Crypto Hardware Wallets

Tezos Ledger Nano X: Why I Stake My Tezos On My Ledger Nano X (2020)

In this review, we are going to see the SAFEST way to store your tezos ledger nano x, simulatenously! Tezos is self-amending, meaning that it does not need to go through regular hard forks in order to be upgraded. Even when hard forks are agreed upon by an entire network, they can create a lot of work for developers and node operators. Tezos has a more seamless upgrade process that does not involve regularly forking the blockchain. That said, it is possible for part of the network to decide to fork Tezos indeed, this has already happened during the initial KYC controversy.

The Tezos coin (XTZ) can be obtained through a number of prominent exchanges, including Kraken and Binance. Each exchange has different trading pairs, meaning that you can purchase XTZ by spending ETH, BTC, Tether, or fiat currency.

Traditional proof-of-stake, which is used in Ethereum’s upcoming Casper protocol, allows node operators to lock up their own tokens for a chance to validate blocks and earn token rewards. This system allows an unlimited number of nodes to vie for control over block validation, and the fact that countless stakers can exist makes the model highly decentralized. Unfortunately, staking is too expensive for many basic users: even if Ethereum lowers the minimum staking amount to 32 ETH, staking will still require thousands of dollars.

 

 

Meanwhile, delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS) allows users to stake their tokens in order to vote for a limited number of block producers. EOS, for example, elects only 21 block producers, all of whom are large organizations that must dedicate massive amounts of computing power. This model has come under fire for centralizing power in the hands of a few block producers.

However, delegation and voting make it possible for less wealthy users to have an indirect say over the course of the blockchain. Tezos combines these two models with its unique liquid proof-of-stake mechanism. This model allows up to 80,000 block validators or bakers to accept delegated tokens. Bakers must hold 10,000 XTZ, which is, again, thousands of dollars.

However, Tezos also allows users with smaller holdings to delegate their tokens to bakers and receive rewards in return. In other words, liquid proof-of-stake permits users to either become a full-fledged block validator or merely delegate tokens to validators. The following infographic gets into some of the specifics of the baking process, which involves unique features like a “quality assurance team” and a “bonding” or “cooldown” phase: Just like Ethereum and EOS, Tezos supports smart contracts, which are blockchain programs that can execute automatic transactions.

 

 

Tezos Ledger Nano X: How Do I Stake My Tezos On My Ledger Nano X?

 

 

Staking with Tezos (XTZ) – Earn money while holding crypto assets | Ledger Staking is the process of holding funds in a cryptocurrency wallet to support the operations of a blockchain network and, in return, holders are rewarded for their contribution. This can be compared to earning interest in a traditional bank. Tezos is a multi-purpose blockchain which uses a Proof-of-Stake protocol to secure its network. Token holders can delegate their accounts to a validator, who will be in charge of securing the network on their behalf.

 

 

Tezos Ledger Nano X: How Do I Set Up Baking Tezos On My Ledger Nano X?

 

 

The user may then earn the rewards generated minus validator’s fees. Discover Ledger Live When staking, you can earn a passive income by participating in the Tezos network via delegation. The current annual yield on Tezos is around 6%, minus a validator’s fees. You can use Staking Reward’s calculator to estimate your monthly earnings.

When you first start delegating, it will take roughly five weeks for you to receive your first rewards from your validator. After this, you can expect rewards about every 3 days. In Tezos, the current consensus mechanism is known as Liquid Proof-of-Stake (LPoS).

Token holders can delegate their validation rights to other token holders (called validators) without transferring ownership of their tokens. Contrary to other DPoS protocol, in Tezos you delegate your whole account. When delegating, your XTZ are completely liquid. You are free to move your tokens anytime as there are no freezing periods when delegating to a validator. There are no direct risks of delegating XTZ. The only risk you take is not earning the potential rewards.

 

 

How Can I Earn Passive Income With Tezos?

 

 

Carefully choose your validator to ensure quality of service and rewards. Select the Tezos account you want to delegate in Ledger Live Choose your validator (baker) by comparing estimated reward rate Verify and confirm delegation information on your Ledger hardware wallet Tezos token holders who are not interested in being a baker themselves can delegate their tokens to a validator to bake on their behalf.

When performing a delegation operation, you only send your baking rights to a validator: your XTZ stay on your wallet and remain yours. As you retain ownership of your assets, you can keep your XTZ on your hardware wallet while staking via delegation. This is the best way to keep your assets safe.

You can bake on your own by setting up a node and having at least 8.000 XTZ (8.000 XTZ is called a “roll”). Baking yourself requires you to run a Tezos node, a baker & endorser client. You should have a reliable Internet connection and high-availability servers. The more delegated funds a baker receives, the greater the chance it has to produce blocks and earn rewards.

 

 

Tezos Ledger Nano X: Final Verdict

 

Overall, this article gives you a high level view of how Tezos works and how you can make money by “baking” your coins to help validate transactions on the network. You can spend a lot more money and become a “baker”, however that is out of reach for most people. This is why I use my Ledger Nano X to earn passive income, WHILE keeping my private keys safe and in my possession.

Don’t be fooled and believe that you can only do this on an exchange. That is the WORST way to do this, as you are making the money, and letting them keep possession of your keys. It’s easy to setup and you don’t need ANY technical knowledge to do this. In the video above, it explains how I easily did this and how you can too.

If you own and believe in the Tezos Project, there is no reason why you should not be earning passive income while doing so, in the safest way possible. What are you waiting for? Get a Ledger Nano X now so you can safely stake your rewards and not risk leaving your private keys on on an exchange or hot wallet, where you are at risk!

