Your gateway to Bitcoin and beyond. Buy, sell, trade, and invest in one safe and simple app.
Every feature you need for economic freedom in one digital wallet
Buy, sell, and trade
Build and manage your crypto portfolio from your mobile device. Buy with your credit card, payment app, or bank account. Instantly swap between cryptocurrencies. Protect your returns by trading into USD stablecoins.
Manage your spending
Create вЂsaving’ and вЂspending’ wallets to organize your funds. Add personal notes to transactions and get a complete history of buys, sells, trades, and spends.
Effortless security
Hold the keys to your digital assets in a wallet so secure, no one can access it except for you — not even us. Protect your money with passcode and biometric security features. Automatically back up all your wallets and restore access with a single custom password.
Move money freely
Send and receive cryptocurrencies anytime, anywhere — no questions asked. Take advantage of fully-customizable fees for sending. Create unlimited wallets to support your privacy.
Track the markets
Stay informed with real-time market data displayed on your home screen. Get in-app access to the news that matters. Receive notifications when the market is moving.
Get the support you need
Use these comprehensive guides to understand the fundamentals of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Watch our easy-to-understand tutorials and become a power user in no time.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is based on the ideas laid out in a 2008 whitepaper titled Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System
How do I create a Bitcoin wallet?
Creating a Bitcoin wallet is as easy as installing software on your mobile device or computer
How do I receive bitcoin?
To receive bitcoin, simply provide the sender with your address. You just need to make sure you’re providing the right one.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is based on the ideas laid out in a 2008 whitepaper titled Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System
How do I create a Bitcoin wallet?
Creating a Bitcoin wallet is as easy as installing software on your mobile device or computer
How do I receive bitcoin?
To receive bitcoin, simply provide the sender with your address. You just need to make sure you’re providing the right one.
Get the most out of your new Bitcoin Wallet
Subscribe to our Bitcoin Wallet updates to learn more about awesome new features as soon as they’re added
Источник
Лучшие Биткоин кошельки в 2021 году. Рейтинг Bitcoin кошельков на русском языке
В данной статье мы рассмотрим ТОП-10 лучших биткоин кошельков в мире, только самые популярные, надежные и современные bitcoin кошельки для хранения криптовалют. А также рейтинг 2021 года, лучших биткоин кошельков на Русском языке и кошельков с поддержкой вывода на банковскую карту.
Если вы задаетесь вопросом, какой кошелек выбрать из десятков похожих кошельков и не знаете какой выбрать? Данный материал, поможет вам сделать правильный выбор кошелька для криптовалют.
Что такое Биткоин кошелек — Bitcoin wallet?
Биткоин кошелек (Bitcoin wallet) — это кошелек для хранения ваших биткоинов и других криптовалют.
Биткоин (что такое биткоин) — это новый вид электронных денег, они являются практически полностью децентрализованными, не подконтрольными любым контролируемым органам и крайне защищенным.
Если вы храните очень крупные суммы (используйте несколько кошельков, а не один), то по мимо обычных онлайн кошельков, используйте также холодные кошельки (кошельки на флешке: ledger).
Самые популярные кошельки для хранения криптовалют это онлайн кошельки, они предоставляют доступ к кошельку через сайт и/или приложение, холодные кошельки менее популярны и в основном используются для хранения крупных сумм (миллионы $), ввиду свой безопасности.
💎 Мы создали телеграм про Криптовалюту РУ-Крипто! 💵 — Перейти в наш телеграм канал — Присоединяйся, у нас зарабатывают на крипте
🎁 Скидка +20% на криптовалюту. Скидка на всю торговую комиссию Binance, навсегда. Покупай и продавай криптовалюту — Выгодно! Регистрация на Binance
Что такое блокчейн простыми словами
Модель по которой построены все криптовалюты называется blockchain (блокчейн). Сама по себе технология действительно является прорывной и она окажет самое большое влияние на человечество в ближайшие десятилетия. Просто первым делом куда её применили это были взаиморасчеты, создали децентрализованные деньги (криптовалюты). Если вы хотите понять что такое blockchain, как он будет применяться в будущем и уже применяется, посмотрите видео с конференции TED Talks с русским переводом.
На данной конференции выступали много известных лиц, от Нобелевских лауреатов, до президента США, видео не сложное и рассказывает простым (понятным) языком.
Виды биткоин кошельков — Какие бывают крипто кошельки
Криптовалютные кошельки могут быть «горячими» или «холодными», в зависимости от того, как они работают.
