Cryptocurrency wallet. Which cryptocurrency wallet to choose

Having appreciated its advantages, you should also take the time to study the issue of storage, so as not to fall into the bait of scammers and hackers. Most of the cryptocurrency hacking and theft incidents in the world could have been avoided if the crypto owners took security more seriously, which we suggest you do. After all, you should never trust your money to anyone. Recently, a very large number of various services have been appearing that accept digital coins, store, transfer, exchange, etc. So what kind of wallet for cryptocurrencies should you choose as a result? We will try to help you understand this variety and make the right choice.

So, first you need to understand the fundamental difference between the so-called hot and cold storage of tokens (hot storage and cold storage). What is the essence of these opposite methods:

Hot storage, or as it is also called hot wallet, or online storage - can be described in one word - “online”. It includes all online wallets that are connected to the network around the clock and provide instant access to your funds at any time of the day or night. You can quickly perform many operations with your money, but they are subject to the same risks as all web resources. Although this happens relatively rarely, there is still a chance to catch a virus, become a victim of a hacker attack, a phishing site, or suffer from a server hack that lovers of easy money encroached on. No one has canceled all these risks, however, this method is used by most people to store small or medium-sized money.
Cold storage (aka cold wallet, or offline storage) is a completely offline method. It is the best suited for very wealthy people with huge sums of money, or just for people who are shaking over their savings, very afraid of losing them. The point is that after receiving funds on a public resource, they hide their private key needed to withdraw funds anywhere except the Internet. For the greatest confidence in the safety of their savings, especially cautious persons stop using their wallet if at least 1 time has been withdrawn from it. That is, if it is lit up on the network, and thus begins to be equated already with online storage.

Basically, this article will focus on the hot type of storage of crypto coins, since everything related to online space refers specifically to it.

As for cold storage, there are different varieties. It can be:

paper wallet;
USB stick
physical bitcoin coin;
standalone hardware wallet and others.

The advantages of a separate "wallet" include a high level of security through the use of private keys. You can record the key phrase (seed) not in a digital source, but, for example, on paper or on a device that is not connected to the network, this will guarantee complete security.

Minuses:

Keeping each currency separately is not as convenient as all together.
There is a separate seed phrase for each currency, which must be kept somewhere safe, do not forget later where not to lose, otherwise you will not get access to money.

Before registering yourself, for example, Bitcoin Wallet, Ethereum Wallet or, say, Electrum Dash, think about it, maybe you will manage with one repository for all digital coins - multicurrency. It can be compared with our usual wallet for paper banknotes, which contains all kinds of banknotes, with their help you can make various payments on the Internet, transfers, and simply carry out storage of funds.

It can be used on various devices connected to the network: on a PC, smartphone, tablet. But the catch is that since these devices are constantly on the network, the seed phrases generated on them, which are a private key, although encrypted with a password, cannot be absolutely safe. Other people could potentially have access to them via the Internet, so this method is a vivid example of hot storage. Some of these wallets are equipped with a multi-signature function, which asks for additional confirmation from the owner to withdraw funds, which slightly increases the degree of security. But still, an online wallet is more suitable for small purchases and short-term transactions, but you should not consider it as a reliable store of savings.

Web wallet pros:

low percentage of commission during operations;
a large selection of cryptocurrencies;
a simple and convenient way to store small amounts
it is possible to use several gadgets.

Minuses:

protection is not as reliable as the work is done through an intermediary;
not the best way to store large amounts.

One of the most popular representatives of this type of storage is the Russian-language site Kryptonator, as well as the HolyTransaction service and GreenAddress. Many of the online wallets are also available in versions for PC or smartphones. About it below.

It is now impossible to imagine life without the constant use of smartphones. With their help, through Android or iOS, you can do so much and, of course, store and spend electronic coins, too. Many well-known services release their mobile applications. For example, such as "Kryptonator" and others. As for the popular mobile storages, Coinomi can be attributed to them, in which ShapeShift is now integrated - no less popular exchanger. It is convenient in that it supports a large number of different altcoins. At the moment there are about 60 items. Also the advantage is a fairly high level of security. The latest version of the Coinomi application, when you first start it, automatically offers you to come up with and save your passphrase. This seed phrase, known only to you, makes mobile storage highly secure. It also has a pretty simple intuitive interface.

Such repositories are widespread, and many good representatives can be called. Among them:

Bitcoin Wallet is a pioneer among wallets of this type, featuring very good protection. It is directly connected to the Bitcoin system, has a concise design and simple understandable functionality. In a word - nothing superfluous, all the most necessary, for which many Bitcoin holders and newcomers fell in love.
Breadwallet - will please the owners of iPhones, as it was created specifically for them and satisfies all the needs of users using secret keys that maintain privacy. An Android version has also been released.
Airbitz - also suitable for iPhones and Android. It is easy to understand, and the advantage is the creation of backups just in case of fire.
Mycelium - this storage does not lag behind, and even overtakes many of its opponents, also backing up and providing comfort in use. A wide range of users have already managed to appreciate it.
GreenBits - created specifically for working with Android, is compatible with several other Bitcoin wallets, such as Ledger and Trezor. His chip is a multi-subscription for additional certification of transactions.

