants and users.

Take time to educate yourself

Bitcoin is different from what you know and use every day. Before you start using Bitcoin for any serious transaction, be sure to read what you need to know and take appropriate steps to secure your wallet. Always remember that it is your responsibility to choose your wallet carefully and adopt good practices in order to protect your money.

Get a Bitcoin Wallet

Are you a new Bitcoin user? We highly recommend the free Copay wallet that can be used on many operating systems.

Have you been using Bitcoin for a while and want to upgrade your security practices? Then keep reading!

Types of Wallets

There are many different ways to use Bitcoin and so there are many different types of wallets:

  • Online bitcoin wallets. Wallets that can be accessed on the web from any internet connected device.
  • Bitcoin hardware wallets. Physical devices designed to secure bitcoins.
  • Software wallets. Wallet applications downloaded to your phone, computer or tablet.
  • Paper wallets. Bitcoin private keys printed from an offline computer.

By the end of this article you’ll understand Bitcoin wallets and have a better idea about which type is right for you. Here are some factors to consider:

  • On the go? If you are making payments in person and not online then a mobile wallet like Copay (iOS & Android), breadwallet (iOS) or Mycelium (Android) is a must.
  • Frequency of payments. If you will need to make frequent payments then it will be best to keep your funds in wallet that is easy to use and accessible. Mobile wallets and desktop wallets are good options.
  • Amount. If you are dealing with large amounts of bitcoins you will need a secure wallet. Hardware wallets and secure offline wallets like Armory are good options.
  • Use combinations. Use a mobile wallet as your checking account, and a hardware or secure offline wallet as your savings account. Mix and match to find a combination that provides both security and accessibility.

Universal Wallets

Copay

Copay is a Bitcoin wallet by Bitpay and available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Linux, Max OS X, and Windows. Because Copay is available on multiple platforms, it’s easy to use the same wallet or accounts across multiple devices.

Copay’s simple, clean user interface makes it a good choice for new Bitcoin users. Copay is also a good option for businesses due to a shared account feature, which requires a certain number of users to sign each transaction. Two co-founders, for example, could create a 2 of 2 wallet where both will be required to sign each transaction.

Hardware Wallets

Hardware wallets are small computers or smartcards built with the sole purpose of generating Bitcoin private keys offline. Hardware wallets securely sign transactions in the same offline environment.

Ledger Nano

The Ledger Nano is a smartcard based hardware wallet. Private keys are generated and signed offline in the smartcard’s secure environment. The Nano is setup using the Ledger Chrome Application. A random 24-word seed is generated upon setup and backed offline by writing it down on a piece of paper. In case of theft, damage or loss, the entire wallet can be recreated with the seed. A user selected PIN code is also assigned to the device to protect against physical theft or hacking.

The Ledger Nano may be used on any computer, or Android phones with Mycelium or GreenBits.

TREZOR

The TREZOR differs from the Ledger Nano in that it’s a very tiny computer rather than a smartcard. Private keys are still generated offline.

TREZOR also generates a 24-word seed upon setup. The TREZOR has its own built in screen where the seed is displayed and copied down during backup. Since the TREZOR is an offline device it offers extra security since the seed isn’t displayed on an online computer.

An additional passphrase can be added to the 24-word seed. This provides extra protection, since anyone who finds someone else’s 24-word seed is free to access the funds. If the optional passphrase is added, an attacker still wouldn’t be able to access funds without both the seed AND the passphrase. If the passphrase is forgotten, it cannot be recovered.

OPENDIME

The first Bitcoin Bearer Bond or called a Bitcoin Stick. Opendime is a small USB stick that allows you to spend Bitcoin like a dollar bill. Pass it along multiple times. Connect to any USB to check balance. Unseal anytime to spend online. Trust no one.

Acts like a read-only USB flash drive. Works with any computer, laptop, and phone.

A QR Picture and Text file inside contain Bitcoin address and support.

The private key is generated inside the device, and is never known to any human, not even you!

The Bitcoin world changes fast but Opendime is built on the fundamental Bitcoin features that have not changed in five years.

Give an Opendime to anyone and they don't need to worry that you can take back the funds later.

You have got the private keys in the device. This is physical Bitcoin as it was meant to be to just hand it to someone and they have got it.

Pass it on multiple times! Simple as a handshake. No miner fees, no confirmation delays.

Uses Bitcoin message signing, normal (non HD) bitcoin payment addresses and private keys in WIF format.

Ledger HW.1

The Ledger HW.1 is a more affordable version of the Ledger Nano.

Ledger Unplugged

The Ledger Unplugged is a credit card-size wireless hardware wallet. Private keys are generated offline. Transactions are signed on the device and sent to a mobile phone via NFC.

The Ledger Unplugged is ideal for everyday use, since the device fits perfectly into wallets and no OTG cable is required.

Online Bitcoin Wallets

Online Bitcoin wallets, or web wallets, store your private keys online. Wallets can only be accessed with a user-set password.

GreenAddress

GreenAddress is a multisig web wallet, with apps available for Chrome, iOS, and Android.

SpectroCoin

SpectroCoin is an all-in-one solution for Bitcoin. Services offered include a wide range of Bitcoin solutions, from exchange to Bitcoin e-wallet.

Mobile Wallets for Android

breadwallet (Android)

Breadwallet started out as the most popular wallet for iPhone, and now it is also available for Adroid devices running Android 6.0 or higher. The simplicity and easy-to-use security makes it a great place to start for users who are new to bitcoin.

Mycelium (Android)

Mycelium is a favorite among experienced Bitcoin users. It’s an HD wallet with many advanced features, like support for hardware wallets TREZOR and Ledger, watch-only accounts, cold storage spending, and Tor.

Bitcoin Wallet

Bitcoin Wallet was the first Bitcoin wallet for Android. It’s simple, easy to backup, and connects directly to the Bitcoin network with SPV.

Airbitz

AirBitz is another Bitcoin wallet that’s great for everyday use. It’s integrated with Fold, meaning you can get 20% discounts at Starbucks from within the wallet.

Airbitz manages accounts with usernames and passwords, but doesn’t have access to your funds. This type of account creation is easier for less technical users who may have trouble backing up or understanding HD seeds.

GreenBits

GreenBits is the native version of GreenAddress. It’s fast, simple, and supports hardware wallets TREZOR and Ledger Nano/HW.1.

Mobile Wallets for iOS

breadwallet (iOS)

Breadwallet’s combination of simplicity and security has made it the most popular iOS wallet. iPhone users in search of their first Bitcoin wallet should find Breadwallet easy to understand.

Copay

Copay is available in the App Store. Click here for more details.

Airbitz

AirBitz is also available in the App Store.

Desktop Wallets

Desktop wallets are software wallets that are downloaded and installed on your computer. The desktop wallets below are available on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.

Armory

Armory is the most mature, secure and full featured Bitcoin wallet but it can be technologically intimidating for users. Whether you are an individual storing $1,000 or institution storing $1,000,000,000 this is the most secure option available. Users are in complete control all Bitcoin private keys and can setup a secure offline-signing process in Armory.

Bitcoin Core

Bitcoin Core is the “official” Bitcoin client and wallet, though isn’t used by many due to slow speeds and a lack of features. Bitcoin Core, however, is a full node, meaning it helps verify and transmit other Bitcoin transactions across the network and stores a copy of the entire blockchain. This offers better privacy since Core doesn’t have to rely on data from external servers or other peers on the network. Bitcoin Core routed through Tor is considered one of the best ways to use Bitcoin privately.

Electrum

Electrum may be the most popular desktop wallet, due to its speed and ease of use. Electrum can also be used as cold storage if you have an extra computer that can be used offline. Additonaly, Electrum offers other features like connecting through Tor, multisiganture wallets, integration with hardware wallets, and more.

MultiBit HD

Multibit HD is a fast and straightforward desktop wallet with support for hardware wallets TREZOR and KeepKey.

Paper Wallets

Paper wallets were the standard method of cold storage before hardware wallets were built. Paper wallets are private keys printed out on a piece of paper. If generated and printed with a secure, offline computer, paper wallets are secure cold storage.

The main problem with paper wallets is it can be inconvenient to create and print a new wallet each time you send funds to cold storage. However, it’s possible to bulk print paper wallets to save time and eliminate address reuse. Our cold storage guide explains step-by-step how to create a secure paper wallet.

Best Practices

Bitcoin lets you control your money, meaning you are responsible for both your money’s security and your financial privacy. Here are some steps you can take to ensure your privacy and security:

Control your private keys

Services like Coinbase and Circle offer “Bitcoin wallets”, but in reality control your private keys. It’s best to use a wallet where you control your private keys. This is the only way to have full control of your funds and not have to rely on third parties for security.

Protect your privacy

Each time you request blockchain data from a wallet, the server may be able to view your IP address and connect this to the address data requested. Each wallet handles data requests differently. If privacy is important to you, use a wallet that downloads the whole blockchain like Bitcoin Core or Armory. Tor can be used with other wallets to shield your IP address, but this doesn’t prevent a server from tying a group of addresses to one identity. For more information, check out the Open Bitcoin Privacy Project for wallet rankings based on privacy.

Don’t reuse addresses

Most Bitcoin wallets today automatically create a new address for each transaction. Since all Bitcoin transactions are public, address reuse makes it easy for others to group transactions and understand which payments are connected to one identity.

Use different wallets for different sums of money

Just like you don’t walk around with your savings account as cash, there are different Bitcoin wallets that should be used depending on how much money is being stored or transferred. Secure wallets like paper wallets or hardware wallets can be used as “savings” wallets, while mobile, web, and desktop wallets should be treated like your spending wallet.

Create multiple secure backups

Users should create multiple backups of their wallets. Backups should be kept in separate physical locations in the case of fire or water damage. Paper wallets can be laminated or written in metal for extra protection.

How to Store Bitcoins

Earlier it was mentioned that there are four types of Bitcoin wallets: online wallets, hardware wallets, software wallets, and paper wallets. These four categories can be broken down further into different kinds of storage and security:

Hot Wallets

Hot wallets refer to Bitcoin wallets used on internet connected devices like phones, computers, or tablets. Because hot wallets run on internet connected devices there is always a risk of theft. Think of hot wallets like your wallet today. You shouldn’t store any significant amount of bitcoins in a hot wallet, just as you would not walk around with your savings account as cash.

If only used with small amounts, hot wallets should be used for your everyday Bitcoin needs. One may, for example, want to keep $200 worth of bitcoins in a hot wallet for spending, with $10,000 locked away in cold storage.

Custodial Services

Although often called Bitcoin wallets, services like Coinbase and Circle aren’t true Bitcoin wallets. Customers private keys are held by these third party services, meaning users don’t really have control of their money.

As Bitcoiners often say: “if you don’t control the keys, you don’t control the coins”. Mt. Gox is an extreme example, but one that illustrates the importance of holding private keys. Gox was the first and largest Bitcoin exchange up until 2013. Thousands of users stored more than 800,000 bitcoins in their Gox accounts.

At the time, one may have claimed to have 1,000 bitcoins in a Gox account. While true at the time, as soon as Mt. Gox claimed to have been victim of theft users with bitcoins in their accounts were left empty handed.

Services like Coinbase and Circle may in fact use good security practices and there’s a chance your bitcoins are safe. But by storing bitcoins with a third party you are always taking on additional risk.

Cold Storage

Cold storage is achieved when Bitcoin private keys are created and stored offline. Private keys stored offline are more secure since there is no risk that a hacker or malware could steal your coins.

There are three ways to create cold storage: paper wallets, hardware wallets, and software wallets run on offline computers. Think of cold storage as your savings account. Use it to securely store bitcoins that you don’t plan to spend.

Multisignature Wallets

Multisignature wallets like Copay make it easier to share control of bitcoins between multiple parties. If created offline, multisig can also make cold storage more secure.

Multisignature wallets require multiple parties to sign transactions in order for funds to be spend. In a 2-2 wallet, for example, both parties must sign a transaction. In a 2-3 multisig wallet, two of the three co-signers must sign each transaction.

Armory Multisig: Armory offers a Lockbox feature that requires any amount of up to seven co-signers to approve shared transactions. A Lockbox is created by one party who adds additional public keys as co-signers. This solution provides a mix of flexibility and security for personal use or organizations.

Armory’s fragmented backups is another useful feature. Instead of requiring multiple signatures for each transaction, fragmented backups require multiple signatures only for backups. A fragmented backup splits up your Armory backup into multiple pieces, which decreases the risk of physical theft of your wallet. Without a fragmented backup, discovery of your backup would allow for immediate theft. With fragmented backup, multiple backup locations would need to be compromised in order to obtain the full backup.

Here's a look at some everyday use cases for multisig:

2-2 Wallet: Two business partners work together at a startup. They create a 2-2 multisig wallet so that no funds can be spent without the permission of both founders. If one tries to create a transaction, the other partner will be required to sign off on the transaction before money can be moved.

2-3 Wallet: A 2-3 multisig wallet could be used to create secure offline storage with paper wallets or hardware wallets. Users should already backup their offline Bitcoin holdings in multiple locations, and multisig helps add another level of security. A user, for example, may keep a backup of a paper wallet in three separate physical locations. If any single location is compromised the user’s funds can be stolen. Multisignature wallets improve upon this by requiring instead any two of the three backups to spend funds--in the case of a 2-3 multisig wallet. The same setup can be created with any number of signatures. A 5-9 wallet would require any five of the nine signatures in order to spend funds.