Горячий кошелек криптовалют — это любой кошелек, который каким-то образом подключен к интернету. Эти кошельки довольно просты в настройке, а средства быстро доступны, что делает их крайне удобным для пользователей.
Веб-кошельки — самые распространенные кошельки, доступ к которым достигается через интерфейс браузера (сайт/разрешение) без необходимости загружать или устанавливать что-либо на компьютер.
Настольные кошельки (десктопные) — это программное обеспечение, которое вы загружаете локально на своем компьютере. В отличие от некоторых веб-версий, настольные кошельки дают вам полный контроль над вашими ключами и средствами. Когда вы создаете новый настольный кошелек, файл называется » кошелек.dat » будет храниться локально на вашем компьютере. Пример: Exodus
Мобильные кошельки — мобильные кошельки функционируют так же, как и их настольные аналоги, но разработаны специально для смартфонов (приложения для IOS, Android). Они довольно удобны, так как позволяют отправлять и получать криптовалюты с помощью QR-кодов.
Бумажные кошельки — это лист бумаги, на котором распечатан крипто-адрес и его закрытый ключ физически в виде QR-кодов. Затем эти коды можно сканировать камерой телефона, для выполнения транзакций.
Холодный кошелек криптовалют — это кошелек, который не имеют подключения к интернету. Он использует физический носитель для хранения ключей в автономном режиме, что делает их более защищенными от взлома и кражи.
Аппаратный кошелек — это физические электронные устройства, которые используют генератор случайных чисел для генерации открытых и закрытых ключей. Затем ключи хранятся в самом устройстве, которое не подключено к интернету. Таким образом, аппаратное хранилище представляет собой тип холодного кошелька и считается одной из наиболее безопасных альтернатив. Пример: Ledger Nano S
ТОП-10 лучших Биткоин кошельков в 2021 году
Данный рейтинг включает лучшие криптовалютные кошельки по ряду параметров: кошелек для трейдеров/инвесторов/майнеров, наличие и возможность покупки криптовалюты внутри сервиса (биржа криптовалют, p2p обмен и др.), количество поддерживаемых криптовалют, надежность, приложения для IOS/Android, наличие службы поддержки, поддержки банковских карт, русского языка, а так-же на основе популярности пользователей.
🔥 Рейтинги кошельков по определенному назначению: лучший кошелек для смартфона, лучший кошелек для майнеров и др. описаны ниже. В таблице указаны лучшие биткоин кошельки по суммарному количеству положительных факторов.
Кошелек
Краткое описание
Карта
Русский
Крипта
Binance
Биржа, кошельки, майнинг пулы, стекинг и др. в одном.
да
да
>600 шт.
Trustee Wallet
Хранение, Покупка, Продажа, Обмен и Заработок криптовалют
да
да
очень много
TrustWallet
Покупка, Хранение, Просмотр цен, Торговля и Заработок криптовалют.
нет
да
12 шт.
Matbea
Популярный в СНГ обменник-кошелек Матби.
нет
да
8 шт.
MetaMask
Лучшее расширение для браузера Chrome.
нет
нет
много
Exodus
Лучший локальный кошелек для ПК и мобильных.
нет
нет
много
Okex
Биржа, кошельки, майнинг пулы, стекинг и др. в одном.
нет
да
много
Coinbase
30 кошельков для криптовалют в 1 месте.
нет
да
30 шт.
Payeer
Платежная система, биржа, кошельки (Обзор).
для ЕС
да
6 шт.
PM
Платежная система PerfectMoney и кошелек BTC. (Обзор)
Источник
Best Safe Bitcoin + Crypto Wallet Apps & Hardware
This guide will help you to find the best Bitcoin wallet or cryptocurrency wallet for YOU!
There’s no «one size fits all» wallet. Wallets come on different platforms with different features.
If you want the best possible wallet, keep reading.
Chapters
Our Top Picks
Best Wallet For
Best for Security
Ledger Nano X
Secure storage for any cryptocurrency
The Ledger Nano X is the newest crypto hardware wallet, and is very easy to use. It connects to iOS, Android & desktop computers.
Best for Mobile
ZenGo
Easy to use iOS & Android wallet
ZenGo is an easy-to-use iOS and Android Bitcoin & crypto wallet. Start within 20 seconds.
Best for Desktop
Electrum
Simple yet powerful desktop wallet
Electrum is a Bitcoin-only wallet that has been around since 2011. It’s easy to use, but has advanced features.