Here it’s a little more complicated than with Android, as Apple doesn’t like such applications. Although today, iPhone owners can already use the many features of mobile storage. Typical representatives of this species:

Copay is one of the most convenient wallets compatible with iPhone. Be sure to consider this option.
Breadwallet is also one of the leaders in this direction, it is easy and pleasant to make transactions with it, while fully controlling its private keys. It is open source.
Airbitz - if the previous 2 storages were designed exclusively for iPhones, then Airbitz is suitable for Android. In addition to the simplicity of the interface, its advantage is the creation of backups, which is very convenient.

Another type of storage for crypto coins looks like an extension for your browser. For Firefox and Chrome, one of the most popular is Jaxx. It involves protection by introducing a special seed phrase, which consists of 12 words. It is single, and will fit all your registered wallets with altcoins on them, which are currently represented by about a dozen, but in the near future it is planned to expand their diversity. The interface is not complicated, it’s easy to understand the settings, and they are very flexible. Another Jaxx wallet for cryptocurrencies offers a desktop version of its product for Windows and Linux, which we will talk about below.

You can download and install an electronic wallet for cryptocurrencies directly on your computer - the so-called desktop version. As a rule, such multicurrency versions, for example, Exodus, with the integrated ShapeShift platform. Protection through private keys, although the choice of currencies is small - only about a dozen of the most famous.

As for the interface - it is not complicated, the controls are clear, the design is beautiful. A good level of protection is provided by the Bitcoin Core product, since it is quite independent. Electrum can be considered as easier to use than the Bitcoin wallet, it works on Windows, Linux and Mac, supports basic hardware storages, and will be convenient for beginners.

It is a physical storage medium (like a USB drive), but it was created only for storing cryptocurrencies. How does he work? You store it in a secluded place of your choice, offline, and then connect it to any device, to a PC or another, and only then can you use your electronic coins. This provides very good security for your funds, and is ideal for long-term storage, including large amounts.

Even if the device itself is stolen from you, they will not be able to use it, since it has a PIN code on it. If you yourself have lost it - it does not matter either. To recover data, a special recovery code that you set in advance will help. Even if scammers crack your PC, they still won’t find the secret code on it, since all manipulations with the code take place in a secure place - in the hardware wallet itself.

The private key used here is used to sign transactions, and is considered a very safe form of Cold storage. Such storages, as a rule, do not support many types of cryptocurrencies - up to 5, but the most popular. In this way, it is not scary to keep your savings.

Some even compare the hardware wallet for cryptocurrencies not just with a safe, but with a special vault in the bank, which is located behind an armored door and is protected by many technologies. Of course, the cost of such storage is not small, but you will sleep peacefully, and connecting such a service will not be difficult.

You can highlight the most famous hardware wallets:

Trezor - It was released the very first of its kind. Very compact, and provides features similar to online devices.
KeepKey is a follower of Trezor, following in his footsteps, but slightly improved, with several additional features and a large display.
Ledger Nano S is one of the cheapest, at least in the top three. Apparently for the same reason and very popular.
Ledger hw1 - it can be distinguished as a more low-cost analogue, since it does not have a display that plays a role in ensuring security.

In principle, for each of the cryptocurrencies it is not necessary to create a separate wallet for yourself. If you use, say, a dozen different tokens, it is much more convenient to store everything in one place, that is, on the exchange, which can support up to hundreds of altcoin names. However, it does not give a full guarantee of the safety of funds. And it is not in vain that there is a saying that it is not necessary to put all the eggs in one basket, otherwise they can all be broken at once - to which there are many confirmations.

Whenever a third party is involved, risk is inevitable. This is what happened in the recent past with the notorious MtGox exchange, which at that time was one of the largest of its kind, but crashed because it was robbed by hackers, and millions of people lost their savings in an instant.

But you can hope that this will not happen again with other exchanges. Recently, the BTC-e exchange has shown itself well, as well as the relatively new EXMO exchange, you can consider this option.

Let's just say that if you do not constantly participate in trading, operating in different currencies, and do not regularly use a large number of various altcoins, then for long-term storage, and especially large amounts, there is no better place than a cryptocurrency wallet. There you can fully and fully control your assets, having a private key in your hands.

You are convinced that there are a great many storages for cryptocurrency, and it cannot be said that some are uniquely bad, and the other obviously suits everyone. When choosing your personal assistant, be guided by your personal goals, capabilities and functions that you expect from him. Answer the following questions for yourself:

How often do you shop for bitcoins?
Amounts within which limits do you most often operate?
How much is the exchange of cryptocurrencies demanded by you?
Do you save large amounts of money for a long time (it makes sense to open a hardware wallet for cryptocurrencies), or do you constantly have tokens in circulation (then it’s convenient to register free online storage)?