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Which is the Best Bitcoin Wallet?

This guide will help you to find the best Bitcoin wallet for YOU!

There's no "one size fits all" Bitcoin wallet. Wallets come on different platforms with different features.

If you want the best possible wallet, keep reading.

Select Your Preferences

Wallet Finder

Just enter your wallet preferences and we'll show you the best wallet for your needs.

Recommendations

Ledger Nano S Buy Learn More

The Ledger Nano S is the cheapest hardware wallet. Hardware wallets secure your coins by storing them offline and away from hackers. The Ledger Nano S supports more coins than any other hardware wallet, like bitcoin, litecoin, ether and more. It can be used with any desktop computer or Android device.

TREZOR Buy Learn More

TREZOR launched in August 2014 as the first Bitcoin hardware wallet, offering secure bitcoin storage plus the ability to spend with the convenience of a hot wallet. TREZOR is a small, thumb-sized device.

Samourai Wallet

Samourai is 100% the best available Android wallet. It has the most features, the best privacy and its developers are constantly working to add the latest Bitcoin features to the wallet. Samourai Wallet has been around for more than 3 years and its code is fully open source.

Coinomi

Coinomi is the most popular multi-coin cryptocurrency wallet for iOS and Android. It supports over 100+ coins including bitcoin, litecoin, ether, dash and more.

BRD

BRD is a mobile wallet for both Android and iOS. Its clean interface makes it easy to use for beginners. It supports bitcoin and ether.

Electrum

Electrum wallet is an easy to use desktop wallet for Mac, Windows and Linux. It's east and fast to setup so you can start sending and receiving bitcoins right away.

Exodus

Exodus is the most popular multi-coin cryptocurrency wallet. It supports Bitcoin, ether, litecoin, dash, Golem and many more.

What is a Bitcoin Wallet?

A Bitcoin wallet is the first step to using Bitcoin.

A “wallet” is basically the Bitcoin equivalent of a bank account. It allows you to receive bitcoins, store them, and then send them to others.

You can think of a wallet as your personal interface to the Bitcoin network, similar to how your online bank account is an interface to the regular monetary system.

Bitcoin wallets contain private keys; secret codes that allow you to spend your bitcoins.

In reality, it’s not bitcoins that need to be stored and secured, but the private keys that give you access to them.

A Bitcoin wallet is simply an app, website, or device that manages Bitcoin private keys for you.

This guide will show you how to create a bitcoin wallet and pick the best one.

Types of Bitcoin Wallets

Let's discuss the types of bitcoin wallets and why you might want to use one kind over another.

Hardware Wallets

A hardware wallet is a physical electronic device, built for the sole purpose of securing bitcoins.

The core innovation is that the hardware wallet must be connected to your computer, phone, or tablet before bitcoins may be spent.

The three most popular and best Bitcoin hardware wallets are:

Hardware wallets are a good choice if you’re serious about security and convenient, reliable Bitcoin storage.

Bitcoin hardware wallets keep private keys separate from vulnerable, internet-connected devices.

Your all-important private keys are maintained in a secure offline environment on the hardware wallet, fully protected even should the device be plugged into a malware-infected computer.

As bitcoins are digital, cyber-criminals could, potentially, target your computer’s “software wallet” and steal them by accessing your private key.

Generating and storing private keys offline using a hardware wallet ensures that hackers have no way to reach your bitcoins.

Hackers would have to steal the hardware wallet itself, but even then, it can be protected with a PIN code.

Don’t worry about your hardware wallet getting stolen, lost or damaged either; so long as you create a secret backup code, you can always retrieve your bitcoins.

Think of a hardware wallet like your own underground steel vault. If you own a significant amount of bitcoin, you should strongly consider getting one!

Why are hardware wallets good?

  • Easiest way to securely store bitcoins
  • Easy to backup and secure
  • Less margin for error; setup is easy even for less technical users

Why are hardware wallets bad?

  • They're not free!

Hot Wallets

Hot wallets are Bitcoin wallets that run on internet connected devices like a computer, mobile phone, or tablet.

Private keys are secret codes. Because hot wallets generate your private keys on an internet connected device, these private keys can’t be considered 100% secure.

Think of a hot wallet like your wallet today: you use it to store some cash, but not your life savings. Hot wallets are great if you make frequent payments, but not a good choice for the secure storage of bitcoins.

Why are hot wallets good?

  • Easiest way to store small amounts of bitcoin
  • Convenient; spending and receiving payments is easy and fast
  • Some hot wallets allow access to funds across multiple devices

Why are hot wallets bad?

  • Not safe for the secure storage of large amounts of bitcoins

Which Wallet is Best for You?

Investing or saving? Then a hardware wallet will keep your coins safe.

Otherwise, a software wallet will send and receive bitcoins just fine. Best of all, software wallets are free.

Each wallet has pros and cons, and different wallets are built to solve different problems.

Here is a video that may help:

Some wallets may be geared towards security, while some wallets may be more focused on privacy.

Your specific needs should determine the wallet you use, as there is no “best bitcoin wallet”.

Below, we've listed wallets you can buy or download. We suggest using the wallets listed or doing research before buying or downloading any wallet.

Each day, new Bitcoin scam wallets are added to the Google Play Store and Apple app store that are designed to steal peoples' bitcoins.

We only list wallets that have published and open-sourced their code.

Hardware Wallets: Keep Your Coins Safe

Hardware wallets aren't free.

But the price can be worth it if you own a significant amount of bitcoins. A hardware wallet will protect a few hundred in Bitcoin just as effectively as a few million.

How Hardware Wallets Work

Hardware wallets are secure, offline devices. They store your private keys offline so they can't be hacked.

This means you can even use one on a malware infected computer.

Why A Hardware Wallet with a Screen is Important

In the table below, you'll notice we show which hardware wallets have screens.

Screens provide extra security by verifying and displaying important wallet details. Since the hardware wallet is nearly impossible to hack, its screen is more trustworthy than data displayed on your computer.

Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Comparison

Check the table below for a quick comparison. Note:

Best Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Overviews

Ledger Nano S Buy Learn More

The Ledger Nano S is the cheapest of the three hardware wallets with a screen; it costs about $95. Ledger, one of the most well-known Bitcoin security companies, released the device in August 2016.

TREZOR Buy Learn More

TREZOR launched in August 2014 as the first Bitcoin hardware wallet, offering secure bitcoin storage plus the ability to spend with the convenience of a hot wallet. TREZOR is a small, thumb-sized device.

KeepKey Buy Learn More

KeepKey was released in September 2015 and was the second hardware Bitcoin wallet to offer a screen. The KeepKey's larger screen gives it some extra security features that the Nano S and Trezor lack.

Hot Wallets

Just a quick refresher:

Hot wallets are Bitcoin wallets that run on internet connected devices like a computer, mobile phone, or tablet. As hot wallets generate private keys on an internet connected device, these private keys can’t be considered 100% secure.

Think of a hot wallet like your wallet today: you use it to store some cash, but not your life savings. Hot wallets are great if you make frequent payments, but not a good choice for the secure storage of bitcoins.

Online Bitcoin Wallets (Web Wallets)

Web wallets store your private keys online, where they are encrypted with a user-selected password. Although they offer the lowest level of security, online bitcoin wallets have the advantage of being accessible from any internet connected device.

GreenAddress

GreenAddress is a multi-signature Bitcoin wallet available on the web, desktop, Android, and iOS. GreenAddress is compatible with hardware wallets like TREZOR, Ledger Nano, and the HW.1.

“Multi-signature” in this context means that the site requires a manual confirmation from you for your coins to be moved; this greatly improves security.

Android Bitcoin Wallets

There is a large selection of Android wallets. Since Bitcoin wallets were originally banned by Apple, developers spent much of their time developing for Android.

Samourai Wallet

Samourai is 100% the best available Android wallet. It has the most features, the best privacy and its developers are constantly working to add the latest Bitcoin features to the wallet. Samourai Wallet has been around for more than 3 years and its code is fully open source.

Mycelium

Mycelium is the most popular Bitcoin wallet on Android. It's very easy to use for sending and receiving payments. Backing up your wallet is also simple, since Mycelium makes it very clear with setup and backup instructions.

breadwallet

breadwallet, the great iPhone Bitcoin wallet, recently released an Android wallet. It offers the user control of private keys, an easy to use interface, and passcode support.

Edge

Edge is an easy to use Bitcoin wallet for iPhone and Android. Its familiar login feature makes using the app a breeze for people new to bitcoin. The wallet also creates automatic backups, so you don't have to worry about the technicalities of performing manual wallet backups.

GreenBits

GreenBits is the native Android version of GreenAddress. It’s a multi-signature wallet that also supports hardware wallets like TREZOR and Ledger.

Bitcoin Wallet

Bitcoin Wallet, or “Schildbach Wallet”, was the first mobile Bitcoin wallet. Bitcoin Wallet is more secure than most mobile Bitcoin wallets, because it connects directly to the Bitcoin network. Bitcoin Wallet has a simple interface and just the right amount of features, making it a great wallet and a great educational tool for Bitcoin beginners.

iOS and iPhone Bitcoin Wallets

Apple banned Bitcoin wallets from the App Store in February 2014, but reversed its decision a few months later. Luckily, there are now plenty of options for iOS users.

breadwallet

We consider breadwallet, along with Copay (below), as the best bitcoin wallet for iPhone. It’s open source and gives the user full control over their private keys. It also has a clean interface which makes the sending and receiving of bitcoins a pleasurable and super-simple process.

Edge

Edge is an easy to use Bitcoin wallet for iPhone and Android. Its familiar login feature makes using the app a breeze for people new to bitcoin. The wallet also creates automatic backups, so you don't have to worry about the technicalities of performing manual wallet backups.

Desktop Wallets

Desktop wallets are downloaded and installed on your computer. If privacy is your main concern, the Bitcoin core wallet is a good option since it does not rely on third parties for data.

Electrum

Electrum is a light weight Bitcoin wallet for Mac, Linux, and Windows. Electrum was created in November 2011. The main features of Electrum are: support for hardware wallets (such as TREZOR, Ledger Nano and KeepKey), and secure Bitcoin storage using an offline computer. Electrum is a good option for both beginners and advanced users.

Bitcoin Banks: $1 Billion Lost in Hacks

One last thing to keep in mind when it comes to bitcoin wallets is that there is a difference between a wallet and a bank. Some Bitcoin users view Coinbase as a Bitcoin wallet, but companies like this operate much more like banks.

The private keys are what users need to protect to safely use the Bitcoin network without getting robbed. When you hand someone else control over your private keys, you are essentially making a deposit at that financial institution – much like a deposit at any bank.

Don't store coins on exchanges! Bitcoin users have lost over $1 billion worth of bitcoins in exchange hacks and scams. Control your own private keys.

This is not to say that bitcoin banks are inherently bad. Companies like Coinbase have done wonders for bringing more users into the ecosystem. It is simply important to remember that whoever controls the private keys controls the bitcoin attached to those keys.

A misunderstanding of this point has led to hundreds of millions of US dollars being lost in the past, so it’s important to understand this critical difference in how Bitcoin private keys can be stored.

Understanding how bitcoin wallets work is an important aspect of safely using this new technology. Bitcoin is still in its early years of development and wallets will become much more user-friendly in time.

In the near future, certain devices may eventually come with pre-installed wallets that interact with the blockchain without the user’s knowledge.

For now, it’s vital to keep in mind that the private keys are what you need to protect if you want to keep your bitcoin safe from hackers, user error, and other possible issues.

Theft and Scams

No matter which wallet you choose, remember:

Your bitcoins are only safe if the private key was generated securely, remains a secret, and--most importantly--is controlled only by YOU!

Here are two examples where users got ripped off by leaving bitcoins in the care of a third party:

To avoid theft, scams, and any other loss of funds, follow these three basic principles:

  1. Generate your private keys in a secure, offline environment. (Except if using trivial amounts, in which cases keys may be created in a hot wallet).
  2. Create backups of your private keys. This helps to protect against the loss of your bitcoins due to hard drive failure or some other problem or accident. Ideally you should have a duplicate set of backups kept off-site to protect against the possibility of fire, robbery, etc.
  3. Encrypt wallets to provide additional security. This helps prevent the physical theft of your funds in the event that your device or hardware wallet is stolen.

Securing your bitcoins properly is the most important step for any Bitcoin user.

With Bitcoin you have the privilege - but also the responsibility - to safeguard your own money. There have been countless scams related to Bitcoin that could have been prevented had people not entrusted others with their bitcoins.

It’s a good rule of thumb to never trust anyone else with your money.

Bonus Chapter

Bitcoin Wallet Frequently Asked Questions

Bitcoin wallets. What are they?

Bitcoin Wallets let us send, receive and store Bitcoin amounts all the way down to the Satoshi unit.

Wallets secure funds by guarding our private keys. These private keys act as the proof of ownership for our Bitcoins. As such, a Bitcoin wallet is like a key to your safe deposit box on the Blockchain.

What is a private key?

Private keys emerged as a way to communicate securely through insecure communication channels.

Historically, before the advent of public key cryptography, the greatest cryptographic weakness was the inability to communicate the ‘key’ that makes sense of encrypted messages. As a solution, the use of two keys (public and private) entered the picture.

