WALLETS &
SECURITY

Your crypto is only as safe as your security practices. This might be the most important page on this site.

⚠️ Critical Warning"Not your keys, not your coins." If you don't hold your private keys, you don't truly own your crypto. Exchange hacks, collapses (like FTX in 2022), and frozen withdrawals have cost users billions.

👛 Types of Wallets

🔥 Hot Wallets (Internet-connected)

Exchange Wallets: Coinbase, Binance, Kraken. Easiest but you don't control keys. Fine for small amounts you're actively trading.

Software Wallets: MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom. Apps on your phone/browser. You control keys but still connected to internet.

🧊 Cold Wallets (Offline)

Hardware Wallets: Ledger, Trezor. Physical devices that store keys offline. Transactions must be physically confirmed on the device. Best for long-term storage.

Paper Wallets: Your keys printed on paper. Completely offline but fragile and easy to lose.

🌱 Seed Phrases — Your Master Key

When you create a wallet, you receive a seed phrase (also called recovery phrase): 12 or 24 random words that can restore your entire wallet on any compatible device.

Never EverNever store your seed phrase digitally. Not in a text file. Not in Google Drive. Not in email. Not as a screenshot. Write it on paper (or metal) and store securely offline.

Anyone with your seed phrase has full access to all your crypto, forever. Treat it like the combination to a vault that holds everything you own.

🛡️ Security Best Practices

01

Use a Hardware Wallet

For any significant amount of crypto, a Ledger or Trezor is non-negotiable. Worth every penny.

02

Enable 2FA Everywhere

Use an authenticator app (not SMS) for all exchange accounts. SMS can be SIM-swapped.

03

Verify Addresses Twice

Always double-check the full address before sending. Clipboard malware can swap addresses.

04

Beware of Phishing

Bookmark crypto sites. Never click links in emails claiming to be from your exchange.