It is possible that you decide to combine several types of "wallets" at once. We wish you to find an option that suits you personally.

Hello dear readers of the blog site. Today, more and more people are plunging into the world of bitcoins, altcoins, exchanges and other things that they had not previously thought of. However, they do not always have enough knowledge in this area to completely minimize the risks.

However, I do not mean the risks of trading on exchanges or high. The topic of this article today will be a purely technical, but very important issue - which wallet (or wallets) to choose to work with the cryptocurrencies you need?

Why is this so important? I already wrote in the article that this technology in itself is remarkable for the absence of a host, administration or any other intermediaries (it lives on its own). But if you lose access to your crypto walletthen nobody will restore it to you. All meet.

In addition, different types of wallets have different degrees of security and convenience. For different tasks it makes sense to use different options. Someone works with small amounts and multicurrency online wallets are suitable for him, while someone will lend huge funds and even a cold wallet will not be enough for him and he uses hardware to sleep peacefully.

Actually, this will be discussed in this article - what are cryptocurrency wallets for the current 2018, what are their pros and cons, what to choose for you, and, finally, how to create or get yourself a wallet with the cryptocurrency you need (or multi-currency to work with).

What is a crypto wallet and how to create it (get it)

Actually the question is not idle and many problems associated with the loss of crypto money (theft, hacking, loss of access) are based on a lack of understanding of what you are working with. Many are used to dealing with the type of Yandex.Money, Qiwi, AdvaKesh, etc. There is technical support that will help solve problems with access to your account.

But when working with cryptocurrencies in most cases, none of this will happen. You are one on one with your problems and there will be no one to help you. Often these systems and wallets where your funds are stored maintain complete anonymity, which means that it will not be possible to prove that it was you (you just lost access) or that it was not you who transferred the money from him (someone else) ( and often no one to prove).

In general, in the classics of the genre, I, Dear Reader, must first intimidate you to be more attentive to all of the following. We assume that I have succeeded and you are in a state of increased attention.

So, the crypto-wallet has two aspects - its essence and its technical implementation.

The point is not so difficult to understand. Crypto wallet is just two numbers (they are also called keys, bearing in mind that using them you can decrypt something):

You can tell one number (word) to anyone, because it acts as the address of your wallet. It is also called a public key or just an address.
You should not tell the second number to anyone. This is an analogue of a password that allows you to access your money (bitcoins or other altcoins). It is also called a private key. Who owns it - that owns money.

Clear? This is the essence of a cryptocurrency wallet. His principle. Everything is simple: login (address) and password (private key).

Thus, the simplest implementation option is paper walletwhen you only have the address and private key recorded on paper or saved as a screenshot. All. You can already receive money at this address, and if necessary, you can withdraw or transfer money by connecting this wallet to any client program.

The figure above shows an example of creating the simplest bitcoin wallet on a site Bitaddress.org (The same can be done on Bitcoin.com) You will only need the keys received, print it in several copies and store it securely.

The wallet balance can be checked on the official websites of the blocked bitcoin - blockchain.info or blockexplorer.com, simply by entering the address (public key) there. Enter or in some other way to burn the private key is not worth it.

For other cryptocurrencies, there will be other official sites where you can do all this and browse. For example, for Bitcoin it is an online wallet blockchain.info, for Ethereum - myetherwallet.com, for Monero - mymonero.com

But to withdraw funds from this wallet, you will have to use a software solution (local or online). In the client program (or on the website of the online service - all the same blockchain.info), you enter this key pair (address and private key), after which you will get the opportunity to manage this money.

The truth is, until you did this, the reliability of storing money in a paper wallet was the highest (unless you printed out the key printout or you yourself lost it). And then the reliability will already be determined by the technical solution for working with the wallet that you have chosen (see details below).

And here technical implementations all of this (software solutions) can be many. It all depends on your goals, tasks and the desire to compromise between security and usability.

Client software not only serves to quickly create wallets, but also to provide a convenient interface, and can work both on your computer and on your phone, tablet or even on a remote server where the online service you use is located.

Moreover, modern client software can automatically create for you new wallet addresses for each transaction (), so that it would be more difficult for you to track. Old addresses will also belong only to you and they can be used - do not worry.

Cryptocurrency Rating

Before proceeding immediately, I will make a reservation that there is such a wonderful resource in all respects as Cryptocompare and it has cryptocurrency wallet rating .

Here, however, all crypto wallets are gathered in a heap - both online, and mobile, and cold (thick and thin), and hardware, and multicurrency, but nonetheless. But you can clearly see what currencies can be stored in this wallet, what type it is (for which OS it is designed), how easy it is to work with it and how much your anonymity (incognito) will be preserved when working with it.

It is also important to pay attention to degree of safety work with this program (application or online service). The best option is a green shield designating cold wallets that store the private key on your device. The yellow shield will be slightly worse - the private key is stored by third parties, but in encrypted form. And at the very seams, when the shield is brown - your money is extremely poorly protected and hackers can reach it.