It’s a nifty little trick.

Keys come in pairs. The public key is used to encrypt the message whereas the private key decrypts the message. The only person with the private key is you. Everyone else is free to have your public key. As a result, everyone can send you encrypted messages without having to agree on a key beforehand. They simply use your public key and you untangle the gibberish by using your private key.

Why should I care about private keys?

At the end of the day, all of this can go over your head without much danger. Just remember that it’s good to know what you’re dealing with. Bitcoin wallets make use of a fundamental cryptographic principle that we use for things ranging from https for websites or sending anonymous tips to Wikileaks. Most importantly, by understanding private keys you’ll have a much easier familiarizing yourself with Cold Storage wallets.

What is a Bitcoin address?

A Bitcoin address is like an account number, just better. The address denotes which wallet the coins should be sent to. Like a bank account number, where the difference lies in the wallets having multiple addresses. These can be customized by including payment request information such as an amount and a date of expiration.

What should I know about addresses?

Bitcoin wallet addresses are case sensitive, usually have 34 characters of numbers and lowercase letters, start with either a 1 or a 3, and never use 0, O, l and I to make every character in the address as clear as possible. That’s a lot to take in. But don’t worry. What they consist of is largely irrelevant to you. Just know they’re a string of characters that denote a destination on the Bitcoin Blockchain.

How do I generate a Bitcoin address for my wallet?

How to generate a new Bitcoin Address varies between wallets. Some manage your addresses for you. Others give you full control. As with many other Bitcoin technologies, the option to dirty your own hands is always open.

If you do end up taking the easier route, just press a button to generate a new address for your wallet.

Some wallets, like Electrum, allow you choose in how many blocks your transaction should be confirmed. The faster you want your payment to go through, the more you will have to pay miners for confirming your activity. We find here another difference between Bitcoin wallets and Bank accounts. Given the right wallet, the control and oversight that we have over our transactions is far more extensive than that of the traditional banking system.

How do I fund a Bitcoin Wallet?

First, acquire some Bitcoins. Go through an exchange in your country, ask an acquaintance to share, or use Buybitcoinworldwide.com if you want as seamless of an experience as possible. The purchased coins can then be sent to your wallet by specifying one of its addresses.

Some wallets, particularly online ones, also let you buy coins. Keep in mind that these come with larger exchange margins which are best left alone.

Are Bitcoins safe?

Is Bitcoin a safe way to store value digitally? Are we wise to save our coins on our computer? It’s true that online wallets are necessarily more dangerous than offline wallets. However, even offline wallets can be breached, meaning that security in the Bitcoin world depends largely on following good practices. Just like you would avoid flailing your bills about in a dangerous place, you should make sure to keep your passwords and keys as safe as possible.

How do I secure my Wallet?

  • Secure your computer
  • Restrict unsupervised access. Set a strong password and close all ports and maintain a strict firewall.
  • Frequently change address. Use a different address for every transaction.
  • Multiple Signatures (Multi-sig). Multiple private keys to deter breaches.

Where are Bitcoins stored?

Bitcoins simply consist of a string of data. That’s why they can be stored anywhere. You could paint Bitcoin on a wall with your blood. Nobody does that though. Hopefully.

Instead, we store BTC on computers because we need them handy to trade. After all, we need to be connected to the internet to send value from one wallet to another over the Blockchain.

How do I open a Bitcoin account?

To some readers this might seem like a weird question. Truth is, people coming from a financial or business background are likely to expect Bitcoin to be a direct alternative to our current financial system. This is not the case.

You don’t need a Bitcoin account. There is no such thing really. You just need a wallet. The only accounts you might encounter are online wallets that are separated into various accounts via a user system.

How do I know which wallet is best for me?

Let’s be honest. It’s unreasonable to expect anyone else to make this decision for you. After all, your preference depends entirely on your personality and needs. So just be honest with yourself.

Frankly, you shouldn’t need anything complicated if you’re using the wallet for simple internet expenses or as a way to save money.

If, however, you’re planning to run a Bitcoin centered business make sure to use advanced wallets that support automated mass payments.

Any common mistakes to be careful of?

First of all, don’t rest your money in an exchange wallet. Keep your coins in an environment where you have complete control.

Secondly, don’t keep all of your coins in one place. You’ll be crushed if you lose access to a wallet with all of your funds.

Thirdly, double check the target address. Bitcoin transactions cannot be reversed, so don’t lose your coins forever to a stranger!

Last of all, use trusted online wallets (if at all). Don’t just trust anyone with your money. Make sure that the online wallet provider has a reputation of upholding the highest possible security standards.

Security Risks with Hardware Wallets

Hardware wallets are more secure than any other software wallet, like one that runs on your Android or iOS device, or desktop. However, hardware wallets have some unique security risks to be aware of.

Tampering of the Device

We always recommend to order directly from the hardware seller. This is because someone can buy a hardware wallet, tamper with it, and sell it used. They could program it to steal any bitcoins or add a back door.

Most hardware wallets add some special kind of tape on the packaging to try to make any tampering more noticeable. This is another reason we recommend only ordering from the hardware wallet company, and not from a website like eBay.

Bad Random Number Generator

Bitcoin private keys are based on cryptography. Random number generators, also called RNGs, are used to create the private keys that secure bitcoins.

If the random number generator is not random enough, that means someone else can recreate the private key of the hardware wallet easier. This attack has happened in the past with blockchain.info, a web wallet. Over 300 BTC were lost because blockchain.info did not use good RNG, so a hacker was able to generate the private keys again and steal coins.

One way to help prevent this is to use the hardware wallet’s custom 25th word. TREZOR, for example, allows you to add a 25th word to the 24 word seed. This means that you can technically add your own RNG to the computer generated RNG to ensure your private key will be truly based on good RNG.

What happens if the hardware wallet company goes out of business?

All hardware wallets listed above work with other wallets. So, if the hardware wallet company goes out of business you will still be able to use your wallet with a different wallet like Electrum.

Let’s say you use TREZOR with TREZOR’s myTREZOR wallet. TREZOR goes out of business and no longer supports myTREZOR wallet and it gets shut down.

You could, in just a few minutes, download Electrum on your computer. Once installed, you’d setup your TREZOR and all of your transaction history and balance would get imported and be exactly the same. This is because Electrum will use the same 24-word seed you generated with TREZOR on setup.

Which wallets can be used for each device?

Ledger Nano S, KeepKey and TREZOR all work with:

  • Mycelium (Android version only)
  • Electrum for Mac, Windows and Linux
  • Multibit HD
  • GreenAddress

Do these hardware wallets work for Ethereum?

Yes, all of these wallets work with Ethereum, Litecoin and many other coins.

TREZOR and Ledger both have blog posts explaining their integrations with various Ethereum wallets.

The hardware wallet tells me to write down the 24 word seed on paper.

Should I take a picture of the seed with my phone as a backup?

The seeds generated by hardware wallets are meant to be written down only. By taking a picture of your seed with an internet connected phone, you put your entire wallet on a device that is connected to the internet and easier for hackers to get into. Please do not do this!

Why do the hardware wallets have buttons?

The buttons are used to confirm transactions. In order to send a transaction, you must physically press or hold buttons on the devices. This is a security feature. If a hacker were to access the hardware wallet somehow, the hacker still would not be able to send a TX without physical access to the buttons. Read more about this in TREZOR’s security philosophy.

Do hardware wallets work with Coinbase?

One of the most frequent questions we get asked is how Coinbase works with hardware wallets.

It’s a trick question!

Coinbase does not work directly with hardware wallet. You should, however, send bitcoins from Coinbase directly to your hardware wallet once you buy. Never store bitcoins on Coinbase or any other exchange for long periods of time.

Too many people in the past have lost money from hacks like Bitfinex and Mt. Gox.

So, yes, use a hardware wallet in conjunction with Coinbase. Buy on Coinbase, then send to hardware wallet.

Also, what we said above goes for ALL exchanges. Use Bitstamp? Cool! Once you buy bitcoins on Stamp, send the coins to your hardware wallet. The same goes for Kraken, Poloniex, or any other exchange or service that holds your coins!

What other kinds of wallets can I use?

Other wallet types are hot wallets. This means they are wallets run on an internet connected computer.

Android wallets, iOS wallets and desktop wallets are all examples of this.

How many backups of my seed should I create?

We recommend keeping at least two backups of your seed in multiple locations.

You can also laminate your seed to protect against water damage or any other damage.

Keeping your seeds in fire proof safes can help protect in the event that the storage location is burned down.

Another option is to put your seed into metal manually using stamps, or using cryptosteel.

What happens if someone finds my 24 word seed?

Unless you’re using a 25th word, someone who finds your 24 word seed can sweep your entire wallet.

Coinbase is a web wallet with a simple design and a number of very useful features that make it excellent for beginners. You can send and receive bitcoins via email and buy and sell bitcoins directly from Coinbase.

Once you get the hang of things, it is better to move your coins off of Coinbase and into a wallet mentioned above like the Ledger Nano S . Coinbase is a good place to buy bitcoins and learn how it works, but not a good solution for long term storage.

A full-featured Android app enables access to all account functions on the go. Coinbase’s founders have a proven startup track record and have raised money from very prominent venture capitalists. This gives Coinbase a level of legitimacy unparalleled in the Bitcoin space. They are also one of the only large Bitcoin companies to never suffer a major hack. Click here to sign up.

Electrum is a software wallet that enables you to set up a strong level of security very quickly. During the simple installation process, you are given a twelve word phrase that will allow you to recover all of your bitcoins in the event that your computer fails. Your wallet is also encrypted by default which helps protect your coins against hackers. Electrum is available for Windows, OSX, and Linux and is our recommended software wallet for beginners. Click here to download the right version for your operating system.

Bitcoin Wallet for Android

For those looking for mobility and security, we recommend the simply-titled Bitcoin Wallet mobile app. There is a version for both Android and BlackBerry OS . It is a software wallet, so you retain complete control over your bitcoins. It also works well with QR codes and NFC, making transferring coins to someone else’s phone easier than writing a check. Be sure to backup your wallet (with the included “Backup Wallet” feature) or you risk losing all your coins the next time you get too close to a pool.

Other Wallets

We also recommend a few other wallets, but not for the beginning Bitcoin user. If you are up for more of a challenge, Armory is a good choice for those requiring the highest possible security, and the original Bitcoin-Qt client is also trusted and worth learning how to use.

Now that you have a wallet set up, it’s time to learn how to get some bitcoins .

2018 Best Bitcoin Wallet Review and Comparison

Totally new to Bitcoin and Bitcoin wallets? Start by watching this video:

As a general rule, Bitcoin hardware wallets are the most secure form of Bitcoin wallets, however, unlike software wallets, they cost money. If you’re serious about securing your Bitcoins go for a hardware wallet. If however you’re only storing a small amount of coins you can use one of the free software wallets shown on this page.

compare wallets

Ledger Nano S

Blockchain

Bitcoin Core

Green Address

Bitcoin Wallet

AirBitz wallet

CoolWallet

Ledger Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: Much like TREZOR, Ledger is a cold wallet designed for users who want increased security. The wallet is actually a physical device that connects to your computer and acts as another source of protection. Meaning, you can’t send Bitcoins from your wallet without owning the physical device. If you’re looking for a cold wallet (e.g Ledger or TREOZR) I’ve compared the two in this post.

Ledger offers a variaty of products such as Ledger Nano S, Ledger Unplugged (a contactless Bitcoin wallet), etc. The most popular model today is the Ledger Nano S.

Pros: Beginner friendly, very secure, great support.

Cons: Costs money, More security = less usability (this is an issue with all cold wallets).

TREZOR Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: TREZOR is the perfect solution for storing a large amount of Bitcoins in order to keep them out of harms way. The combination of world class security with the flexibility of any other web wallet make it ideal for beginners and experts alike. The company has been gaining a nice amount of traction and reviews throughout the last year. For a full review of TREZOR click here.

Pros: Extremely secure wallet, easy to use and intuitive interface, supports additional wallets and altcoins.

Cons: High price tag relative to its competitor

Coinbase Bitcoin wallet review

Update – In the past we used to list Coinbase as a wallet, however do changes in the company’s vision this is no longer a recommended wallet.

Summary: Coinbase is the leading exchange service today in buying and selling Bitcoins. It was founded in 2012 and since then has received over US$31 million in venture capital funding. The Bitcoin exchange service is available in 19 countries around the world. Their Online wallet is beginners friendly but the fact that the company holds your funds is can be somewhat risky. Having said that Coinbase has recently launched their Vault service which denies the company control over your funds.

Pros: Beginner friendly, ability to add funds from within the wallet. Established and respectable company.

Cons: Company has some control over your funds (depends if you’re using Vault). Not supported worldwide (yet).

Blockchain.info Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: The most popular Bitcoin wallet today, Blockchain.info allows you to send / receive Bitcoins through your browser or mobile phone. This is what’s known as a hybrid wallet – meaning the company stores your wallet online but they do not have access to your private keys. However since the wallet is loaded from their servers some trust in the company is still needed. Recommended for beginners who are trying out Bitcoin.

Pros: An established and trusted company in the Bitcoin community, good interface, available for mobile and web.

Cons: 3rd party trust required, hard to make completely anonymous payments.