Chapter 1
What is a Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency Wallet?
A Bitcoin/cryptocurrency wallet is the first step to using Bitcoin or crypto.
A “wallet” is basically the equivalent of a bank account. It allows you to receive bitcoins and other coins, 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.
Wallets contain private keys; secret codes that allow you to spend your coins.
In reality, it’s not coins that need to be stored and secured, but the private keys that give you access to them.
A crypto or Bitcoin wallet is simply an app, website, or device that manages private keys for you.
This guide will show you how to create a wallet and pick the best one.
Types of Bitcoin Wallets
There are a few different types of Bitcoin wallets used today, and each of them come with their own tradeoffs between security and convenience:
We’ll cover this in full detail in chapter two (up next), but put simply there are wallets for holding your everyday spending money (hot wallets) and there are wallets for your long term savings (cold wallets). There are even several types of both hot and cold wallets.
An Exchange is Not a Wallet
Again, we will cover this is more detail in Chapter five below, but its worth stating here as well that your Bitcoin «bank» or exchange accounts that do hold Bitcoin are NOT wallets.
If that is confusing, don’t worry — it will all make sense by the time we are done here.
This is not to say that bitcoin banks are inherently bad.
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 key difference in how Bitcoin private keys can be stored.
For now, just know that private keys are what you need to protect if you want to keep your bitcoin safe from hackers, user error, and other possible issues.
Chapter 2
Types of Bitcoin & Crypto Wallets
Now let’s discuss the types of wallets and why you might want to use one kind over another.
By the end of this chapter, you should have a good idea of which wallet is right for you.
Hardware Wallets
A hardware wallet is a physical electronic device, built for the sole purpose of securing crypto coins.
The core innovation is that the hardware wallet must be connected to your computer, phone, or tablet before coins may be spent.
The two most popular and best Bitcoin and cryptocurrency hardware wallets are:
Hardware wallets are a good choice if you’re serious about security and convenient, reliable Bitcoin & crypto storage.
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 and cryptocurrencies 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 coins.
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 coins.
Think of a hardware wallet like your own underground steel vault. If you own a significant amount of bitcoin or crypto, you should strongly consider getting one!
Why are hardware wallets good?
Easiest way to securely store bitcoins and other coins
Easy to backup and secure
Less margin for error; setup is easy even for less technical users
Multiple hardware wallets can be used together for extra security
Why are hardware wallets bad?
They’re not free!
They can be challenging for new users to understand
Hot Wallets
Hot wallets are 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 and crypto
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 and crypto
You might forget about the application being installed on your phone
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 & crypto just fine. Best of all, software wallets are free.
Each wallet has pros and cons, and different wallets are built to solve different problems.
Some wallets may be geared towards security, while some wallets may be more focused on ease-of-use.
Your specific needs should determine the wallet you use, as there is no “best bitcoin wallet”.
How to Add Funds to a Bitcoin Wallet
Most wallets don’t give you the ability to buy and sell bitcoin. So, if you want funds in your wallet you’ll need to purchase on an exchange and send the coins to your wallet.
We’ve listed some popular exchanges below:
Exchange based in Canada
Very high buy and sell limits
Supports Interac & wire
This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.
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.
Chapter 3
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 coins.
A hardware wallet will protect a few hundred in bitcoin/crypto 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 & Crypto Hardware Wallet Comparison
Check the table below for a quick comparison. Note:
Ledger Nano X
SCREEN:
RELEASED: 2019
PRICE: $145
Ledger Nano S
SCREEN:
RELEASED: 2016
PRICE: $72
TREZOR T
SCREEN:
RELEASED: 2018
PRICE: $189
TREZOR One
SCREEN:
RELEASED: 2013
PRICE: $79
Best Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Overviews
Ledger Nano X
The Ledger Nano X is Ledger’s newest hardware wallet. The main benefit is that it has bluetooth, making it the first hardware wallet that connects with iOS devices. It’s more secure than using just an app on your phone, because all transactions are signed with the Nano X.
Buy Learn More About Ledger Nano X
Ledger Nano S
The Ledger Nano S is the cheapest of the three hardware wallets with a screen; it costs about $59. Ledger, one of the most well-known Bitcoin security companies, released the device in August 2016.
Buy Learn More About Ledger Nano S
TREZOR T
The TREZOR Model-T is a second generation Bitcoin/crypto hardware wallet manufactured by SatoshiLabs. The TREZOR line debuted in 2014 with the TREZOR One and has remained one of the most popular cryptocurrency cold storage solutions to date.