This rating of crypto-wallets does not mean that you need to take the top one from this list and work only with it. No. Everything will depend on the tasks you are solving, on convenience and on the degree of your personal paranoia. The main thing is that the “wallet” of your choice is present on this list, because you can easily fall for the scammers, of whom a great many have divorced.

Hardware, cold, multicurrency - which is better

As you might have guessed, there are a great many options for implementing client programs for storing currency. How do they differ from each other and which one to choose for yourself? I dont know. Fair. But I can explain to you in simple words what each type of wallet represents and what tasks it solves. Well, you’ll make the choice yourself, but it’s completely conscious.

Hardware - The most reliable crypto wallet option. Why? Because the device (something similar to a flash drive with a button) stores the private key (password) inside itself and it will be impossible to access it through the network (an already generated transaction is issued at the device output and nothing more). This device naturally costs money, but not so much (a hundred bucks on average).
Cold (local) - not 100% reliable, but free. It is a program (for a computer or mobile phone). The private key is stored on your computer (or flash drive), although it can also be stored in paper form (in the form of a printout or a QR code), which increases security but reduces usability. In fact, until you have made a single payment from it (never used a private key) - a cold crypto wallet will be as reliable as a hardware one (you can check receipt of payments to your address on third-party blockchain control services). Therefore, it can serve as an alternative for the accumulation of large amounts.
Online (hot) - it is least protected, because your private key is either stored on a third-party server on the network (i.e. your wallet, in fact, does not belong to you, but there is a chance to restore access to money during force majeure using technical support) , or transferred from your computer when connected to a wallet. In any case, the likelihood of being stolen is greatly increased. But it improves usability (access from any device from anywhere in the world) and problem solving.

P.S. Word cold in this case, it means that the wallet does not require a permanent Internet connection (to receive payments, as I already mentioned, you don’t even have to go to it - specify the address of your wallet and check the payment arrival on sites that allow you to view transactions in the blockchain). BUT hot, respectively, requires a network connection, which makes it more vulnerable to attacks.

P.S.2 Cold wallets there are “thick” and “thin”. "Fat" download the entire blockchain to your computer (a list of all transactions). This business can weigh a hundred gigabytes and swing for several days. But working with thick wallets is considered safer. However, a thick monster will not fit on a tablet or cloudbook (yes, and an ordinary laptop).

Therefore there are Thin cold wallets when the blockchain is stored online and will need to be accessed through the network. Security here will be lower, but the convenience is higher, especially if you are working on the same computer with many altcoins.

Multi-currency and single-currency crypto-wallets

Five years ago, there were only one or two cryptocurrencies and miscalculated (bitcoin, lightcoin, ether and a bit more). Now everything is wrong. Even, but in total there are already more than one and a half thousand.

It is clear that working with each altcoin (this is a unifying name for all cryptocurrencies except Bitcoin) from a separate (albeit "official") crypto wallet is not always convenient.

Demand generates offers, and today you can download and use a number of multicurrency cryptocurrency wallets working both on a computer (as a program or browser extension), and on a mobile phone. Well, and, of course, you can find a bunch of online services that provide a convenient multi-currency wallet.

Some of the multi-currency wallets are very well protected (in fact, they are cold - you can install it on a USB flash drive and put it in a safe). The other part is moderately protected, well, there are hot wallets (online) that bribe with their unsurpassed convenience.

Do you know those? Yes, of course you know. Almost - this is essentially a multi-currency online wallet for storing (and online exchanging) a lot of altcoins and bitcoins.

So what to choose - multi-currency or single-currency?

As a rule, on official websites of cryptocurrencies, variants of single-currency (less often several-currency) wallets are offered (the official website of bitcoin can be an example). In principle, these applications can be trusted and their reliability (and the honesty of the developers) checked (I already wrote about). This option, as it were, can be considered more reliable.

Therefore, the resolution of the dilemma of choice can be represented as follows:

If you want to work only with bitcoin and one or two altcoins, then you might think about installing their “official” wallets. As I mentioned, the best security option would be hardware, then come the “thick” cold wallets and then the “thin” clients. Well, online services also close this rating on reliability.
However, if you need to work with a dozen altcoins, then a multi-currency wallet can be a salvation. There are multicurrency hardware crypto-wallets, both cold and hot. True, the hardware does not support a large number of currencies, so you will most likely have to choose between cold (desktop or mobile) or between online wallets.

Well, that was all a theory, and now it's time to move on to practice.

The best multicurrency crypto wallets

I want to start with a review of the very best multicurrency wallets, because this is the direction that is now the most popular and in recent years there have appeared very high-quality and very safe solutions for storing a lot of altcoins in one place.

Now there are few who are limited to a few coins at work. The market is very dynamic and most participants try not to miss the profit by trading in many currency directions at once (depending on where the wind is blowing from). What do we offer to ensure the convenience of such work?

