Wondering what the best cryptocurrency wallet for you is? In this guide, weâll break down the best software and hardware wallets for investors in 2024.Â
Quick look: Software & hardware wallets Coinbase Wallet : Best for beginners MetaMask : Best for Ethereum ZenGo: Best for easy account recovery Guarda: Best for cryptocurrency selection Crypto.com DeFi Wallet: Best for DeFi staking Trust Wallet: Best for Binance and Binance.US users Exodus: Best for customer support Ledger: Best hardware wallet for hot wallet integration Trezor: Best hardware wallet for security â KeepKey: Best hardware wallet for priceThe best software wallets Coinbase Wallet Best for BeginnersÂ
Coinbase Wallet is a mobile app and browser extension wallet made by Coinbase, one of the worldâs biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. The wallet allows you to buy crypto directly from Coinbase, easily transfer crypto from your Coinbase account, interact with DeFi protocols, and store hundreds of different cryptocurrencies!Â
Price: Free
Cryptocurrencies: Ethereum, Polygon, Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Stellar Lumens, Ripple, and Solana
Learn more about Coinbase here .
MetaMask Best for EthereumÂ
MetaMask is a popular mobile wallet and browser extension. MetaMask is well-known for its easy-to-use user interface â itâs one of the most popular wallets for investors looking to experiment with NFTs and DeFi protocols on Ethereum.Â
Unfortunately, MetaMask does not support other blockchains â such as Bitcoin and Cardano.Â
Price: Free
Supported blockchains: Ethereum, ERC-20 tokens, and Layer 2 solutions like Polygon!Â
ZenGo Best for easy account recoveryÂ
ZenGo is one of the most user-friendly wallets on the market. ZenGo has a killer feature: each wallet has two âmathematical secret sharesâ â one for the user and one on the companyâs server. This means that unlike other wallets, youâll be able to recover your ZenGo wallet if you lose access to your ZenGo private keys.Â
Price: Free
Supported blockchains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and more!Â
Guarda Best for cryptocurrency selectionÂ
Guarda Wallet is available on desktop, mobile, and browsers! Guarda is known for supporting many different types of blockchains and crypto-assets. According to Guardaâs website, the wallet supports more than 400,000 cryptocurrencies! Unlike the other wallets on this list, Guarda currently does not support NFTs.Â
Price: Free
Supported blockchains: 50+ blockchains including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Solana!Â
Crypto.com DeFi Wallet Best for DeFi stakingÂ
The Crypto.com DeFi Wallet is great for investors who are looking to dip their toes in DeFi. The Crypto.com DeFi wallet integrates with your Crypto.com exchange account â allowing you to easily transfer cryptocurrency between the two platforms. The wallet also offers features like staking rewards and an Ethereum gas tracker!Â
Price: Free
Supported blockchains: 30+ blockchains including Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Crypto.com blockchain!Â
Trust Wallet Best for Binance and Binance.US usersÂ
Trust Wallet is a software wallet created by Binance. The wallet offers interoperability with Binance and Binance.US â making it easy to trade and transfer your assets between the Binance exchange and Trust Wallet!Â
Price: Free
Supported blockchains: 70 supported blockchains including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Litecoin!Â
Exodus Best for customer supportÂ
Exodus is a beginner-friendly cryptocurrency wallet available on desktop and mobile. Exodus supports more than 300 crypto-assets! The wallet also features an in-built exchange as well as chat and email support for users!Â
Price: Free
Supported cryptocurrencies: 364 supported cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.Â
The best hardware wallets Ledger Best hardware wallet for hot wallet integrationÂ
Ledger is one of the worldâs most popular hardware wallets. Ledger supports more than 5,000 cryptocurrencies and can integrate with software wallets like MetaMask and Guarda. Ledgerâs cheapest model, the Ledger Nano S Plus, costs $79.Â
Price: $79 for cheapest modelÂ
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Cardano, Solana, and 5,000+ more cryptocurrencies!
Trezor Best hardware wallet for securityÂ
Trezor is one of the cheapest hardware wallets on the market â with the Trezor One costing just $69! Currently, Trezor supports around 1,000 cryptocurrencies. Unlike Ledger, Trezor does not integrate with hot wallets.Â
Price: $69 for cheapest modelÂ
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Cardano, Solana, and 1,000+ other cryptocurrencies!Â
KeepKey Best hardware wallet for priceÂ
KeepKey is one of the cheapest hardware wallets on the market. KeepKey wallets are frequently on sale â with the KeepKey Hardware Wallet sold for as low as $49! However, KeepKey wallets only support around 40 cryptocurrencies â meaning itâs not a good choice if youâre looking for storage for altcoins.Â
Price: $49 for cheapest modelÂ
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and dozens more!Â
What is a crypto wallet? A cryptocurrency wallet can help you securely send, store, and receive cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency wallets are often considered to be more secure than cryptocurrency exchanges. Unlike exchanges, only users who hold the walletâs private keys can sign off on transactions.Â
How does a crypto wallet work? A cryptocurrency wallet makes it easy to securely store and transact your cryptocurrency.Â
A wallet consists of public keys and private keys. Public keys are similar to bank account numbers â they show your cryptocurrency balance without compromising the security of your account. Meanwhile, private keys allow the wallet holder to access cryptocurrency and sign off on transactions.Â
What type of wallet should I choose? Not sure what type of wallet is right for you? Letâs walk through the differences between hot and cold wallets.Â
Hot wallet: A hot wallet is a wallet thatâs connected to the Internet. These types of wallets can make it easier to perform specific actions such as trading NFTs and accessing DeFi protocols. Cold wallet: A cold wallet is a hardware wallet that generates and stores your private keys offline. Cold wallets eliminate the risk of someone hacking your online wallet and stealing your cryptocurrency. What to consider when choosing a wallet Here are a few factors to keep in mind before you choose a cryptocurrency wallet.Â
Reputation: Unfortunately, scams and hacks are rampant in the cryptocurrency space. Itâs important to choose a cryptocurrency wallet with a solid reputation.Â
Purpose: Before you choose a wallet, itâs important to understand why youâre in the market for a cryptocurrency wallet in the first place. The best wallet for you may differ based on your unique needs. For example, a hot wallet like MetaMask may be a good fit if youâre looking to experiment with decentralized protocols, while a cold wallet might be a good fit if youâre simply looking to hold your cryptocurrency for the long-run.Â
Blockchains supported: Before you choose a wallet, take a look at the list of supported blockchains to make sure your crypto-assets can be supported.Â