Exodus Blockchain assets wallet review

Exodus is a relatively new wallet (launched July 2016) that allows you to store not only Bitcoins but also Litecoins, Dogecoins, Dash and Ether. It’s unique in its beautiful design and intuitive user interface. You can also trade cryptocurrencies from within the wallet. Currently the wallet is available only in a desktop version. Here’s a full review about Exodus.

Pros: Easy to use, allows to trade cryptos from within the interface, self hosted, awesome support from the founders.

Cons: Limited only to desktop at the moment, relatively new company

Jaxx Bitcoin and Altcoin wallet review

Jaxx is an all platform Bitcoin and Altcoin wallet that allows you to store cryptocurrencies and also exchange between different currencies from within the wallet (via the ShapeShift exchange). The wallet is extremely intuitive and is self hosted so you don’t trust the your private keys with any 3rd party.

Pros: Easy to use, allows to trade cryptos from within the interface, self hosted, awesome support, works on multiple platforms.

Cons: Relatively new company, there have been some issue reported for Linux users

Mycelium Bitcoin wallet review

Mycelium is a popular mobie app wallet that features a wealth of advanced privacy and security features. Yes, the wallet can be a bit complicated for newbie users but it’s still one of the safest and fastest on the market. As an open source software program, Mycelium is constantly being upgraded. While Mycelium is primarily a hot wallet, there are some cold storage features for Bitcoin users looking to put their wealth on ice.

Pros: Advanced privacy features make this app great for people looking to stay anonymous, and advanced security features will help keep your Bitcoin wealth secure.

Cons: No web or desktop interface, so you’ll have to use your smart phone to access this app. Mycelium is also better for more advanced users, so keep that in mind.

Keepkey Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: KeepKey is one of the newest players in the Bitcoin market. It has a very sleek and unique design which makes it probably the best looking physical Bitcoin wallet out there. The device itself is very intuative and easy to set up. You can read a full Keepkey review here.

Pros: Beginner friendly, great design, simple to user, secure.

Cons: Costs money ($99), relatively new company.

Bitcoin Core wallet review (Bitcoin QT)

Looking for a desktop solution for your Bitcoin wallet? If so, Bitcoin Core (also known as Bitcoin QT) is worth a consideration. Bitcoin Core offers a lot of security and privacy features, and supports complete transparency. Bitcoin Core is well-regarded for being a stable system, though it can use up a lot of memory and space on your computer. Still, for modern computers the hardware requirements are rather low.

Pros: Features plenty of security and privacy features and offers a highly stable system.

Cons: No mobile app and no web interface makes it difficult to use this wallet without having your own personal computer on hand. It also requires a lot of free space to store the whole Blockchain.

Electrum Bitcoin wallet review

This fast, lightweight desktop app is a good choice for someone using older and less powerful computers for their bitcoin storage. The most processor intensive parts of the wallet are handled by remote servers. Electrum is well regarded for its advanced security and privacy features, and users can even recover their wallet with a secret pass phrase, though some people would prefer a wallet that doesn’t rely on remote servers.

Pros: While many apps are processor intensive, Electrum is known for being fast and light weight.

Cons: Not friendly for newbies, and the reliance on external servers could present security threats.

Armory Bitcoin wallet review

Amory is a well-known and trusted brand when it comes to Bitcoin security, though the app is usually best for more advanced users. If you are looking for an app that emphasizes safety and security, Armory should make the short list as the app features a variety of encryption and cold-storage options. Armory is among the most respected brands when it comes to Bitcoin security.

Pros: Very flexible and adaptable to just about any situation. Offers industry leading security features.

Cons: Requires advanced user knowledge and is not known for being user friendly.

Xapo Bitcoin wallet review

Xapo is a web-based wallet system, so alls you need to access it is a web browser and Internet connection. Xapo is known for having reasonably advanced privacy and security features, especially for a web-based wallet. The company supports payments through a debit card system, making it easy to spend your Bitcoins. The app is also friendly for newbies, so if you’re new to Bitcoin, give Xapo a close look.

Pros: Xapo debit card system allows you to use Bitcoin ATMs and spend at merchants across the world.

Cons: Web-based wallets face extra security threats, and you won’t be able to manage your Bitcoins without a Internet connection.

Green Address Bitcoin wallet review

A user favorite, Green Address allows you to access your Bitcoins through a variety of methods, including online, through a mobile app, or through a desktop client. Better yet, Green Address’s is well regarded as being user-friendly. This makes Green Address one of the most flexible wallets around. Supports multi-signature features and has strong security and privacy features.

Pros: Very flexible and very easy to use, making Green Address a top choice for newbies

Cons: Requires the use of a remote app loaded from another location, and shared control over your Bitcoins (meaning the third-party has to approve payments).

Bitcoin Wallet review

One of the oldest names in the business, Bitcoin Wallet is known for being fast and relatively easy-to-use. The company believes in “zero trust”, meaning they go out of their way to provide a decentralized system that provides people with a lot of control over their Bitcoin wealth. High-transparency, along with strong security features make this a very secure program, especially for a web-based wallet.

Pros: Well-reputed brand name and a safe, fast, and secure operating environment make this wallet a good choice, though newbies may need a bit of time to get a hang of the system.

Cons: Only available online and requires an Android or Blackberry phone.

BitGo Bitcoin wallet review

BitGo is known for its high levels of security and is a multi-signature wallet. This means that every transaction will require two-factor identification, which can go a long way in protecting your wealth from malware, hackers, and server attacks. Oh, and these keys are held by users, not BitGo, so they have no easy access to your stash.

Pros: A high level of security in a relatively easy and non-technical package.

Cons: Two-factor identification can create a hassle and the service does rely on central verification.

Airbitz Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: Airbitz is a decentrelized, secured and backed up Bitcoin wallet. The promising notion about it is that neither Airbitz or any other 3rd party can access your Bitcoins, so it’s fully independent. The nice thing about Airbitz is that it also supplies you a directory of Bitcoin accepting businesses around you. Also it seems that a lot of thought was put into the user interface to make the experience of using Airbitz as simple as possible.

Pros: Beginner friendly, bitcoin accepting business directory, decentrelized.

Cons: Unestablished brand, no web interface (mobile only).

Copay Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: One of the best Bitcoin wallets out there, it was created by Bitpay. Copay is a multisig wallet which means that a single wallet can have multiple users. This can be ideal for a corporate account where for example, 2 out of 3 signatures are required in order to confirm a transaction. The wallet also has a desktop, mobile and web interface and is completely independent and open source. You can read our full review of Copay here.

Pros: Multisig wallet – allows for improved security, great design, supports multiple devices.

Cons: No support, can be a bit overwhelming for beginners.

CoolWallet Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: CoolWallet is another attempt at creating a portable Bitcoin hardware wallet. The device itself looks and feels like a credit card and has one small operation button on it. The device needs to be help closely to your mobile app when sending out coins adding another layer of security. Even though the concept is pretty cool, the execution is far from complete and the device still feels a bit clunky. Click here to read our full CoolWallet review.

Pros: Very portable (fits in your wallet).

Cons: Device feels a bit clunky, relatively new company behind the product.

BTC.com Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: BTC.com is a Block Explorer owned by Bitmain. The site offers several tools such as network statistics, a mining pool and also an online wallet. The wallet, similar to Blockchain.info, is an HD hybrid wallet. Meaning, you access it via the web but the keys to the wallet are stored on your machine, so BTC.com has no access to them.

Transactions are signed on your device so no one can see your private keys. The wallet also supplies Multisig capabilities and is open source.

Pros: Wide variety of features, intuitive interface, open source.

Cons: Still a hot wallet, controlled by Bitmain which have a shaky reputation in the community.

Coinomi Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: Coinomi is a mobile wallet currently available only for Android. The wallet holds Bitcoin and a variety of additinoal Cryptocurrencies (up to 287 currencies supported). The wallet is pretty basic and user friendly. The main issue with this wallet is that is started out as an open source wallet but since 2016 became closed source – something that raised a lot of eyebrows in the Bitcoin community.

Pros: Wide variety of coins supported, intuitive interface.

Cons: Closed source, Android only.

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Welcome to the Yahoo Search forum! We’d love to hear your ideas on how to improve Yahoo Search.

The Yahoo product feedback forum now requires a valid Yahoo ID and password to participate.

You are now required to sign-in using your Yahoo email account in order to provide us with feedback and to submit votes and comments to existing ideas. If you do not have a Yahoo ID or the password to your Yahoo ID, please sign-up for a new account.

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Improve your services

Your search engine does not find any satisfactory results for searches. It is too weak. Also, the server of bing is often off

I created a yahoo/email account long ago but I lost access to it; can y'all delete all my yahoo/yahoo account except for my newest YaAccount

I want all my lost access yahoo account 'delete'; Requesting supporter for these old account deletion; 'except' my Newest yahoo account this Account don't delete! Because I don't want it interfering my online 'gamble' /games/business/data/ Activity , because the computer/security program might 'scure' my Information and detect theres other account; then secure online activities/ business securing from my suspicion because of my other account existing will make the security program be 'Suspicious' until I'm 'secure'; and if I'm gambling online 'Depositing' then I need those account 'delete' because the insecurity 'Suspicioun' will program the casino game 'Programs' securities' to be 'secure' then it'll be 'unfair' gaming and I'll lose because of the insecurity can be a 'Excuse'. Hope y'all understand my explanation!

I want all my lost access yahoo account 'delete'; Requesting supporter for these old account deletion; 'except' my Newest yahoo account this Account don't delete! Because I don't want it interfering my online 'gamble' /games/business/data/ Activity , because the computer/security program might 'scure' my Information and detect theres other account; then secure online activities/ business securing from my suspicion because of my other account existing will make the security program be 'Suspicious' until I'm 'secure'; and if I'm gambling online 'Depositing' then I need those account 'delete' because the insecurity 'Suspicioun' will program the casino game 'Programs' securities' to be… more

chithidio@Yahoo.com

i dont know what happened but i can not search anything.

Golf handicap tracker, why can't I get to it?

Why do I get redirected on pc and mobile device?

Rahyaftco@yahoo.com

RYAN RAHSAD BELL literally means

Question on a link

In the search for Anaïs Nin, one of the first few links shows a picture of a man. Why? Since Nin is a woman, I can’t figure out why. Can you show some reason for this? Who is he? If you click on the picture a group of pictures of Nin and no mention of that man. Is it an error?

Repair the Yahoo Search App.

Yahoo Search App from the Google Play Store on my Samsung Galaxy S8+ phone stopped working on May 18, 2018.

I went to the Yahoo Troubleshooting page but the article that said to do a certain 8 steps to fix the problem with Yahoo Services not working and how to fix the problem. Of course they didn't work.

I contacted Samsung thru their Samsung Tutor app on my phone. I gave their Technican access to my phone to see if there was a problem with my phone that stopped the Yahoo Search App from working. He went to Yahoo and I signed in so he could try to fix the Yahoo Search App not working. He also used another phone, installed the app from the Google Play Store to see if the app would do any kind of search thru the app. The Yahoo Search App just wasn't working.

I also had At&t try to help me because I have UVERSE for my internet service. My internet was working perfectly. Their Technical Support team member checked the Yahoo Search App and it wouldn't work for him either.

We can go to www.yahoo.com and search for any topic or website. It's just the Yahoo Search App that won't allow anyone to do web searches at all.

I let Google know that the Yahoo Search App installed from their Google Play Store had completely stopped working on May 18, 2018.

I told them that Yahoo has made sure that their Yahoo members can't contact them about anything.

I noticed that right after I accepted the agreement that said Oath had joined with Verizon I started having the problem with the Yahoo Search App.
No matter what I search for or website thru the Yahoo Search App it says the following after I searched for
www.att.com.

WEBPAGE NOT AVAILABLE
This webpage at gttp://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geJGq8BbkrgALEMMITE5jylu=X3oDMTEzcTjdWsyBGNvbG8DYmyxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDTkFQUEMwxzEEc2VjA3NylRo=10/Ru=https%3a%2f%2fwww.att.att.com%2f/Rk=2/Es=plkGNRAB61_XKqFjTEN7J8cXA-
could not be loaded because:
net::ERR_CLEARTEXT_NOT_PERMITTED

I tried to search for things like www.homedepot.com. The same thing happened. It would say WEBPAGE NOT AVAILABLE. The only thing that changed were all the upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
Then it would again say
could not be loaded because:
net::ERR_CLEARTEXT_NOT_PERMITTED

This is the same thing that happened when Samsung and At&t tried to do any kind of searches thru the Yahoo Search App.

Yahoo needs to fix the problem with their app.

Yahoo Search App from the Google Play Store on my Samsung Galaxy S8+ phone stopped working on May 18, 2018.

I went to the Yahoo Troubleshooting page but the article that said to do a certain 8 steps to fix the problem with Yahoo Services not working and how to fix the problem. Of course they didn't work.

I contacted Samsung thru their Samsung Tutor app on my phone. I gave their Technican access to my phone to see if there was a problem with my phone that stopped the Yahoo Search App from working. He went to Yahoo and… more

What's the Best Bitcoin Wallet?

Storing Bitcoin is just as important as buying it. With a wealth of options available, which is best?

By John Divine, Staff Writer | May 3, 2018, at 10:23 a.m.

