Best bitcoin wallet are in the midst of the excitement for the Bitcoin community, bitcoin hacking sometimes makes the headlines giving stomach pains. One of the biggest concerns of many of us is to see our bitcoins and other cryptos disappear under our noses, stolen by hackers, unscrupulous hackers.
But it could even be that the best burglar is not your worst enemy! There are countless stories, tragic or comical depending on the point of view, of people who have lost their own bitcoins.
So, how do we protect our bitcoins and other cryptocurrency from hackers?If you’re looking for a way to keep your cryptocurrencies secure, look no further, we’ll explain everything you need to know.
The Different Types Of Bitcoin Wallets
Before we begin, let’s review the different types of Bitcoin portfolios. You will learn new terms, but do not panic! We have made this guide simple and accessible so that even beginners in cryptocurrency can compete with experts.
Here are three types of Bitcoin wallets: hardware, software and paper. The hardware wallet also called Hard Wallet are physical wallets with private encrypted keys, software wallet or soft wallet Hot wallet but are programs that are located on your computer or on the Internet, and finally the paper wallets are physical documents with private codes marked on paper.
For hard wallet or physical wallet, you will need a digital signature. Your digital signature is your identifier, it’s the way to prove that you have a specific private key without shouting at the rooftops. Digital signatures verify the ownership of your private key, keep it in a safe place and away from prying eyes.
The advantage of the physical e-wallet is that your private keys are isolated from your computer, keeping the risk of theft close to zero. Software wallets, on the other hand, are always connected to the Internet and expose you to certain risks, because they are related to the internet.
The only potential drawback of hard wallet (physical wallet) is cost. Most online bitcoin wallets (hot wallet), they are free. Although both wallets protect your bitcoins more securely, some users prefer to limit extra charges.
You have to decide! But I personally prefer to spend 100€ for a secure hard wallet (physical wallet) rather than taking risks with an online wallet.
There is no doubt that hardware wallet is the safest. What differentiates hardware wallets from software wallets is that they are isolated when disconnected. We then speak of “cold storage” or “cold wallet”.
This means that your wallet is disconnected from the Internet and therefore impossible to reach. Hackers, Trojans and other malware cannot access anything in cold storages. Personally, I like cryptocurrency hardware wallets because I’m worried about nature. I like this peace of mind, because I know there is no risk that someone far better than me in computing will flee with my hard-earned bitcoins.
To help you better choose a hard wallet, here is a short presentation of the best physical wallets on the market.
Ledger Wallet
Ledger and TREZOR are names that often come up when looking at best Bitcoin wallet.
The Ledger Nano S works just like any hardware wallet, but with some minor differences. For all fashionistas of Bitcoin, the Ledger definitely wins in the category of design!
The creation of the Ledger wallet is quite simple. All you need is Chrome and a secure computer. For added security, the Ledger comes with a PIN. If the PIN is not entered correctly three times, the Ledger automatically clears.
Terrifying, no? But it’s not the end of the world! The Ledger allows you to configure a recovery element to retrieve your private keys if your device is lost or broken. This recovery key is a set of words that must be brought together in a certain order. Ledger allows you to recover all your lost bitcoins by using your recovery key, so you have no reason to worry.
Ledger Review: Overall, the Ledger Wallet responds exactly to your requests. It keeps your bitcoins safe, easy to access – but only for you, and saves your money even if your house burns.
Trezor Wallet
TREZOR is a wallet that keeps your private keys offline and allows you to approve transactions with your digital signature without having connection to the Internet.
TREZOR is often recognized for its ability to serve as an offline cold storage device and at the same time allow you to spend your money. This is a small, stylish device that you can carry as a keychain. Can you imagine a device that can potentially hold millions of dollars of Bitcoin in the palm of your hand!
Whenever you want to spend your bitcoins, you can do it with TREZOR’s limited USB connection. A limited USB connection acts like that of a computer mouse: the mouse communicates its position to the computer, but the computer cannot move the mouse. In short, it’s a one-way trip. TREZOR can interact securely even with computers that may be contaminated or infected with malware. It’s great to manage your bitcoins safely.
TREZOR accounts do not have a username or password, so they are very difficult to hack. Your TREZOR wallet is everything you need. Unless you have physical access to your device, you cannot access your account.
In case you want to further reduce the risk of physical hacking of your device, TREZOR provides additional protection by means of a passphrase for access to bitcoins. This passphrase must be memorized and not written.