Cryptocurrency exchanges as multicurrency online wallets

As I mentioned, the most obvious way to implement multicurrency storage of cryptocurrencies is by yourself exchanges where you trade them. In most of them, immediately after registration, you will receive at your complete disposal a whole set of wallets for each of the currencies used on this exchange.

There are well-known exchanges where many dozens of coins are traded and you can get as many online wallets at your disposal:

It is very convenient and you can quickly transfer some currencies to others, depending on the current situation. The disadvantages of this method are also obvious. Private keys are not stored with you, which means that all this money belongs, in fact, to the exchange. If something happens to her (it closes, it is hacked), then you will remain with nothing.

But if you don’t store large amounts there or quickly withdraw them to the real world (rubles, dollars, euros), as if taking profits, then usability can overshadow the possible risks. For example, I often, or rather the wallets I have opened there, to withdraw bitcoins and altcoins from other exchanges and online services, because it allows, on fairly acceptable conditions, to convert all this wealth into rubles.

Cold, hot, mobile, but multi-currency

As I mentioned above, there is a certain crypto wallet rating (how representative it is not for me to judge), which you can rely on when choosing. It is more likely to rely on (that is, choose from what is there), but not follow literally, because the final rating is always a kind of "average temperature in the hospital."

Hardware ( Trezor, Ledger, KeepKey) - they are all multicurrency, although they are not champions in the number of coins used. There will be a separate discussion about them (scroll the text a bit down to the pictures with the image of all these devices). Their main feature is almost 100% reliability and security. Minus - non-free and some decrease in the efficiency of work with accounts.
Exodus - The current leader of the rating and at the same time a multi-currency and multi-platform wallet. It is well protected and it is very important that in this case it is you who owns your private key (it is stored on your computer), and not a third-party service. In fact, this is a cold wallet with all the advantages that follow from this (see them above). There is an opportunity to contact technical support.
Its interface also includes a built-in coin exchanger and portfolio visualization (ala exchanger or a simple crypto-exchange), and it also has a developed system for backing up data necessary to restore access to your money in case of force majeure (there is even an option to send Seed- key to your mail in encrypted form). Read more about this (backing up wallets) below.
Coinomi - A good example of a multicurrency mobile (works under android, but iOs version is also promised) crypto-wallet that stores a private key on the device, i.e. works in a cold mode. The number of altcoins with which he works is not countable (almost a hundred).
To back up all wallets, it will be enough to write down (or print) a specially created passphrase (Seed key) only once. There is a possibility of quick internal exchange of coins for each other using exchangers ShapeShift or Changelly. Some even use it on the desktop with.
Blockchain - One of the most popular and reliable online options (it is often called ""). True, the reliability is relative, because your private key is still stored by third parties (on the server of this service), but in an encrypted form, which somewhat reduces the risks of being stolen by hackers.
Blockchain Wallet with a stretch can be called multicurrency, because there you can work with two cryptocurrencies, but the most popular ones are bitcoins (including Bitcoin Cash) and ether. Among other online wallets, it is by far the most authoritative and has the largest number of users.
Creating a wallet here is very simple (the client interface is translated into Russian), and it’s very convenient to use it. The security of working with money is at a high level (two-factor authorization, a secret phrase to restore access). Well, all the other advantages are related to online hosting - accessibility from anywhere from any device. By the way, there are convenient applications for Android and iOs, which is important.
Jaxx - He is trying to compete with the market leader Exodus on his own field, but is still not at that level of readiness to win, but nevertheless has already gained considerable popularity among users.
This is a cold, well-protected, multi-currency crypto-wallet with equally stylized mobile, browser and desktop (portable, which can be stored and run from a USB flash drive) versions that can be synchronized with each other. The security of working with money here is at the level and the only thing that can cause a gripe so far is insufficient functionality and flaws in the implementation of the code.

The best cold crypto wallets

Everything is simpler here. I have already listed most of them above (in the list of the best multicurrency wallets):

Only hardware wallets are even “colder” (read more about them below):

It remains only to add a few positions, some of which are quite deserving of attention. These wallets are single-currency, but very convenient and reliable. It probably makes sense to use them for storing the main cryptocurrencies (although, for taste and color, all felt-tip pens are different):

Best Mobile Crypto Wallets

Top hardware crypto wallets

At the moment, there are several companies producing these devices. In appearance, they can resemble a flash drive with buttons and a small screen. What is their essence? Naturally, the reliability of money storage. Even a cold single-currency wallet like Bitcoin Core is not 100% reliable simply because your computer may be infected with a virus.

Bitcoins and altcoins are now worth crazy money and the number of hunters to foreign capital is growing, because everything “digital” can be hacked. In response to this, special products appeared for the reliable storage of coins. In fact, these are all the same cold wallets, but into which it’s almost impossible to climb in.

As a rule, hardware crypto-wallets are quite compact (the size of a USB flash drive), but their operation requires a connection to a computer or cell phone. There are also standalone solutions, but they are no longer compact. In general, it can be carried in your pocket and used from anywhere in the world from any PC or mobile phone.