Electrum gets high marks for its ease of use and user interface, which is always nice, but the real reason it's the best bitcoin wallet for desktop is its safety and reliability. (Getty Images)

Bitcoin – even well below previous highs – is one of the hottest assets of all time. What once cost 6 cents in 2010 peaked above $19,300 in 2017. If you own the cryptocurrency, or are even thinking of buying some, you'll want to find the best bitcoin wallet you can.

Wallets are where the currency lives.

So, with blockchain technology here to stay, what's the best bitcoin wallet for 2018 and beyond? With an emphasis on safety, here are the top five crypto wallets and wallet types.

No. 5: Coinbase (online exchange). Online exchanges are, by and large, less secure than the methods described below. But Coinbase seems to have learned from the lessons of its predecessors, and is one of the biggest bitcoin exchanges in the world. It's also user friendly; not only can you buy, sell, exchange and trade bitcoin on Coinbase, but you can store your bitcoin in a wallet there, too.

The site also supports Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin.

But the risks of storing bitcoin – and any other cryptocurrency, for that matter – on the same site where you buy it are steep, and there's a poor track record.

"There have been many incidents of those types of service providers collapsing in the middle of the night and people losing serious amounts of money. Mt. Gox being a great example there," says Andrew Ittleman, founder and partner of Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph, a law firm in Miami.

In 2014, Mt. Gox was the Coinbase of the world, being the go-to exchange for excited new cryptocurrency investors. That is, until February of that year when about 850,000 bitcoin vanished from its coffers – a haul that works out to about $7.57 billion at today's prices.

In 2016, another hack took the Bitfinex exchange platform for 120,000 bitcoin, a $75 million score that would be worth more than $2.3 billion by BTC's all-time high in December 2017 .

Despite the tainted history of its predecessors, Coinbase's ease of use, a more secure storage option called Vault, and two-factor authentication make Coinbase the best bitcoin wallet provider among the exchanges.

No. 4: Blockchain.info (online wallet). Exchanges are ripe pickings for ambitious hackers. Web-based wallets can pose some security and hacking risks too, but they don't have quite the glaring target on their backs that exchanges do. Nor do they have the nightmares of Mt. Gox and Bitfinex hanging over them.

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Claiming to be the "world's most popular digital wallet," Blockchain.info boasts more than 24 million wallets and has supported more than 100 million transactions. Security is a top priority, and with many longtime cryptocurrency enthusiasts comfortably keeping their spoils there for years, even as Mt. Gox and Bitfinex were breached, it would have to be.

For the extremely technologically impaired in society, web-based wallets are just an additional step of complexity – but that's the trade-off you get for additional security, and it's a trade-off that continues as we proceed to the best bitcoin wallet available.

No. 3: Electrum (software wallet). Electrum is a popular, free storage option in the bitcoin community, and is one of the most, if not the most, well-respected desktop storage apps out there. It's been around since 2011 and is also available for mobile, though Apple (ticker: AAPL) iPhone users are out of luck – to date it's only supported by Android.

Electrum gets high marks for its ease of use and user interface, which is always nice, but the real reason it's the best bitcoin wallet for desktop is its safety and reliability. Like any desktop wallet that's worth its salt, users get to control their private key; Electrum doesn't know what it is. Since your private key, a long string of letters and numbers, gives you access to your bitcoin, you need to keep that, you know, private.

Many online wallets and online exchanges don't give you ultimate control of your private key, adding an extra layer of risk. You have to both trust the counterparty is a good actor, and hope their servers don't get hacked, as that could compromise the service or your information.

Electrum also boasts two-factor authentication, and supports hardware wallets and cold storage – techniques that are further detailed below.

No. 2: Ledger or Trezor (hardware wallets/dongles). When you start thinking about using hardware storage solutions for your cryptocurrency, you know you've gotten serious. These dongles both make the best bitcoin wallet list because of their safety and mobility. Plus, they're good enough for professional investors.

"We have a little bit of experience in this area and prefer using Trezor and Ledger Nano S," says Peter Keenan, director of investments at Hehmeyer Trading + Investments, headquartered in Chicago.

"Both wallets are 'cold storage' wallets which we highly recommend. Cold storage eliminates counterparty risk and greatly reduces cybersecurity risk," Keenan says. "Counterparty risk refers to the risk of losing your bitcoin to the exchange where you bought your bitcoin due to nefarious acts like hacking – Mt. Gox as an example."

The downside of these solutions? First, they're not free, like all the previous wallets mentioned. Trezor's base model costs 89 euros, while the Ledger Nano S costs 79 euros.

No. 1: Paper wallet or other cold storage. A paper wallet is simply a document that contains all the information you need to generate the bitcoin private keys you need. It often takes the form of a piece of paper with a QR code that can be scanned into a software wallet when you so desire. By storing your bitcoin offline, trusting nothing and no one but yourself, and if you have all the information you need to control and access your bitcoin, you're using the strongest "cold storage" method out there.

"I recommend using a paper wallet so you have a physical backup of the private key," says Ryan Spanier, director of research at Kudelski Security. "Be sure to generate it using a clean system, such as a Linux live CD. Store this in a safe place, such as a safe or safety deposit box."

The incremental complexity and technological know-how needed for this method are both downsides to the paper wallet approach. Cold storage solutions and hardware wallets are less nimble than other options, too; if the price of bitcoin were crashing, for example, you might find yourself slower to the draw than if you merely kept your BTC on a site like Coinbase.

Sure, paper wallets may elicit images of a tin foil hat-wearing paranoid, but the truth is the paper wallet is the best bitcoin wallet for 2018 and beyond because it's the safest, and in the crypto space the value of safety is – or at least should be – placed at a premium.

Get a Bitcoin Wallet

Are you a new Bitcoin user? We highly recommend the free Copay wallet that can be used on many operating systems.

Have you been using Bitcoin for a while and want to upgrade your security practices? Then keep reading!

Types of Wallets

There are many different ways to use Bitcoin and so there are many different types of wallets:

  • Online bitcoin wallets. Wallets that can be accessed on the web from any internet connected device.
  • Bitcoin hardware wallets. Physical devices designed to secure bitcoins.
  • Software wallets. Wallet applications downloaded to your phone, computer or tablet.
  • Paper wallets. Bitcoin private keys printed from an offline computer.

By the end of this article you’ll understand Bitcoin wallets and have a better idea about which type is right for you. Here are some factors to consider:

  • On the go? If you are making payments in person and not online then a mobile wallet like Copay (iOS & Android), breadwallet (iOS) or Mycelium (Android) is a must.
  • Frequency of payments. If you will need to make frequent payments then it will be best to keep your funds in wallet that is easy to use and accessible. Mobile wallets and desktop wallets are good options.
  • Amount. If you are dealing with large amounts of bitcoins you will need a secure wallet. Hardware wallets and secure offline wallets like Armory are good options.
  • Use combinations. Use a mobile wallet as your checking account, and a hardware or secure offline wallet as your savings account. Mix and match to find a combination that provides both security and accessibility.

Universal Wallets

Copay

Copay is a Bitcoin wallet by Bitpay and available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Linux, Max OS X, and Windows. Because Copay is available on multiple platforms, it’s easy to use the same wallet or accounts across multiple devices.

Copay’s simple, clean user interface makes it a good choice for new Bitcoin users. Copay is also a good option for businesses due to a shared account feature, which requires a certain number of users to sign each transaction. Two co-founders, for example, could create a 2 of 2 wallet where both will be required to sign each transaction.

Hardware Wallets

Hardware wallets are small computers or smartcards built with the sole purpose of generating Bitcoin private keys offline. Hardware wallets securely sign transactions in the same offline environment.

Ledger Nano

The Ledger Nano is a smartcard based hardware wallet. Private keys are generated and signed offline in the smartcard’s secure environment. The Nano is setup using the Ledger Chrome Application. A random 24-word seed is generated upon setup and backed offline by writing it down on a piece of paper. In case of theft, damage or loss, the entire wallet can be recreated with the seed. A user selected PIN code is also assigned to the device to protect against physical theft or hacking.

The Ledger Nano may be used on any computer, or Android phones with Mycelium or GreenBits.

TREZOR

The TREZOR differs from the Ledger Nano in that it’s a very tiny computer rather than a smartcard. Private keys are still generated offline.

TREZOR also generates a 24-word seed upon setup. The TREZOR has its own built in screen where the seed is displayed and copied down during backup. Since the TREZOR is an offline device it offers extra security since the seed isn’t displayed on an online computer.

An additional passphrase can be added to the 24-word seed. This provides extra protection, since anyone who finds someone else’s 24-word seed is free to access the funds. If the optional passphrase is added, an attacker still wouldn’t be able to access funds without both the seed AND the passphrase. If the passphrase is forgotten, it cannot be recovered.

OPENDIME

The first Bitcoin Bearer Bond or called a Bitcoin Stick. Opendime is a small USB stick that allows you to spend Bitcoin like a dollar bill. Pass it along multiple times. Connect to any USB to check balance. Unseal anytime to spend online. Trust no one.

Acts like a read-only USB flash drive. Works with any computer, laptop, and phone.

A QR Picture and Text file inside contain Bitcoin address and support.

The private key is generated inside the device, and is never known to any human, not even you!

The Bitcoin world changes fast but Opendime is built on the fundamental Bitcoin features that have not changed in five years.

Give an Opendime to anyone and they don't need to worry that you can take back the funds later.

You have got the private keys in the device. This is physical Bitcoin as it was meant to be to just hand it to someone and they have got it.

Pass it on multiple times! Simple as a handshake. No miner fees, no confirmation delays.

Uses Bitcoin message signing, normal (non HD) bitcoin payment addresses and private keys in WIF format.

Ledger HW.1

The Ledger HW.1 is a more affordable version of the Ledger Nano.

Ledger Unplugged

The Ledger Unplugged is a credit card-size wireless hardware wallet. Private keys are generated offline. Transactions are signed on the device and sent to a mobile phone via NFC.

The Ledger Unplugged is ideal for everyday use, since the device fits perfectly into wallets and no OTG cable is required.

Online Bitcoin Wallets

Online Bitcoin wallets, or web wallets, store your private keys online. Wallets can only be accessed with a user-set password.

GreenAddress

GreenAddress is a multisig web wallet, with apps available for Chrome, iOS, and Android.

SpectroCoin

SpectroCoin is an all-in-one solution for Bitcoin. Services offered include a wide range of Bitcoin solutions, from exchange to Bitcoin e-wallet.

Mobile Wallets for Android

breadwallet (Android)

Breadwallet started out as the most popular wallet for iPhone, and now it is also available for Adroid devices running Android 6.0 or higher. The simplicity and easy-to-use security makes it a great place to start for users who are new to bitcoin.

Mycelium (Android)

Mycelium is a favorite among experienced Bitcoin users. It’s an HD wallet with many advanced features, like support for hardware wallets TREZOR and Ledger, watch-only accounts, cold storage spending, and Tor.

Bitcoin Wallet

Bitcoin Wallet was the first Bitcoin wallet for Android. It’s simple, easy to backup, and connects directly to the Bitcoin network with SPV.

Airbitz

AirBitz is another Bitcoin wallet that’s great for everyday use. It’s integrated with Fold, meaning you can get 20% discounts at Starbucks from within the wallet.

Airbitz manages accounts with usernames and passwords, but doesn’t have access to your funds. This type of account creation is easier for less technical users who may have trouble backing up or understanding HD seeds.

GreenBits

GreenBits is the native version of GreenAddress. It’s fast, simple, and supports hardware wallets TREZOR and Ledger Nano/HW.1.

Mobile Wallets for iOS

breadwallet (iOS)

Breadwallet’s combination of simplicity and security has made it the most popular iOS wallet. iPhone users in search of their first Bitcoin wallet should find Breadwallet easy to understand.

Copay

Copay is available in the App Store. Click here for more details.

Airbitz

AirBitz is also available in the App Store.

Desktop Wallets

Desktop wallets are software wallets that are downloaded and installed on your computer. The desktop wallets below are available on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.

Armory

Armory is the most mature, secure and full featured Bitcoin wallet but it can be technologically intimidating for users. Whether you are an individual storing $1,000 or institution storing $1,000,000,000 this is the most secure option available. Users are in complete control all Bitcoin private keys and can setup a secure offline-signing process in Armory.

Bitcoin Core

Bitcoin Core is the “official” Bitcoin client and wallet, though isn’t used by many due to slow speeds and a lack of features. Bitcoin Core, however, is a full node, meaning it helps verify and transmit other Bitcoin transactions across the network and stores a copy of the entire blockchain. This offers better privacy since Core doesn’t have to rely on data from external servers or other peers on the network. Bitcoin Core routed through Tor is considered one of the best ways to use Bitcoin privately.

Electrum

Electrum may be the most popular desktop wallet, due to its speed and ease of use. Electrum can also be used as cold storage if you have an extra computer that can be used offline. Additonaly, Electrum offers other features like connecting through Tor, multisiganture wallets, integration with hardware wallets, and more.

MultiBit HD

Multibit HD is a fast and straightforward desktop wallet with support for hardware wallets TREZOR and KeepKey.

Paper Wallets

Paper wallets were the standard method of cold storage before hardware wallets were built. Paper wallets are private keys printed out on a piece of paper. If generated and printed with a secure, offline computer, paper wallets are secure cold storage.