Buy Learn More About TREZOR T
TREZOR One
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.
Buy Learn More About TREZOR One
Chapter 4
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.
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.
Blockstream Green
Blockstream Green is a powerful Bitcoin wallet for iOS, Android, and Desktop. It’s very easy to use and can be setup in a few minutes.
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.
BRD
We consider BRD, 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.
Blockstream Green
Blockstream Green is a powerful Bitcoin wallet for iOS, Android, and Desktop. It’s very easy to use and can be setup in a few minutes.
Aqua
Aqua is a new non-custodial, singlesig wallet made by Blockstream as a way to offer a more newb friendly wallet than Blockstream Green. It’s incredibly simple to use and supports liquid assets as well.
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.
BRD
BRD, 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.
Blockstream Green
Blockstream Green is a powerful Bitcoin wallet for iOS, Android, and Desktop. It’s very easy to use and can be setup in a few minutes.
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.
Chapter 5
Bitcoin Banks: $10 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 $10 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 billions 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.
Chapter 6
Theft and Scams
No matter which wallet you choose, remember:
Our bitcoins are only safe if the private key was generated securely, remains a secret, and—most importantly—is controlled only by YOU!
Let’s learn about what happens when this isn’t the case.
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:
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).
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.
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 1
Cryptocurrency Security Advice
Whether your on an exchange or using a wallet, this section will give you some tips on how to secure your cryptocurrency in ways you may not have seen before.
From changing your mobile network to encrypting your internet connection — these tips are actionable and easy to implement quickly.
The migration of value into the digital realm brings with it new challenges in terms of best security practices. As with any unit of value, there is always someone, somewhere that seeks to extract this value for their own ends, whether it be through coercion, social manipulation or brute force.
This guide is intended to provide a broad overview of the best practices for securing your crypto assets. While most of these steps are not mandatory, following them will greatly increase your financial security and peace of mind in the crypto world.
Passwords — Complexity & Re-Use
Starting from the ground up, password complexity and re-use are two major pain points that many average users do not consider adequately. As you can see by this list, average password complexity still leaves a lot to be desired. The less complex your password is, the more susceptible to hack your account is. If you use the same passwords, or even slight variations of the same passwords across multiple accounts, your chances of compromise are greatly increased.
So what can you do? Fortunately the fix for this is relatively easy. Use randomly generated 14 character+ passwords and never re-use the same password. If this seems daunting to you, consider leveraging a password manager such as LastPass or Dashlane that will assist in password generation and storage.
You can find out if any accounts associated with you have ever been compromised here as well as using this tool to test just how strong variations of your passwords may be (*do not use your real password on here, only similarly structured variations).
Dedicated Email Accounts
Almost every online service/exchange requires some type of email account association during the activation process. If you are like most people, you will probably use your default email that you’ve had for years, and perhaps add a bit more complex password for the account itself for good measure.
In most cases however, all a hacker needs is access to your emails in order to reset account passwords that may be tied to it. It’s as simple as navigating to the website/exchange and clicking the ‘forgot password’ link to begin the process. So, if you are like most people and have an email address that has been active for years, with a weak login password, your chances of being hacked are much higher.
For the above reasons, do yourself a favor and create a new/dedicated email address for use with your crypto accounts. Services like ProtonMail and Tutanota are free and offer end to end encryption without sacrificing usability (mobile app availability etc.). If you decide to stick with Gmail, consider activating the Advanced Protection Program that Google offers.
Use a VPN
A virtual private network (or VPN) is simply a must for everyone today, but especially cryptocurrency users.
As we surf the internet, there are unfortunately a lot of eyes on us at all times. One very big set of eyes watching us is our internet service provider (or ‘ISP’). They see and hear everything we do on the internet. And they often share that information with third parties. But our ISP and its friends are not the only people watching. Anyone using the same wifi network that we are using can also see what we are up to online.
A VPN solves this problem. When we use a VPN, our computer’s IP address is not connecting to any website directly. Instead we are communicating to another IP address over an encrypted connection. Then that IP address makes website requests on our behalf and send us back that data. This helps keep onlookers onto our connection locked out so that only one party knows what we are doing (the VPN).
It’s therefore important that you choose a VPN service with a great track record.
The reason VPNs are important for cryptocurrency users especially is that we use Bitcoin to keep as much data hidden as possible. However, when we expose our IP address, we might give away that our IP address is connected to someone who owns and uses cryptocurrency, merely because of the websites we visit.