Naturally, they cost money and you need to order them from the official websites of manufacturers, and then wait some more time until they deliver it to you. To date, there has been three market leaders in hardware cryptocurrency wallets:

Why are hardware crypto wallets so reliable?

I will explain the example of a device called Trezor. It does not cost much - a little more than a hundred bucks, taking into account delivery, but it is really worth it, because your private key is not transferred anywhere from this device (transactions are signed inside the device even if there is no access to the network).

Viruses for him have not yet been invented, which means theft is possible only through the physical capture of Trezor or his loss. But here you can be calm. Access to the device is protected by a PIN code (enter it with the mouse in the web interface of your own software or compatible wallet). If you don’t know the pin code, you won’t get access to money.

In order for your money not to be lost with the device, you will need to at the very beginning of use record a Seed phrase (of two dozen words) or take a photo of it. In no case do not store it on your computer, phone, or anywhere else where hacker hands can reach. If the device is lost, it will be possible to restore access to the wallet, which is wonderful.

In general, if you yourself do not burst (you are not some other way of social engineering), then nothing should happen with your money protected by a hardware wallet. The maximum that is a little nervous when restoring access.

How to replenish a crypto wallet or withdraw money from it

Just a few minutes I’ll torment you and leave you behind at last - just not everyone can be up to date on how to enter and withdraw cryptocurrency from the network.

Really. Do you have rubles or dollars. How to replenish your crypto-wallets with them. You can do this in at least three ways:

- it is very simple and fast. As a rule, it will be possible to use bank cards to replenish, or money on the accounts of payment systems (Qiwi, Yandex Money, AdvaKesh, Payer and others). I most often use these services:
And to find the best courses among them, I use monitoring services:
If there is no currency you need in the exchanger, then you can buy bitcoins (or other popular altcoins), and then exchange them for the desired currency either in a multi-currency wallet or on exchanges, which will be discussed below
- not all exchanges work with fiat money (some allow you to enter and withdraw only bitcoins and altcoins, but not rubles or dollars). Although, as I mentioned above, you can buy bitcoins in the exchanger and exchange them for the desired altcoin already on the exchange. I have recently, because she has many different input / output options with a completely sane commission. Read more on the link provided.
Getting paid for goods / services or vice versa spending your cyber money on all this. The problem here lies in the fact that so far there are very few services and goods paid in this way in the world.

How to backup wallet

The action is mandatory and most of the more or less sane client programs or online services prompt you to do it right away after the creation (institution) of the wallet. Thanks to this backup, you can restore access to money even with the loss of a laptop, phone, PC or hardware wallet, not to mention cases of a freeze, crash, or accidental removal of a client program.

Backup in its simplest form It will represent what at the very beginning of the article I called a paper cryptocurrency wallet. Those. it's just two keys - public (address) and private (private). They represent an unthinkable set of characters, often still represented.

Although lately, crypto wallets offer a more original way to back up - using a Seed phrase consisting of a dozen or two dozen words, usually written in Latin.

In any case, the keys and the Seed phrase should not be stored on a computer with Internet access. Ideally, it is to record or print the information necessary to restore access and store it in a desk drawer or safe (but not in your pocket). It is desirable in several copies.

Some desktop client programs store keys in the wallet.dat file (or something similar). A simple backup of this file can then help in case of restoration of access. But it’s better to carefully read the recommendations of those who work with the same client as yours and understand how it all works and works in the case of your particular crypto wallet implementation.

There are a number of backup options, but they can vary from client to client. In any case, immediately worry about backup, and not when it is too late. If there are several ways to back up data, then use them all.

But do not forget that this data cannot be communicated to anyone, because in this way you give away everything that you have (to scammers who caught you for a bait). And it’s better to store them outside your computer or phone.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the blog pages site

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Jaxx

This multi-currency wallet appeared in 2014. Its developer is Ethereum founder Anthony Di Iorio. Presented as an extension for the Chrome browser, mobile applications for Android and iPhone. There are also desktop programs for Windows, OS X and Linux. All of them are distinguished by a minimalistic and at the same time stylish interface.

Jaxx supports a large number of cryptocurrencies, including:

Bitcoin
Erthereum;
Dash
Augur;
Litecoin
and many others.

In the wallet, the current balance is visible not only in cryptocurrency, but also in dollars. To secure private keys in the wallet, a 12-word seed phrase is used, as well as a pin code.

Jaxx integrates the popular ShapeShift token buying and selling service. With it, directly in the application, you can quickly exchange one coin for another.

The main advantages:

work on different devices;
integrated platform for exchanging coins;
the ability to work with many tokens in one place;
high security;

Bitcoin
Blackcoin
Dash and others.

To create a wallet, you need to go through a simple registration on the site. By default, you get 2 wallets - Dash and Litecoin. The rest can be added with just one click as needed.

