If there's one thing we've learned about crypto over the years, it's that this ever-evolving industry requires you to be on your toes at all times. This doesn't just apply to the currencies you're holding, but also where you hold them.
If you’re looking for a way to store your crypto assets securely and conveniently, you might want to consider getting a cold wallet. A cold wallet is a type of crypto wallet that isn't connected to the internet, which means it's less vulnerable to hacking, phishing or malware attacks. Cold wallets can come in different forms, like hardware devices, paper wallets or metal plates.
Durability and security are key here, which means you'll want a cold wallet that's made of resistant materials, like stainless steel, titanium or plastic. These materials can withstand physical damage, fire, water or corrosion, and protect your private keys from being lost or destroyed.
Some cold wallets also have a tamper-evident seal or a secure chip that prevents unauthorised access or modification of your data.
You'll want a cold wallet that has a user-friendly interface and supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Some cold wallets have a screen, a keypad or a touchscreen that allows you to view your balance, send and receive transactions and manage your settings.
Others also have a mobile app or a web interface that lets you access your wallet from your phone or computer. You should also check the compatibility and the number of coins and tokens supported by your cold wallet.
Most support the 'popular' currencies but, if you're holding something a little more niche, it's worth doubling checking that your cold wallet supports it.
Finally, you'll want a cold wallet that has a backup and recovery option, in case you lose or damage your device. Some cold wallets provide you with a recovery phrase, a set of words that can restore your wallet on another device. Look out for cold wallets that also have a backup service that can help you recover your wallet with a secure backup for your recovery phase.
We've rounded up all of the best cold wallets
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Trezor Model One
The Trezor Model One is the original and most trusted hardware wallet in the market, with over 10 years of experience and one million customers worldwide. It supports over 8000 coins and tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and many more. You can easily send, receive and trade your coins using the Trezor Suite app. One of the most durable cold wallets around, it's made from a PC/ABS engineering thermoplastic blend that can withstand extreme temperatures and conditions.
Buy now £60.00, Amazon
Ledger Nano S
The Ledger Nano S is a small device that connects to your computer or phone via USB and has a built-in OLED display to confirm each transaction with a single tap on its side buttons. It supports over 5000 coins and tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Cardano and Polygon and enables you to buy, exchange, stake and send crypto directly from the device using the Ledger Live app. It also provides a backup and recovery system with a 12/18/24 word seed phrase that you can restore on any Ledger device.
Buy now £69.00, Amazon
Blockstream Jade Hardware Wallet
The Blockstream Jade Hardware Wallet is fully open source, which means you can verify the code and hardware design yourself. With its built-in camera, it enables air-gapped transactions, which means you can scan and display QR codes directly on the device, without needing any USB or Bluetooth connection. This reduces the risk of malware or hackers compromising your device or funds. The Blockstream Jade Hardware Wallet also supports advanced liquid assets, like stablecoins, digital securities and NFTs. It's compatible with Blockstream Green, BlueWallet, Sparrow, Electrum, Specter and more.
Buy now £64.99, Blockstream
Keystone Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallet
The Keystone Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallet is a great option for cold wallet storage because it offers a high level of security, compatibility and user-friendliness. It's suitable for both beginners and experts who want to keep their crypto assets safe and accessible. It's designed to be entirely air-gapped, which means that it doesn't connect to the internet via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC or USB.
Instead, it communicates with your smartphone or computer via QR codes. It supports over 1000+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, BCH, XRP, Tron, LTC, Dash, Polkadot, Kusama and many more and is compatible with major Web3 wallets, like MetaMask, Solflare, Sender Wallet and XRP Toolkit.
Buy now £129.90, Amazon
Ellipal titan mini
The Ellipal Titan Mini combines high-level security, ease of use and versatility - while being known as a trusted and reliable device that gives you full control and ownership of your crypto assets. It's made of metal and has a dust-free seal, making it durable and resistant to physical damage or tampering. It also has an anti-tamper technology that detects any attempt to open or interfere with the device and automatically wipes all the data. It supports over 10,000 coins and tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, XRP, Cardano as well as NFTs.
Buy now £84.99, Cryptonest
BitBox02 Multi
The BitBox02 Multi is a Swiss-made device that features a dual-chip design with a secure chip, a microSD card for easy backup and restore and a minimalist design. It supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Cardano and over 1500 ERC20 tokens and can also be used as a U2F authenticator for online accounts.
Easy to navigate and set up, you can create your wallet in a few clicks and back up your recovery words on the microSD card. You can use the BitBox02 Multi to connect to any decentralized application on the Ethereum ecosystem, like NFT marketplaces and decentralized exchanges. You can also access the full potential of DeFi while keeping your keys safely stored on the device.
Buy now £121.12, Bitbox
KeepKey Hardware Wallet
The KeepKey Hardware Wallet allows you to quickly exchange cryptocurrencies via the native Thorchain integration, directly from your wallet. You can also access thousands of decentralised finance opportunities through the Dapp Store instantly. One of the most versatile cold wallets around, it supports dozens of the leading tokens and coins available on the market, like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and more. KeepKey is one of the first crypto hardware wallets and it's been praised for its design, security and ease of use countless times.
Buy now £63.61, Keepkey
COLDCARD Mk4
The COLDCARD Mk4 claims to be the most secure and reliable device for signing Bitcoin transactions. It uses two different chips, called Secure Elements, to keep the seed words that create the private keys for your Bitcoin wallet. It supports PSBT (Partially Signed Bitcoin Transactions) natively, which allows you to use it with other wallets and sign complex transactions and has multiple duress PIN options, including a countdown to brick PIN, a trick PIN and a duress wallet PIN. These are designed to protect your funds in case someone forces you to reveal your PIN or tries to tamper with your device.
Buy now £157.94, Coinkite
SecuX V20
The SecuX V20 has vault-grade security that protects your private keys from hackers and malware. It uses a secure chip that meets the CC EAL5+ standard, which is the highest level of certification for smart card devices. It supports over 300 chains and more than 10,000 coins and tokens, including (take a deep breath) Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, USDC, BNB, XRP, Cardano, Polygon, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Solana, Tron, Litecoin, Avalanche, Stellar, Groestlcoin and more. It combines high security, wide compatibility, user-friendly interface and stylish design in one device.
Buy now £179.00
Tangem Wallet Pack of 3
The Tangem Wallet combines the security, simplicity, accessibility and affordability of a hardware wallet with the convenience and functionality of a mobile app. Easy to use without requiring any technical knowledge or experience, you can activate your card in less than three minutes and start using it right away. The Tangem Wallet is immune to hacking attacks, phishing scams, social engineering and other online threats.
It's compatible with thousands of digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and Cardano and you can use the app to access various features and services, like swapping, buying, selling and earning crypto.
Buy now £57.56, Amazon
Verdict
It's hard to beat the Trezor Model One if you're looking for cold wallet storage that ticks all the boxes. This all-in-one hardware wallet offers easy crypto security, storage and use for beginners and crypto experts alike.