Long story short: everyone should be using a VPN regardless of whether or or not they use Bitcoin. It’s for your own safety.
Two-Factor Authentication
We typically recommend setting up two-factor authentication (2FA) for any and every account that offers it, even if the service is not crypto related. All 2FA does is require a second means of confirmation that you are who you say you are when logging into accounts. Most typically this is in the form of something you know (password) and something you own (SMS code sent to phone).
While SMS is still the most common form of 2FA offered by online services, it is unfortunately the least secure. The following general use 2FA methods are ranked from most secure to least:
FIDO U2F — This is a physical device that plugs into a USB port and requires a physical button touch to generate a unique 2FA access code. It is preferable because a hacker would need to have the device in their physical possession in order to access your account. Most hacks occur remotely which makes this our top 2FA choice (albeit not a panacea).
Google Fi
Speaking of SIM attacks, there is one way to avoid them.
Services like Google Fi offer an alternative to traditional mobile phone contracts that are not only more flexible but also more secure.
With Google Fi, you can prevent any changes from occurring on your account without providing a second authentication factor. And because there are no SIM cards in a Google Fi plan, there are also no SIM attacks. This makes it impossible for attackers to hijack your text-messages and take over your accounts.
Currently, Google Fi is the only mobile phone service in the US that offers 2FA. So if you intend on taking your security seriously in this area, Google Fi is the only way to do it if you live in the United States.
Another nice perk of Google Fi is that it’s easy to change your phone number whenever you want. This feature alone also increases your security since many of our phone numbers have been leaked before and can be used to access other accounts online. If your leaked phone number is no longer active, you are a little more protected.
Mobile Crypto Wallets
Mobile app wallets such as Mycelium, BRD, Samourai, Cryptonator, etc. should be treated similarly to how you may treat your physical wallet/purse.
You only carry small amounts of discretionary spending funds in these wallets as they are more susceptible to loss or theft. Again, what is more convenient for you is more convenient for a malicious actor as well. Your phone is also susceptible to malware and should not be considered sufficiently safe for storing large amounts of funds.
Phishing Attacks
If you have crypto then you are an ideal target for phishing scams. Facebook and Twitter are just two of many avenues that hackers scour for potential victims. It has become common to see fake crypto exchange emails or ICO fundraising confirmations circulating such as the example below.
Phishing email impersonating Blockchain.info. Note send address & logo irregularity.
It is best to NEVER open suspicious attachments or provide credentials through email and to always closely inspect the logo, wording and send address of any emails received that pertain to financial accounts or that request sensitive information.
When in doubt, navigate to the legitimate exchange or web service that the email supposedly originated from and contact their support team to inquire on the validity of what you received before taking further action.
Secure Crypto Storage
If you don’t hold the private keys, you don’t own your money!
This category is how most people have been compromised and lost money in crypto. How? Primarily, by treating an exchange (Coinbase, Binance, Bittrex, Poloniex etc.) as a wallet to store their crypto assets in.
Mt. Gox, Bitfinex, BitGrail and Coincheck are just four out of a handful of crypto exchanges that have been hacked in the past 5 years, with the cumulative amount stolen exceeding $1 billion USD. While some users of these exchanges have been ameliorated to an extent, many are still suffering from the partial or even total loss of crypto funds that they held on these exchanges at the time of the hacks.
Our advice is to hold crypto on hardware and back it up using a steel wallet.
If you wish to trade on exchanges, only do so with funds that you are potentially willing to forfeit entirely should either the exchange or your individual account become compromised.
A few of our recommended hardware wallet manufacturers are Ledger and Trezor. You can find our more detailed wallet reviews here . As with all hardware/software, please ensure that your device firmware is kept up to date, as patches are pushed out continuously to address security concerns.
The Subject of Secure storage is something we cover in much greater depth in the next Bonus Chapter
Summary
Security on the web is akin to game of whack-a-mole and your level of security will likely scale accordingly with the amount of sensitive data (or crypto assets) that you are protecting.
While there is no such thing as an ‘unhackable’ system, there are valuable steps that you can take to drastically reduce your likelihood of compromise.
Always remember to:
Use complex and unique passwords
Create a separate/dedicated email account for crypto services
Use two-factor authentication
Store most (if not all) of your funds on hardware wallets
Ledger Nano X 
Ledger Nano S 
TREZOR T 
TREZOR One 
Blockstream Green 
BRD 
Edge 
Bitcoin Wallet 