This service allows you to instantly exchange some tokens for others. You can make payments in any currency - it is automatically converted to the desired one. When buying tokens, there are daily limits - each cryptocurrency has its own. Paying with a wallet in stores, users often get significant discounts.

Benefits of Holy Transaction:

works directly from any browser, there is no need to install software on a PC or phone.
quick and easy registration.

Exodus is a relatively young, convenient desktop wallet for various systems, which was introduced to the cryptocurrency public in 2016. Supported by Windows, Linux and Mac. After installing the program, the secret keys will be stored on the user's computer, and therefore it is important to take care of the maximum protection of your PC in advance. An important point is creating a wallet backup.

Exodus refers to the so-called thin wallets that do not download the entire blockchain to the hard drive. Users are not least attracted by the elegant, carefully designed application design. Even a person far from the world of digital coins can easily understand it. Moreover, in the settings you can easily change the design theme to another.

In addition to bitcoin, it works with such altcoins:

Litecoin
Dogecoin;
Dash

Like Jaxx, the ShapeShift exchanger is also built into the platform, which makes it easy to convert some cryptocurrencies to others. In the main window, a pie chart clearly shows how many tokens and which ones are in your wallet.

Main advantages:

shapeShift integration
colorful, intuitive interface;
does not take up much space on the computer;
support for popular cryptocurrencies.

No wonder Coinomi was in our ranking of the best cryptocurrency wallets. This wallet is the undisputed leader when it comes to the number of tokens supported. In Coinomi you will find more than 8 dozen coins. We mention only a few of them:

Dash
Gulden;
Linx;
Peercoin;
Zcoin.

Coinomi belongs to the class of mobile wallets. Currently, it only works on Android devices. Soon, the developers promise to provide the application for iPhone owners.

Wallet security is on top. Setting a difficult password, using a mnemonic phrase will protect you from losing funds. A quick exchange of tokens in the application is provided by the ShapeShift platform.

Key benefits of Coinomi:

access to a huge amount of coins;
the ability to sign messages and check them;
built-in exchange platform.

The rating of multicurrency wallets for cryptocurrency will not be complete if we ignore hardware models. Our list includes the famous KeepKey gadget. This elegantly designed anodized aluminum device is in high demand among users.

The wallet is connected to the PC via the USB port. It has a large OLED display on the front surface, which displays data on the current balance. It is also convenient to confirm payments using the screen.

KeepKey allows you to store such cryptocurrencies:

Bitcoin
Namecoin;
Litecoin
Dash
Dogecoin.

Integration with the API of the well-known Shapeshift exchange makes it possible to exchange coins without leaving the gadget. In August 2017, the platform completely acquired the manufacturer KeepKey. Joining forces makes it possible to concentrate maximum attention on improving technologies for safe storage and exchange of coins.

Main features of KeepKey:

reliable coin storage device for long-term investment;
the presence of a large screen;
stylish design and compact size.

Which cryptocurrency wallet to choose?

Let us try to briefly answer this important question for novice users. As practice shows, hardware wallets are more suitable for experienced investors who purchase tokens for long-term storage. With the help of mobile applications you can quickly purchase the necessary goods, pay in cafes, restaurants, hotels. If you work a lot at the computer, an online wallet is exactly what you need.

The ideal option is a cross-platform wallet, which is available on different devices. The main thing is to first verify its safety. At the same time, if you are going to work with only one cryptocurrency, for example, bitcoin, it makes sense to download the official desktop application on your computer.

And which wallet do you use to store and exchange coins, pay for purchases in stores? - Tell us about your favorite wallets in the comments.

In this article, we will figure out which wallet to store cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin. The following types of cryptocurrency wallets exist: online, cold, and hardware. Everyone wants to find the best cryptocurrency wallet, so I am often asked the questions “Where is it better to store the cryptocurrency”, “What is the most reliable cryptocurrency wallet”, “What is the best wallet for the cryptocurrency” and asked to review the cryptocurrency wallets. Now we will compare cryptocurrency wallets and analyze the popular types of electronic wallets for storing cryptocurrencies. We will tell you which wallet is more convenient, take into account possible risks and consider all the pros and cons of cryptocurrency wallets. You can buy Bitcoin at the best rate on the Binance exchange. Register on the Binance exchange by clicking on the banner below:
A hardware wallet is one of the most reliable ways to store Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Ledger Nano S is the most popular and most reliable hardware wallet to date (a detailed wallet review). The cost of the wallet is 79 €, this is the lowest price among all reliable wallets. Ledger Nano S provides the ability to store all popular cryptocurrencies on this device, which is very convenient. If you want to store your assets in cryptocurrency on the most secure device, Ledger Nano S wallet is the best option for this. To buy a hardware wallet Ledger Nano S, click on the banner below and order it on the manufacturer's website: Since Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency, we will consider the types of wallets using the example of Bitcoin. Below is the rating of the top cryptocurrency wallets, which includes only the most reliable, safe and functional services.