TREZOR Reviews: Overall, I really like the TREZOR wallet. It is extremely safe and intuitive. The price is a bit higher than most other best bitcoin wallet but admire the features, the TREZOR team and the accessibility to the product justifies it.
KeepKey Wallet
KeepKey is another bitcoin hard wallet. Although some prefer its sleek design and screen size, it is almost twice as big as the TREZOR or the Nano S Ledger. It is not the size of a like the TREZOR, which is certainly something to consider who wants a discreet wallet.
KeepKey is not as famous as Ledger and TREZOR. And in the Wild West of the crypto world, reputation is very important. That said, he has remarkable strengths. KeepKey comes with a PIN code and a digital randomization to keep your digital currency. You can also use it on computers that are infected with malware, but honestly, I do not recommend it because I had trouble finding great advice on the KeepKey.
With that said, KeepKey Wallet supports Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Namecoin, Testnet, Ethereum and Dash. This is very interesting for users who want to keep their altcoins off the network.
KeepKey Reviews: The KeepKey’s ability to store such a variety of altcoins is really appealing. It’s a little bigger than the other hardware wallets, but it’s not really a problem. Security is at the forefront, and that’s what counts.
Coinbase Online Wallet – The Reference For Beginners
If you read this guide before buying your first bitcoin, you will probably want to start with Coinbase. Coinbase is one of the easiest ways to buy and store your bitcoins, and it’s the most popular option for people who start in the cryptographic world.
Coinbase is a cryptocurrency brokerage and exchange house, and obviously stores them in best Bitcoin wallet. So, you can buy, sell, trade and store your coins on the same platform. Hardware wallets do not offer this flexibility.
Being the largest bitcoin exchange in the world, Coinbase is a pretty important target for hackers. One advantage of Coinbase over many other online and paper portfolios is that all of its digital currency is insured. This means that in the event of platform failure (physical security, cybersecurity or theft by employees), the Coinbase insurance policy covers all money lost.
In addition, Coinbase holds less than 2% of its customers’ funds online, the rest being stored in cold storage, which adds more credibility to their security.
Another attraction of Coinbase is its substantial references. It is a Bitcoin company based in San Francisco and supported by reputable investors. Lloyd’s of London covers its insurance policy, and therefore also all users of Coinbase. In addition, if you are a US resident and therefore have an official currency, your Coinbase wallet is covered by FDIC insurance up to $ 250,000 of your national currency.
This insurance policy does not cover individual account piracy, however, if you have an unreliable password and you do not take the proper precautions with your login credentials, this will be for your apple.
You can access your Coinbase wallet via the web or via the iOS and Android Coinbase applications. Coinbase always checks all your private keys, so I recommend using it to buy and sell bitcoin, rather than storing funds, unless you use their multi-signature vault.
The multi-signature vault is an appropriate solution for securing large amounts of bitcoins. This multi-signature safe is a 2 out of 3 wallets. This means that Coinbase has a key, and you (the account holder) have a second key and that a key is shared. Two of the three keys are used to spend the funds.
A 48-hour turnaround time adds an additional safety net for all safe deposit withdrawals. You can cancel any erroneous withdrawal request within this relatively long deadline. It’s also a good thing that Coinbase is a reputable company, since it could close your account at any time.
Coinbase Reviews: Coinbase is an excellent platform for beginners to buy and store Bitcoin. I recommend that you quickly obtain a hardware cryptocurrency wallet if your Bitcoins pile up. This will give you total control of your money.
Online Wallet Blockchain.info
Although Blockchain.info is far from being the best option, I wanted to include it anyway in this comparison because it is one of the major sites of the Bitcoin sphere.
The upsetting thing for me with Blockchain.info is that all transactions must be transmitted by the company’s servers, and they have unfortunately suffered a worrying number of outages in recent years. If you are just as uncomfortable with the idea that your account is inaccessible at any time, you should not consider this option, especially if you want to do day trading.
Worse, imagine that the bubble Bitcoin collapses and you want to sell immediately, now imagine that you cannot connect to your wallet to sell your bitcoins. The problem is there with this kind of platform. Bitcoin, for many people, must be fully controlled anywhere and anytime. Blockchain.info seems to be late on this point.
Blockchain.info can be accessed either from a browser or via a mobile phone, which would be very convenient if there were not so many server problems. So, you can access the Blockchain.info wallet from any browser with your wallet address and you can also save it to your mobile.
There are two additional security levels: The Web version has a two-factor identification, which means that Blockchain.info notifies users with a message when someone tries to connect. Mobile phone users can also set a four-digit password for the app.