The main problem with paper wallets is it can be inconvenient to create and print a new wallet each time you send funds to cold storage. However, it’s possible to bulk print paper wallets to save time and eliminate address reuse. Our cold storage guide explains step-by-step how to create a secure paper wallet.

Best Practices

Bitcoin lets you control your money, meaning you are responsible for both your money’s security and your financial privacy. Here are some steps you can take to ensure your privacy and security:

Control your private keys

Services like Coinbase and Circle offer “Bitcoin wallets”, but in reality control your private keys. It’s best to use a wallet where you control your private keys. This is the only way to have full control of your funds and not have to rely on third parties for security.

Protect your privacy

Each time you request blockchain data from a wallet, the server may be able to view your IP address and connect this to the address data requested. Each wallet handles data requests differently. If privacy is important to you, use a wallet that downloads the whole blockchain like Bitcoin Core or Armory. Tor can be used with other wallets to shield your IP address, but this doesn’t prevent a server from tying a group of addresses to one identity. For more information, check out the Open Bitcoin Privacy Project for wallet rankings based on privacy.

Don’t reuse addresses

Most Bitcoin wallets today automatically create a new address for each transaction. Since all Bitcoin transactions are public, address reuse makes it easy for others to group transactions and understand which payments are connected to one identity.

Use different wallets for different sums of money

Just like you don’t walk around with your savings account as cash, there are different Bitcoin wallets that should be used depending on how much money is being stored or transferred. Secure wallets like paper wallets or hardware wallets can be used as “savings” wallets, while mobile, web, and desktop wallets should be treated like your spending wallet.

Create multiple secure backups

Users should create multiple backups of their wallets. Backups should be kept in separate physical locations in the case of fire or water damage. Paper wallets can be laminated or written in metal for extra protection.

How to Store Bitcoins

Earlier it was mentioned that there are four types of Bitcoin wallets: online wallets, hardware wallets, software wallets, and paper wallets. These four categories can be broken down further into different kinds of storage and security:

Hot Wallets

Hot wallets refer to Bitcoin wallets used on internet connected devices like phones, computers, or tablets. Because hot wallets run on internet connected devices there is always a risk of theft. Think of hot wallets like your wallet today. You shouldn’t store any significant amount of bitcoins in a hot wallet, just as you would not walk around with your savings account as cash.

If only used with small amounts, hot wallets should be used for your everyday Bitcoin needs. One may, for example, want to keep $200 worth of bitcoins in a hot wallet for spending, with $10,000 locked away in cold storage.

Custodial Services

Although often called Bitcoin wallets, services like Coinbase and Circle aren’t true Bitcoin wallets. Customers private keys are held by these third party services, meaning users don’t really have control of their money.

As Bitcoiners often say: “if you don’t control the keys, you don’t control the coins”. Mt. Gox is an extreme example, but one that illustrates the importance of holding private keys. Gox was the first and largest Bitcoin exchange up until 2013. Thousands of users stored more than 800,000 bitcoins in their Gox accounts.

At the time, one may have claimed to have 1,000 bitcoins in a Gox account. While true at the time, as soon as Mt. Gox claimed to have been victim of theft users with bitcoins in their accounts were left empty handed.

Services like Coinbase and Circle may in fact use good security practices and there’s a chance your bitcoins are safe. But by storing bitcoins with a third party you are always taking on additional risk.

Cold Storage

Cold storage is achieved when Bitcoin private keys are created and stored offline. Private keys stored offline are more secure since there is no risk that a hacker or malware could steal your coins.

There are three ways to create cold storage: paper wallets, hardware wallets, and software wallets run on offline computers. Think of cold storage as your savings account. Use it to securely store bitcoins that you don’t plan to spend.

Multisignature Wallets

Multisignature wallets like Copay make it easier to share control of bitcoins between multiple parties. If created offline, multisig can also make cold storage more secure.

Multisignature wallets require multiple parties to sign transactions in order for funds to be spend. In a 2-2 wallet, for example, both parties must sign a transaction. In a 2-3 multisig wallet, two of the three co-signers must sign each transaction.

Armory Multisig: Armory offers a Lockbox feature that requires any amount of up to seven co-signers to approve shared transactions. A Lockbox is created by one party who adds additional public keys as co-signers. This solution provides a mix of flexibility and security for personal use or organizations.

Armory’s fragmented backups is another useful feature. Instead of requiring multiple signatures for each transaction, fragmented backups require multiple signatures only for backups. A fragmented backup splits up your Armory backup into multiple pieces, which decreases the risk of physical theft of your wallet. Without a fragmented backup, discovery of your backup would allow for immediate theft. With fragmented backup, multiple backup locations would need to be compromised in order to obtain the full backup.

Here's a look at some everyday use cases for multisig:

2-2 Wallet: Two business partners work together at a startup. They create a 2-2 multisig wallet so that no funds can be spent without the permission of both founders. If one tries to create a transaction, the other partner will be required to sign off on the transaction before money can be moved.

2-3 Wallet: A 2-3 multisig wallet could be used to create secure offline storage with paper wallets or hardware wallets. Users should already backup their offline Bitcoin holdings in multiple locations, and multisig helps add another level of security. A user, for example, may keep a backup of a paper wallet in three separate physical locations. If any single location is compromised the user’s funds can be stolen. Multisignature wallets improve upon this by requiring instead any two of the three backups to spend funds--in the case of a 2-3 multisig wallet. The same setup can be created with any number of signatures. A 5-9 wallet would require any five of the nine signatures in order to spend funds.

Which is the Best Bitcoin Wallet?

This guide will help you to find the best Bitcoin wallet for YOU!

There's no "one size fits all" Bitcoin wallet. Wallets come on different platforms with different features.

If you want the best possible wallet, keep reading.

Select Your Preferences

Wallet Finder

Just enter your wallet preferences and we'll show you the best wallet for your needs.

Recommendations

Ledger Nano S Buy Learn More

The Ledger Nano S is the cheapest hardware wallet. Hardware wallets secure your coins by storing them offline and away from hackers. The Ledger Nano S supports more coins than any other hardware wallet, like bitcoin, litecoin, ether and more. It can be used with any desktop computer or Android device.

TREZOR Buy Learn More

TREZOR launched in August 2014 as the first Bitcoin hardware wallet, offering secure bitcoin storage plus the ability to spend with the convenience of a hot wallet. TREZOR is a small, thumb-sized device.

Samourai Wallet

Samourai is 100% the best available Android wallet. It has the most features, the best privacy and its developers are constantly working to add the latest Bitcoin features to the wallet. Samourai Wallet has been around for more than 3 years and its code is fully open source.

Coinomi

Coinomi is the most popular multi-coin cryptocurrency wallet for iOS and Android. It supports over 100+ coins including bitcoin, litecoin, ether, dash and more.

BRD

BRD is a mobile wallet for both Android and iOS. Its clean interface makes it easy to use for beginners. It supports bitcoin and ether.

Electrum

Electrum wallet is an easy to use desktop wallet for Mac, Windows and Linux. It's east and fast to setup so you can start sending and receiving bitcoins right away.

Exodus

Exodus is the most popular multi-coin cryptocurrency wallet. It supports Bitcoin, ether, litecoin, dash, Golem and many more.

What is a Bitcoin Wallet?

A Bitcoin wallet is the first step to using Bitcoin.

A “wallet” is basically the Bitcoin equivalent of a bank account. It allows you to receive bitcoins, store them, and then send them to others.

You can think of a wallet as your personal interface to the Bitcoin network, similar to how your online bank account is an interface to the regular monetary system.

Bitcoin wallets contain private keys; secret codes that allow you to spend your bitcoins.

In reality, it’s not bitcoins that need to be stored and secured, but the private keys that give you access to them.

A Bitcoin wallet is simply an app, website, or device that manages Bitcoin private keys for you.

This guide will show you how to create a bitcoin wallet and pick the best one.

Types of Bitcoin Wallets

Let's discuss the types of bitcoin wallets and why you might want to use one kind over another.

Hardware Wallets

A hardware wallet is a physical electronic device, built for the sole purpose of securing bitcoins.

The core innovation is that the hardware wallet must be connected to your computer, phone, or tablet before bitcoins may be spent.

The three most popular and best Bitcoin hardware wallets are:

Hardware wallets are a good choice if you’re serious about security and convenient, reliable Bitcoin storage.

Bitcoin hardware wallets keep private keys separate from vulnerable, internet-connected devices.

Your all-important private keys are maintained in a secure offline environment on the hardware wallet, fully protected even should the device be plugged into a malware-infected computer.

As bitcoins are digital, cyber-criminals could, potentially, target your computer’s “software wallet” and steal them by accessing your private key.

Generating and storing private keys offline using a hardware wallet ensures that hackers have no way to reach your bitcoins.

Hackers would have to steal the hardware wallet itself, but even then, it can be protected with a PIN code.

Don’t worry about your hardware wallet getting stolen, lost or damaged either; so long as you create a secret backup code, you can always retrieve your bitcoins.

Think of a hardware wallet like your own underground steel vault. If you own a significant amount of bitcoin, you should strongly consider getting one!

Why are hardware wallets good?

  • Easiest way to securely store bitcoins
  • Easy to backup and secure
  • Less margin for error; setup is easy even for less technical users

Why are hardware wallets bad?

  • They're not free!

Hot Wallets

Hot wallets are Bitcoin wallets that run on internet connected devices like a computer, mobile phone, or tablet.

Private keys are secret codes. Because hot wallets generate your private keys on an internet connected device, these private keys can’t be considered 100% secure.

Think of a hot wallet like your wallet today: you use it to store some cash, but not your life savings. Hot wallets are great if you make frequent payments, but not a good choice for the secure storage of bitcoins.

Why are hot wallets good?

  • Easiest way to store small amounts of bitcoin
  • Convenient; spending and receiving payments is easy and fast
  • Some hot wallets allow access to funds across multiple devices

Why are hot wallets bad?

  • Not safe for the secure storage of large amounts of bitcoins

Which Wallet is Best for You?

Investing or saving? Then a hardware wallet will keep your coins safe.

Otherwise, a software wallet will send and receive bitcoins just fine. Best of all, software wallets are free.

Each wallet has pros and cons, and different wallets are built to solve different problems.

Here is a video that may help:

Some wallets may be geared towards security, while some wallets may be more focused on privacy.

Your specific needs should determine the wallet you use, as there is no “best bitcoin wallet”.

Below, we've listed wallets you can buy or download. We suggest using the wallets listed or doing research before buying or downloading any wallet.

Each day, new Bitcoin scam wallets are added to the Google Play Store and Apple app store that are designed to steal peoples' bitcoins.

We only list wallets that have published and open-sourced their code.

Hardware Wallets: Keep Your Coins Safe

Hardware wallets aren't free.

But the price can be worth it if you own a significant amount of bitcoins. A hardware wallet will protect a few hundred in Bitcoin just as effectively as a few million.

How Hardware Wallets Work

Hardware wallets are secure, offline devices. They store your private keys offline so they can't be hacked.

This means you can even use one on a malware infected computer.

Why A Hardware Wallet with a Screen is Important

In the table below, you'll notice we show which hardware wallets have screens.

Screens provide extra security by verifying and displaying important wallet details. Since the hardware wallet is nearly impossible to hack, its screen is more trustworthy than data displayed on your computer.

Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Comparison

Check the table below for a quick comparison. Note:

Best Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Overviews

Ledger Nano S Buy Learn More

The Ledger Nano S is the cheapest of the three hardware wallets with a screen; it costs about $95. Ledger, one of the most well-known Bitcoin security companies, released the device in August 2016.

TREZOR Buy Learn More

TREZOR launched in August 2014 as the first Bitcoin hardware wallet, offering secure bitcoin storage plus the ability to spend with the convenience of a hot wallet. TREZOR is a small, thumb-sized device.

KeepKey Buy Learn More

KeepKey was released in September 2015 and was the second hardware Bitcoin wallet to offer a screen. The KeepKey's larger screen gives it some extra security features that the Nano S and Trezor lack.

Hot Wallets

Just a quick refresher:

Hot wallets are Bitcoin wallets that run on internet connected devices like a computer, mobile phone, or tablet. As hot wallets generate private keys on an internet connected device, these private keys can’t be considered 100% secure.

Think of a hot wallet like your wallet today: you use it to store some cash, but not your life savings. Hot wallets are great if you make frequent payments, but not a good choice for the secure storage of bitcoins.

Online Bitcoin Wallets (Web Wallets)

Web wallets store your private keys online, where they are encrypted with a user-selected password. Although they offer the lowest level of security, online bitcoin wallets have the advantage of being accessible from any internet connected device.

GreenAddress

GreenAddress is a multi-signature Bitcoin wallet available on the web, desktop, Android, and iOS. GreenAddress is compatible with hardware wallets like TREZOR, Ledger Nano, and the HW.1.

“Multi-signature” in this context means that the site requires a manual confirmation from you for your coins to be moved; this greatly improves security.

Android Bitcoin Wallets

There is a large selection of Android wallets. Since Bitcoin wallets were originally banned by Apple, developers spent much of their time developing for Android.

Samourai Wallet

Samourai is 100% the best available Android wallet. It has the most features, the best privacy and its developers are constantly working to add the latest Bitcoin features to the wallet. Samourai Wallet has been around for more than 3 years and its code is fully open source.