Types of cryptocurrency wallets:

online wallet for cryptocurrency (account on a specialized site);
cold wallet for cryptocurrency (a special program that installs on a computer);
hardware wallet for cryptocurrency (removable storage medium, that is, a flash drive);
cryptocurrency exchanges.

The most common way to store tokens is an online cryptocurrency wallet (another name is a cloud wallet). Each crypto coin has its own wallet for storage. In the article “” you can find links for registering wallets for popular cryptocurrencies.

An electronic wallet for cryptocurrency is an analogue of an electronic wallet that is used to store not electronic money, but cryptocurrencies (Iota, Etherium, Bitcoin, etc.). The user's personal account displays the balance. The system allows not only for storage, but also for the exchange and transfer of cryptocurrency at any time convenient for the owner. When registering, the creator of the wallet is given a unique security code that must be used to enter the system.

To create an electronic wallet for cryptocurrency with an exchange for rubles, you need to decide on the system and go through a simple registration procedure. As a rule, this is not difficult, since all services have similar interfaces, which allows you to make connections on an intuitive level. Please note that you should store the received password in encrypted form on the same device. This greatly simplifies the process of using crypto.

Before registering, you must download the application to the device and install it. Next, you need to go through a simple registration:

Go to the “Registration” tab.
Indicate personal data, valid e-mail and password.
Enter the code sent by e-mail for confirmation.
Log in using the username and password.

To generate a password, you should use special services-generators. This allows you to create a unique set of characters, which eliminates the possibility of a wallet hacking and stealing money from the account.

Electronic wallet for cryptocurrency: which is better to choose

There are several wallets that are classified according to where they are placed. They have significant differences in function.

The most reliable are desktop wallets, which are designed to be installed on the PC desktop. Through such systems, it is possible to exercise complete control over their own savings.

To choose the best and most reliable electronic wallet, you should give preference only to well-known services that are very popular and have positive user reviews. No need to try unknown services that are not credible. Downloading programs is recommended only from official sources, so as not to run into scammers and not lose your savings.

The best electronic wallets for cryptocurrency

Among the most popular options that are included in the rating should be highlighted:

BitcoinCore.
Bitcoin Knots.
ArcBit
Copay.
Multibit.
GreenAddress.
mSIGNA.

Among the simplest versions are Multibit and BitGo. They have a simplified interface and are suitable for inexperienced users, because they are easy to use. It should be noted that this option is not safe enough, because it requires the transfer of information to a third party.

Among the full versions, Bitcoin Core and Armory can be noted. They are more reliable and when using them, it is necessary to download full chains of blocks, which takes about 10 GB. Such wallets need to be constantly updated and they do not work without a network connection.

Create an electronic wallet for cryptocurrency and on a mobile phone. Smartphone applications, distinguished by the platform on which they are installed:

Android - Electrum, Coin.Space and GreenAddress.
IOS - Arc Bit, Bitcoin Wallet and Copay.
Black Berry - Bitcoin Wallet.
Windows Phone - Coin.Space, Copay.

When registering, each user is given a private key stored on the smartphone in encrypted form using a special data encryption program. This makes it possible to quickly make payments, which is quite convenient and most users like. The only drawback of using the mobile version of applications is the inability to download the entire block of the circuit, because the memory on the devices is not enough.

Purchase and storage of cryptocurrency in an electronic wallet

The best electronic wallet for withdrawing cryptocurrency is “cold,” that is, one that can be stored on other media that is not connected to the network. This eliminates the possibility of hacks. It is recommended to use “hot” systems for small amounts in order to make money transfers and transactions.

Among the most famous "hot" electronic options for cryptocurrency, it is worth highlighting: Xapo, Coin, Circle and Blockchain Coinbace. Private keys in this case are generated on the network and stored, as a rule, on special servers or in storages in the form of separate cells. Many users use "hot" wallets simultaneously on multiple devices.

Among the main drawbacks of the “hot” versions, it is worth highlighting the possibility of third-party resources acting as a storage to gain access to the wallet itself. In this case, a serious threat to the security of the personal account arises from cyber attacks or malfunctions in the functioning of the client site used.

To store crypts, it is best to have a “cold” hardware device. Today it can be bought for a relatively small amount. Among the most popular, the following can be distinguished:

Trezor.
DigitalBitBox.
Ledger Nano
Keep Key.

This type of cryptocurrency wallet has the form of small storage systems and is used for long-term storage. In most cases, more assets are placed on them. It is best to choose options that are designed to use not just one, but several cryptocurrencies at once. This will save some money.

Benefits of Hardware Wallets

Reliable “cold” storage is possible only on hardware wallets made in the format of a USB drive. To access your personal account, just connect the device to your smartphone or desktop computer. A unique key required for financial transactions is built into the device. That is why it is not subject to hacking. Please note that hardware wallets are protected not just with a password, but with a randomly generated expression.

Before creating a cryptocurrency wallet, you should familiarize yourself with all available options in order to make the right choice. It is best to use options in Russian, and those that will work with the exchange on which you can buy the desired crypto.