Blockchain.info: For now, Blockchain.info is a good B plan but should not be your first choice. Security is first class, but lack of reliability and convenience is a concern.
Paper Wallet – Paper Bitcoin Wallet
When it comes to securing your currency, we cannot say that paper wallets are an impenetrable safe. Paper wallets, handwritten copies or physical copies are easy prey for malware if you do not pay much attention when you generate them on an online PC.
Paper wallets are one of the most risky ways to store your bitcoins, but they are still an option. If they are not encrypted, it’s like being a tourist carrying cash and expensive jewelry while on vacation.
Bitcoin Client
You have probably heard of the term “bitcoin client” many times. A Bitcoin client is software that facilitates the generation and security of private keys, as well as payment, on behalf of a private key.
Wondering what is the difference between a Bitcoin client and a Bitcoin wallet? Well, technically, a wallet is the data needed to spend and receive bitcoins. This includes a private key, a public key and the address of the public key.
On the other hand, a client is the interface to the network. The client is the hardware and software of a device that connects to networks. It handles all the communication and updates your wallet with the funds received. It also uses wallet information to sign outbound transactions. A client is only a software, not an organization.
If you are still a little puzzled, do not worry. Not only do the terms overlap, but the fact that most online platforms are clients and wallets, and that they sell as “wallets”, also confuses the cards.
Exodus Portfolio
The Exodus wallet is better described as a wallet “Blockchain assets wallet”, a multi-wallet that can contain several crypto-currencies. Indeed, you can store a variety of crypto currencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, and Dash. If you are actively investing in altcoins, the Exodus portfolio is very interesting. I am a fan of its design and its intuitive interface, but Exodus was launched in July 2016 and is still a relatively new wallet.
Exodus’ built-in exchange feature allows you to trade your altcoins for bitcoins and bitcoins for altcoins. Thanks to Shapeshift, it’s easy to trade cryptocurrencies inside the wallet, a feature that very few wallets offer.
However, know that Exodus is connected to the Internet and therefore intrinsically riskier than a hardware portfolio.
Jaxx Wallet  Best Bitcoin Wallet
Jaxx is one of the best bitcoin wallet program that is a great option for altcoins lovers.
Jaxx is available on Windows, Mac and Linux workstations. It is also available on Android and iOS, as well as through Chrome and Firefox extensions. The wallet works just as well as any other best bitcoin wallet, and its simple interface allows you to preview your wallet in the blink of an eye.
I also enjoyed the ability to use different exchange rates, set a PIN, and have the ability to choose different transaction fee amounts that determine how quickly your transaction will be processed. Really, Jaxx is ultra-complete.
Jaxx is also integrated with Shapeshift – like Exodus for that matter – so you can exchange altcoins in the app. It’s pretty cool, especially since Jaxx currently supports Bitcoin, Litecoin, Zcash, RSK, Augur (REP), Dash, and Ethereum (ETC and ETH).
Recall that Jaxx also works online and is inherently riskier than a physical wallet or cold storage.
Bitcoin Wallet Airbitz Mobile
Airbitz relies on security. It is decentralized, secure and sets up backups. Neither Airbitz nor any third party can access your parts. Airbitz offers you the independence of what should be cryptocurrency management.
Airbitz is also active in the Bitcoin community and has a directory of companies that accept bitcoin. The Airbitz user interface is also quite easy to use, making it an obvious choice for beginners looking for a secure and best bitcoin wallet.
MyCelium Bitcoin Wallet
MyCelium is popular among more advanced Bitcoin users thanks to its robust security and more advanced security features. It tends to be a little tricky to tame for beginners, but users appreciate its free software and its transparency.
The biggest asset of the MyCelium wallet is probably its sophisticated privacy features that allow you to remain anonymous, while advanced security features protect your Bitcoins. Unfortunately, MyCelium is only accessible by smartphone because there is no web or office interface.
Conclusion On The Bitcoin Wallets
Nothing is 100% safe. There are some hardware and software portfolios that are extremely close, but not perfect. Finally, the only thing against which hardware and software wallets cannot protect you is human error.
Human error includes forgetting your information, but also phishing attacks that cause you to send bitcoins to the wrong address. Wallets not only contain your hard-earned money, but they also protect it. Remember, these are the only things they can do.
Awesome article Najam, my favourite wallet on the list is Jaxx!
Awesome article Najam, my favourite wallet on the list is Jaxx!
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Physical wallet not always good solution
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