Mycelium

Mycelium is the most popular Bitcoin wallet on Android. It's very easy to use for sending and receiving payments. Backing up your wallet is also simple, since Mycelium makes it very clear with setup and backup instructions.

breadwallet

breadwallet, the great iPhone Bitcoin wallet, recently released an Android wallet. It offers the user control of private keys, an easy to use interface, and passcode support.

Edge

Edge is an easy to use Bitcoin wallet for iPhone and Android. Its familiar login feature makes using the app a breeze for people new to bitcoin. The wallet also creates automatic backups, so you don't have to worry about the technicalities of performing manual wallet backups.

GreenBits

GreenBits is the native Android version of GreenAddress. It’s a multi-signature wallet that also supports hardware wallets like TREZOR and Ledger.

Bitcoin Wallet

Bitcoin Wallet, or “Schildbach Wallet”, was the first mobile Bitcoin wallet. Bitcoin Wallet is more secure than most mobile Bitcoin wallets, because it connects directly to the Bitcoin network. Bitcoin Wallet has a simple interface and just the right amount of features, making it a great wallet and a great educational tool for Bitcoin beginners.

iOS and iPhone Bitcoin Wallets

Apple banned Bitcoin wallets from the App Store in February 2014, but reversed its decision a few months later. Luckily, there are now plenty of options for iOS users.

breadwallet

We consider breadwallet, along with Copay (below), as the best bitcoin wallet for iPhone. It’s open source and gives the user full control over their private keys. It also has a clean interface which makes the sending and receiving of bitcoins a pleasurable and super-simple process.

Edge

Edge is an easy to use Bitcoin wallet for iPhone and Android. Its familiar login feature makes using the app a breeze for people new to bitcoin. The wallet also creates automatic backups, so you don't have to worry about the technicalities of performing manual wallet backups.

Desktop Wallets

Desktop wallets are downloaded and installed on your computer. If privacy is your main concern, the Bitcoin core wallet is a good option since it does not rely on third parties for data.

Electrum

Electrum is a light weight Bitcoin wallet for Mac, Linux, and Windows. Electrum was created in November 2011. The main features of Electrum are: support for hardware wallets (such as TREZOR, Ledger Nano and KeepKey), and secure Bitcoin storage using an offline computer. Electrum is a good option for both beginners and advanced users.

Bitcoin Banks: $1 Billion Lost in Hacks

One last thing to keep in mind when it comes to bitcoin wallets is that there is a difference between a wallet and a bank. Some Bitcoin users view Coinbase as a Bitcoin wallet, but companies like this operate much more like banks.

The private keys are what users need to protect to safely use the Bitcoin network without getting robbed. When you hand someone else control over your private keys, you are essentially making a deposit at that financial institution – much like a deposit at any bank.

Don't store coins on exchanges! Bitcoin users have lost over $1 billion worth of bitcoins in exchange hacks and scams. Control your own private keys.

This is not to say that bitcoin banks are inherently bad. Companies like Coinbase have done wonders for bringing more users into the ecosystem. It is simply important to remember that whoever controls the private keys controls the bitcoin attached to those keys.

A misunderstanding of this point has led to hundreds of millions of US dollars being lost in the past, so it’s important to understand this critical difference in how Bitcoin private keys can be stored.

Understanding how bitcoin wallets work is an important aspect of safely using this new technology. Bitcoin is still in its early years of development and wallets will become much more user-friendly in time.

In the near future, certain devices may eventually come with pre-installed wallets that interact with the blockchain without the user’s knowledge.

For now, it’s vital to keep in mind that the private keys are what you need to protect if you want to keep your bitcoin safe from hackers, user error, and other possible issues.

Theft and Scams

No matter which wallet you choose, remember:

Your bitcoins are only safe if the private key was generated securely, remains a secret, and--most importantly--is controlled only by YOU!

Here are two examples where users got ripped off by leaving bitcoins in the care of a third party:

To avoid theft, scams, and any other loss of funds, follow these three basic principles:

  1. Generate your private keys in a secure, offline environment. (Except if using trivial amounts, in which cases keys may be created in a hot wallet).
  2. Create backups of your private keys. This helps to protect against the loss of your bitcoins due to hard drive failure or some other problem or accident. Ideally you should have a duplicate set of backups kept off-site to protect against the possibility of fire, robbery, etc.
  3. Encrypt wallets to provide additional security. This helps prevent the physical theft of your funds in the event that your device or hardware wallet is stolen.

Securing your bitcoins properly is the most important step for any Bitcoin user.

With Bitcoin you have the privilege - but also the responsibility - to safeguard your own money. There have been countless scams related to Bitcoin that could have been prevented had people not entrusted others with their bitcoins.

It’s a good rule of thumb to never trust anyone else with your money.

Bonus Chapter

Bitcoin Wallet Frequently Asked Questions

Bitcoin wallets. What are they?

Bitcoin Wallets let us send, receive and store Bitcoin amounts all the way down to the Satoshi unit.

Wallets secure funds by guarding our private keys. These private keys act as the proof of ownership for our Bitcoins. As such, a Bitcoin wallet is like a key to your safe deposit box on the Blockchain.

What is a private key?

Private keys emerged as a way to communicate securely through insecure communication channels.

Historically, before the advent of public key cryptography, the greatest cryptographic weakness was the inability to communicate the ‘key’ that makes sense of encrypted messages. As a solution, the use of two keys (public and private) entered the picture.

It’s a nifty little trick.

Keys come in pairs. The public key is used to encrypt the message whereas the private key decrypts the message. The only person with the private key is you. Everyone else is free to have your public key. As a result, everyone can send you encrypted messages without having to agree on a key beforehand. They simply use your public key and you untangle the gibberish by using your private key.

Why should I care about private keys?

At the end of the day, all of this can go over your head without much danger. Just remember that it’s good to know what you’re dealing with. Bitcoin wallets make use of a fundamental cryptographic principle that we use for things ranging from https for websites or sending anonymous tips to Wikileaks. Most importantly, by understanding private keys you’ll have a much easier familiarizing yourself with Cold Storage wallets.

What is a Bitcoin address?

A Bitcoin address is like an account number, just better. The address denotes which wallet the coins should be sent to. Like a bank account number, where the difference lies in the wallets having multiple addresses. These can be customized by including payment request information such as an amount and a date of expiration.

What should I know about addresses?

Bitcoin wallet addresses are case sensitive, usually have 34 characters of numbers and lowercase letters, start with either a 1 or a 3, and never use 0, O, l and I to make every character in the address as clear as possible. That’s a lot to take in. But don’t worry. What they consist of is largely irrelevant to you. Just know they’re a string of characters that denote a destination on the Bitcoin Blockchain.

How do I generate a Bitcoin address for my wallet?

How to generate a new Bitcoin Address varies between wallets. Some manage your addresses for you. Others give you full control. As with many other Bitcoin technologies, the option to dirty your own hands is always open.

If you do end up taking the easier route, just press a button to generate a new address for your wallet.

Some wallets, like Electrum, allow you choose in how many blocks your transaction should be confirmed. The faster you want your payment to go through, the more you will have to pay miners for confirming your activity. We find here another difference between Bitcoin wallets and Bank accounts. Given the right wallet, the control and oversight that we have over our transactions is far more extensive than that of the traditional banking system.

How do I fund a Bitcoin Wallet?

First, acquire some Bitcoins. Go through an exchange in your country, ask an acquaintance to share, or use Buybitcoinworldwide.com if you want as seamless of an experience as possible. The purchased coins can then be sent to your wallet by specifying one of its addresses.

Some wallets, particularly online ones, also let you buy coins. Keep in mind that these come with larger exchange margins which are best left alone.

Are Bitcoins safe?

Is Bitcoin a safe way to store value digitally? Are we wise to save our coins on our computer? It’s true that online wallets are necessarily more dangerous than offline wallets. However, even offline wallets can be breached, meaning that security in the Bitcoin world depends largely on following good practices. Just like you would avoid flailing your bills about in a dangerous place, you should make sure to keep your passwords and keys as safe as possible.

How do I secure my Wallet?

  • Secure your computer
  • Restrict unsupervised access. Set a strong password and close all ports and maintain a strict firewall.
  • Frequently change address. Use a different address for every transaction.
  • Multiple Signatures (Multi-sig). Multiple private keys to deter breaches.

Where are Bitcoins stored?

Bitcoins simply consist of a string of data. That’s why they can be stored anywhere. You could paint Bitcoin on a wall with your blood. Nobody does that though. Hopefully.

Instead, we store BTC on computers because we need them handy to trade. After all, we need to be connected to the internet to send value from one wallet to another over the Blockchain.

How do I open a Bitcoin account?

To some readers this might seem like a weird question. Truth is, people coming from a financial or business background are likely to expect Bitcoin to be a direct alternative to our current financial system. This is not the case.

You don’t need a Bitcoin account. There is no such thing really. You just need a wallet. The only accounts you might encounter are online wallets that are separated into various accounts via a user system.

How do I know which wallet is best for me?

Let’s be honest. It’s unreasonable to expect anyone else to make this decision for you. After all, your preference depends entirely on your personality and needs. So just be honest with yourself.

Frankly, you shouldn’t need anything complicated if you’re using the wallet for simple internet expenses or as a way to save money.

If, however, you’re planning to run a Bitcoin centered business make sure to use advanced wallets that support automated mass payments.

Any common mistakes to be careful of?

First of all, don’t rest your money in an exchange wallet. Keep your coins in an environment where you have complete control.

Secondly, don’t keep all of your coins in one place. You’ll be crushed if you lose access to a wallet with all of your funds.

Thirdly, double check the target address. Bitcoin transactions cannot be reversed, so don’t lose your coins forever to a stranger!

Last of all, use trusted online wallets (if at all). Don’t just trust anyone with your money. Make sure that the online wallet provider has a reputation of upholding the highest possible security standards.

Security Risks with Hardware Wallets

Hardware wallets are more secure than any other software wallet, like one that runs on your Android or iOS device, or desktop. However, hardware wallets have some unique security risks to be aware of.

Tampering of the Device

We always recommend to order directly from the hardware seller. This is because someone can buy a hardware wallet, tamper with it, and sell it used. They could program it to steal any bitcoins or add a back door.

Most hardware wallets add some special kind of tape on the packaging to try to make any tampering more noticeable. This is another reason we recommend only ordering from the hardware wallet company, and not from a website like eBay.

Bad Random Number Generator

Bitcoin private keys are based on cryptography. Random number generators, also called RNGs, are used to create the private keys that secure bitcoins.

If the random number generator is not random enough, that means someone else can recreate the private key of the hardware wallet easier. This attack has happened in the past with blockchain.info, a web wallet. Over 300 BTC were lost because blockchain.info did not use good RNG, so a hacker was able to generate the private keys again and steal coins.

One way to help prevent this is to use the hardware wallet’s custom 25th word. TREZOR, for example, allows you to add a 25th word to the 24 word seed. This means that you can technically add your own RNG to the computer generated RNG to ensure your private key will be truly based on good RNG.

What happens if the hardware wallet company goes out of business?

All hardware wallets listed above work with other wallets. So, if the hardware wallet company goes out of business you will still be able to use your wallet with a different wallet like Electrum.

Let’s say you use TREZOR with TREZOR’s myTREZOR wallet. TREZOR goes out of business and no longer supports myTREZOR wallet and it gets shut down.

You could, in just a few minutes, download Electrum on your computer. Once installed, you’d setup your TREZOR and all of your transaction history and balance would get imported and be exactly the same. This is because Electrum will use the same 24-word seed you generated with TREZOR on setup.

Which wallets can be used for each device?

Ledger Nano S, KeepKey and TREZOR all work with:

  • Mycelium (Android version only)
  • Electrum for Mac, Windows and Linux
  • Multibit HD
  • GreenAddress

Do these hardware wallets work for Ethereum?

Yes, all of these wallets work with Ethereum, Litecoin and many other coins.

TREZOR and Ledger both have blog posts explaining their integrations with various Ethereum wallets.

The hardware wallet tells me to write down the 24 word seed on paper.

Should I take a picture of the seed with my phone as a backup?

The seeds generated by hardware wallets are meant to be written down only. By taking a picture of your seed with an internet connected phone, you put your entire wallet on a device that is connected to the internet and easier for hackers to get into. Please do not do this!

Why do the hardware wallets have buttons?

The buttons are used to confirm transactions. In order to send a transaction, you must physically press or hold buttons on the devices. This is a security feature. If a hacker were to access the hardware wallet somehow, the hacker still would not be able to send a TX without physical access to the buttons. Read more about this in TREZOR’s security philosophy.

Do hardware wallets work with Coinbase?

One of the most frequent questions we get asked is how Coinbase works with hardware wallets.

It’s a trick question!

Coinbase does not work directly with hardware wallet. You should, however, send bitcoins from Coinbase directly to your hardware wallet once you buy. Never store bitcoins on Coinbase or any other exchange for long periods of time.

Too many people in the past have lost money from hacks like Bitfinex and Mt. Gox.

So, yes, use a hardware wallet in conjunction with Coinbase. Buy on Coinbase, then send to hardware wallet.

Also, what we said above goes for ALL exchanges. Use Bitstamp? Cool! Once you buy bitcoins on Stamp, send the coins to your hardware wallet. The same goes for Kraken, Poloniex, or any other exchange or service that holds your coins!

