Hardware Wallets Compared: A Look at the Top Devices for Cryptocurrency Security

A hardware wallet is a device designed to protect private keys used for cryptocurrency transactions. It keeps your crypto on the blockchain while holding the keys that let you access it.

Cointelegraph compared several hardware wallets, including Trezor Safe 7 and Ledger Stax, Flex, Nano Gen5, Nano X, and others. They tested these devices using smartphones and computers running Linux and macOS operating systems with both official and third-party software.

The main differences between wallets are the coins they support, how they connect to your phone or computer, and how you check and approve a transaction. For example, Ledger's Stax has a 3.7-inch E Ink touchscreen that curves around the front and one side of the device, while the Nano X has a smaller OLED screen and two physical buttons.

Trezor Safe 7 is an open-source software wallet with a color touchscreen, whereas Ledger uses certified secure element chips that prevent them from open-sourcing some of their software. Both have wide third-party software support and can handle thousands of digital assets.

Some wallets, like the BitBox02 Nova Multicoin, allow users to back up private keys onto a microSD card. This card needs to be stored securely and separately from the device.