What other kinds of wallets can I use?

Other wallet types are hot wallets. This means they are wallets run on an internet connected computer.

Android wallets, iOS wallets and desktop wallets are all examples of this.

How many backups of my seed should I create?

We recommend keeping at least two backups of your seed in multiple locations.

You can also laminate your seed to protect against water damage or any other damage.

Keeping your seeds in fire proof safes can help protect in the event that the storage location is burned down.

Another option is to put your seed into metal manually using stamps, or using cryptosteel.

What happens if someone finds my 24 word seed?

Unless you’re using a 25th word, someone who finds your 24 word seed can sweep your entire wallet.

Coinbase is a web wallet with a simple design and a number of very useful features that make it excellent for beginners. You can send and receive bitcoins via email and buy and sell bitcoins directly from Coinbase.

Once you get the hang of things, it is better to move your coins off of Coinbase and into a wallet mentioned above like the Ledger Nano S . Coinbase is a good place to buy bitcoins and learn how it works, but not a good solution for long term storage.

A full-featured Android app enables access to all account functions on the go. Coinbase’s founders have a proven startup track record and have raised money from very prominent venture capitalists. This gives Coinbase a level of legitimacy unparalleled in the Bitcoin space. They are also one of the only large Bitcoin companies to never suffer a major hack. Click here to sign up.

Electrum is a software wallet that enables you to set up a strong level of security very quickly. During the simple installation process, you are given a twelve word phrase that will allow you to recover all of your bitcoins in the event that your computer fails. Your wallet is also encrypted by default which helps protect your coins against hackers. Electrum is available for Windows, OSX, and Linux and is our recommended software wallet for beginners. Click here to download the right version for your operating system.

Bitcoin Wallet for Android

For those looking for mobility and security, we recommend the simply-titled Bitcoin Wallet mobile app. There is a version for both Android and BlackBerry OS . It is a software wallet, so you retain complete control over your bitcoins. It also works well with QR codes and NFC, making transferring coins to someone else’s phone easier than writing a check. Be sure to backup your wallet (with the included “Backup Wallet” feature) or you risk losing all your coins the next time you get too close to a pool.

Other Wallets

We also recommend a few other wallets, but not for the beginning Bitcoin user. If you are up for more of a challenge, Armory is a good choice for those requiring the highest possible security, and the original Bitcoin-Qt client is also trusted and worth learning how to use.

Now that you have a wallet set up, it’s time to learn how to get some bitcoins .

2018 Best Bitcoin Wallet Review and Comparison

Totally new to Bitcoin and Bitcoin wallets? Start by watching this video:

As a general rule, Bitcoin hardware wallets are the most secure form of Bitcoin wallets, however, unlike software wallets, they cost money. If you’re serious about securing your Bitcoins go for a hardware wallet. If however you’re only storing a small amount of coins you can use one of the free software wallets shown on this page.

compare wallets

Ledger Nano S

Blockchain

Bitcoin Core

Green Address

Bitcoin Wallet

AirBitz wallet

CoolWallet

Ledger Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: Much like TREZOR, Ledger is a cold wallet designed for users who want increased security. The wallet is actually a physical device that connects to your computer and acts as another source of protection. Meaning, you can’t send Bitcoins from your wallet without owning the physical device. If you’re looking for a cold wallet (e.g Ledger or TREOZR) I’ve compared the two in this post.

Ledger offers a variaty of products such as Ledger Nano S, Ledger Unplugged (a contactless Bitcoin wallet), etc. The most popular model today is the Ledger Nano S.

Pros: Beginner friendly, very secure, great support.

Cons: Costs money, More security = less usability (this is an issue with all cold wallets).

TREZOR Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: TREZOR is the perfect solution for storing a large amount of Bitcoins in order to keep them out of harms way. The combination of world class security with the flexibility of any other web wallet make it ideal for beginners and experts alike. The company has been gaining a nice amount of traction and reviews throughout the last year. For a full review of TREZOR click here.

Pros: Extremely secure wallet, easy to use and intuitive interface, supports additional wallets and altcoins.

Cons: High price tag relative to its competitor

Coinbase Bitcoin wallet review

Update – In the past we used to list Coinbase as a wallet, however do changes in the company’s vision this is no longer a recommended wallet.

Summary: Coinbase is the leading exchange service today in buying and selling Bitcoins. It was founded in 2012 and since then has received over US$31 million in venture capital funding. The Bitcoin exchange service is available in 19 countries around the world. Their Online wallet is beginners friendly but the fact that the company holds your funds is can be somewhat risky. Having said that Coinbase has recently launched their Vault service which denies the company control over your funds.

Pros: Beginner friendly, ability to add funds from within the wallet. Established and respectable company.

Cons: Company has some control over your funds (depends if you’re using Vault). Not supported worldwide (yet).

Blockchain.info Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: The most popular Bitcoin wallet today, Blockchain.info allows you to send / receive Bitcoins through your browser or mobile phone. This is what’s known as a hybrid wallet – meaning the company stores your wallet online but they do not have access to your private keys. However since the wallet is loaded from their servers some trust in the company is still needed. Recommended for beginners who are trying out Bitcoin.

Pros: An established and trusted company in the Bitcoin community, good interface, available for mobile and web.

Cons: 3rd party trust required, hard to make completely anonymous payments.

Exodus Blockchain assets wallet review

Exodus is a relatively new wallet (launched July 2016) that allows you to store not only Bitcoins but also Litecoins, Dogecoins, Dash and Ether. It’s unique in its beautiful design and intuitive user interface. You can also trade cryptocurrencies from within the wallet. Currently the wallet is available only in a desktop version. Here’s a full review about Exodus.

Pros: Easy to use, allows to trade cryptos from within the interface, self hosted, awesome support from the founders.

Cons: Limited only to desktop at the moment, relatively new company

Jaxx Bitcoin and Altcoin wallet review

Jaxx is an all platform Bitcoin and Altcoin wallet that allows you to store cryptocurrencies and also exchange between different currencies from within the wallet (via the ShapeShift exchange). The wallet is extremely intuitive and is self hosted so you don’t trust the your private keys with any 3rd party.

Pros: Easy to use, allows to trade cryptos from within the interface, self hosted, awesome support, works on multiple platforms.

Cons: Relatively new company, there have been some issue reported for Linux users

Mycelium Bitcoin wallet review

Mycelium is a popular mobie app wallet that features a wealth of advanced privacy and security features. Yes, the wallet can be a bit complicated for newbie users but it’s still one of the safest and fastest on the market. As an open source software program, Mycelium is constantly being upgraded. While Mycelium is primarily a hot wallet, there are some cold storage features for Bitcoin users looking to put their wealth on ice.

Pros: Advanced privacy features make this app great for people looking to stay anonymous, and advanced security features will help keep your Bitcoin wealth secure.

Cons: No web or desktop interface, so you’ll have to use your smart phone to access this app. Mycelium is also better for more advanced users, so keep that in mind.

Keepkey Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: KeepKey is one of the newest players in the Bitcoin market. It has a very sleek and unique design which makes it probably the best looking physical Bitcoin wallet out there. The device itself is very intuative and easy to set up. You can read a full Keepkey review here.

Pros: Beginner friendly, great design, simple to user, secure.

Cons: Costs money ($99), relatively new company.

Bitcoin Core wallet review (Bitcoin QT)

Looking for a desktop solution for your Bitcoin wallet? If so, Bitcoin Core (also known as Bitcoin QT) is worth a consideration. Bitcoin Core offers a lot of security and privacy features, and supports complete transparency. Bitcoin Core is well-regarded for being a stable system, though it can use up a lot of memory and space on your computer. Still, for modern computers the hardware requirements are rather low.

Pros: Features plenty of security and privacy features and offers a highly stable system.

Cons: No mobile app and no web interface makes it difficult to use this wallet without having your own personal computer on hand. It also requires a lot of free space to store the whole Blockchain.

Electrum Bitcoin wallet review

This fast, lightweight desktop app is a good choice for someone using older and less powerful computers for their bitcoin storage. The most processor intensive parts of the wallet are handled by remote servers. Electrum is well regarded for its advanced security and privacy features, and users can even recover their wallet with a secret pass phrase, though some people would prefer a wallet that doesn’t rely on remote servers.

Pros: While many apps are processor intensive, Electrum is known for being fast and light weight.

Cons: Not friendly for newbies, and the reliance on external servers could present security threats.

Armory Bitcoin wallet review

Amory is a well-known and trusted brand when it comes to Bitcoin security, though the app is usually best for more advanced users. If you are looking for an app that emphasizes safety and security, Armory should make the short list as the app features a variety of encryption and cold-storage options. Armory is among the most respected brands when it comes to Bitcoin security.

Pros: Very flexible and adaptable to just about any situation. Offers industry leading security features.

Cons: Requires advanced user knowledge and is not known for being user friendly.

Xapo Bitcoin wallet review

Xapo is a web-based wallet system, so alls you need to access it is a web browser and Internet connection. Xapo is known for having reasonably advanced privacy and security features, especially for a web-based wallet. The company supports payments through a debit card system, making it easy to spend your Bitcoins. The app is also friendly for newbies, so if you’re new to Bitcoin, give Xapo a close look.

Pros: Xapo debit card system allows you to use Bitcoin ATMs and spend at merchants across the world.

Cons: Web-based wallets face extra security threats, and you won’t be able to manage your Bitcoins without a Internet connection.

Green Address Bitcoin wallet review

A user favorite, Green Address allows you to access your Bitcoins through a variety of methods, including online, through a mobile app, or through a desktop client. Better yet, Green Address’s is well regarded as being user-friendly. This makes Green Address one of the most flexible wallets around. Supports multi-signature features and has strong security and privacy features.

Pros: Very flexible and very easy to use, making Green Address a top choice for newbies

Cons: Requires the use of a remote app loaded from another location, and shared control over your Bitcoins (meaning the third-party has to approve payments).

Bitcoin Wallet review

One of the oldest names in the business, Bitcoin Wallet is known for being fast and relatively easy-to-use. The company believes in “zero trust”, meaning they go out of their way to provide a decentralized system that provides people with a lot of control over their Bitcoin wealth. High-transparency, along with strong security features make this a very secure program, especially for a web-based wallet.

Pros: Well-reputed brand name and a safe, fast, and secure operating environment make this wallet a good choice, though newbies may need a bit of time to get a hang of the system.

Cons: Only available online and requires an Android or Blackberry phone.

BitGo Bitcoin wallet review

BitGo is known for its high levels of security and is a multi-signature wallet. This means that every transaction will require two-factor identification, which can go a long way in protecting your wealth from malware, hackers, and server attacks. Oh, and these keys are held by users, not BitGo, so they have no easy access to your stash.

Pros: A high level of security in a relatively easy and non-technical package.

Cons: Two-factor identification can create a hassle and the service does rely on central verification.

Airbitz Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: Airbitz is a decentrelized, secured and backed up Bitcoin wallet. The promising notion about it is that neither Airbitz or any other 3rd party can access your Bitcoins, so it’s fully independent. The nice thing about Airbitz is that it also supplies you a directory of Bitcoin accepting businesses around you. Also it seems that a lot of thought was put into the user interface to make the experience of using Airbitz as simple as possible.

Pros: Beginner friendly, bitcoin accepting business directory, decentrelized.

Cons: Unestablished brand, no web interface (mobile only).

Copay Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: One of the best Bitcoin wallets out there, it was created by Bitpay. Copay is a multisig wallet which means that a single wallet can have multiple users. This can be ideal for a corporate account where for example, 2 out of 3 signatures are required in order to confirm a transaction. The wallet also has a desktop, mobile and web interface and is completely independent and open source. You can read our full review of Copay here.

Pros: Multisig wallet – allows for improved security, great design, supports multiple devices.

Cons: No support, can be a bit overwhelming for beginners.

CoolWallet Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: CoolWallet is another attempt at creating a portable Bitcoin hardware wallet. The device itself looks and feels like a credit card and has one small operation button on it. The device needs to be help closely to your mobile app when sending out coins adding another layer of security. Even though the concept is pretty cool, the execution is far from complete and the device still feels a bit clunky. Click here to read our full CoolWallet review.

Pros: Very portable (fits in your wallet).

Cons: Device feels a bit clunky, relatively new company behind the product.

BTC.com Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: BTC.com is a Block Explorer owned by Bitmain. The site offers several tools such as network statistics, a mining pool and also an online wallet. The wallet, similar to Blockchain.info, is an HD hybrid wallet. Meaning, you access it via the web but the keys to the wallet are stored on your machine, so BTC.com has no access to them.

Transactions are signed on your device so no one can see your private keys. The wallet also supplies Multisig capabilities and is open source.

Pros: Wide variety of features, intuitive interface, open source.

Cons: Still a hot wallet, controlled by Bitmain which have a shaky reputation in the community.

Coinomi Bitcoin wallet review

Summary: Coinomi is a mobile wallet currently available only for Android. The wallet holds Bitcoin and a variety of additinoal Cryptocurrencies (up to 287 currencies supported). The wallet is pretty basic and user friendly. The main issue with this wallet is that is started out as an open source wallet but since 2016 became closed source – something that raised a lot of eyebrows in the Bitcoin community.

Pros: Wide variety of coins supported, intuitive interface.

Cons: Closed source, Android only.

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