 

Card Wallet Review (2020) | Coinfinity’s COLDEST Version Of A Hardware Wallet!

In this Card Wallet Review, I am going to dive into why this wallet if built for the coldest of cold who like to HODL!

Outside of exchanges, few cryptocurrency markets are as thriving as safekeeping. At this stage in Bitcoin’s life expectancy, trading crypto as well as keeping crypto appear to be the most prominent use situations for crypto –– in that order. Consequently, a flourishing aftermarket for crypto storage services has sprung up, both custodial as well as non-custodial, hot and cold, on the internet as well as offline.

Card Wallet from Coinfinity is the most recent product to go into the fray, offering a protected method for keeping BTC as well as ETH offline.

As the risks of keeping funds on the internet in custodial purses as well as exchanges have been highlighted with a wide variety of hacks as well as departure frauds, the freezer company has grown. From hardware purses looking like elegant thumb drives to gadgets disguised as calculators as well as charge card, the variety of methods to self-custody digital possessions seems unlimited.

 

 

So, What Is Card Wallet?

 

The just named Card Wallet by Coinfinity does precisely what it sounds like. On the surface, this plastic card appears like an incredibly low-tech method to store bitcoin core or ether, however its unprepossessing exterior is misleading. Peer a little closer at the credit scores card-shaped wallet as well as you’ll discover some fascinating details. There are all type of anti-counterfeiting steps at play on the Card Wallet’s service, including microprinting as well as constant color gradient methods, providing it a look much more similar to money.

The banknote-based style makes sense once you discover that Coinfinity –– Austria’s first Bitcoin business — developed this device in conjunction with the Austrian State Printing House. They’re best known for printing passports, a skill they’ve refined over the course of 200 years, and thus know a thing or two about anti-counterfeiting. The notion of forgery sounds strange in a crypto context.

 

 

After all, bitcoins are impossible to falsify. The reason why the Austrian State Printing House has gone to town on the anti-forgery techniques they’ve used is to prevent fake cards from entering circulation and to provide guarantees that the private key, which was generated offline, remains offline. The private key for the cryptocurrency address printed on the card is concealed beneath a hologram on the back. It’s accompanied by a warning not to scratch this area –– not even a little, just to test it –– as to do so would be to risk the security of your funds.

The Card Wallet is basically a modern version of the Casascius physical bitcoins that have become collector’s items today. The code printed beneath the Card Wallet’s seal can be thought of as Schrödingers key: until the moment it is observed through scratching off the protective covering, it effectively doesn’t exist. The manufacturer has no record of it.

As a result, you can send funds to the address printed on the front of the card, but you can’t retrieve them until you reveal that seal, and doing so will essentially penalize you to the tune of the $67 the Card Wallet retails for. Think of it as an extremely high BTC network fee, and use it as an incentive not to dip into the funds stored on the card, save for an emergency.

Of course, technically nothing is stored on the card: it simply holds the secret code needed to send the bitcoin from the address in which it is currently locked on the BTC network to a new address on the network. To all intents and purposes, though, Card Wallet might as well physically hold those coins, since without it to hand, you’ll never be able to move those coins again.

 

 

How Is Card Wallet Different Than A Normal Hardware Wallet Like Trezor Or Ledger?

 

 

Unlike a hardware wallet, there’s nothing to power up or plug in here, but that doesn’t mean that testing the Card Wallet is an entirely analog experience. There is, after all, the QR code printed on the wallet, which, when scanned, reads the BTC address printed along the center. In testing, I scan the code using the Bitcoin.com Wallet and am prompted to select the amount of BTC I wish to send.

 

 

When I drag the slider, the funds are released and that’s it: the first satoshis prepare to wing their way to my Card Wallet. When the time comes to move or sell that bitcoin, I will remove the security seal and import the private key that’s revealed underneath into a noncustodial wallet such as Electrum.

In theory, you could continue to use the wallet address securely, even with the seal scratched off, provided you destroyed the exposed private key. There would be little advantage to doing so, however, and it makes sense to view the wallet as compromised once the key has been revealed.

 

 

Is The Card Wallet Secure?

 

On the reverse of the card, there’s another QR code that can be scanned, marked Chainlockcode (CLC). This requires installation of a dedicated mobile app, which will display the balance of the card –– and of any other Card Wallets you wish to integrate into it –– allowing you to manage all your cards within one app without revealing their private keys.

Most people are unlikely to need this, since typing the wallet address into a block explorer achieves the same result, but if you’re a serial Card Wallet collector, it might prove useful While Coinfinity doesn’t support BCH at this time, bitcoin cash holders have the option of generating their own paper wallets, which can be printed at home.

 

 

Card Wallet: Final Verdict

 

This theoretically provides the same security guarantees, and with the wallet folded and sealed correctly, it is effectively tamper-proof, albeit without the same allure as Card Wallet’s impressive shiny hologram. Cold storing cryptocurrency isn’t about showing off, however, and the winning wallet is the one that keeps your funds the safest. Some bitcoiners will balk at paying $67, in the Card Wallet, for a cold storage solution they could roughly replicate at home for the cost of a sheet of printer paper.

Others will appreciate the imperviousness of the Coinfinity card, its convenient credit card shape, and its superior tamper-proof seal. As such, its value is really in the eyes of the beholder. For the same price you could pick up a basic hardware wallet, which will allow you to send, receive, and store a range of cryptocurrencies.

That said, there’s something magical about the seal on the Coinfinity that challenges you not to sully it, but rather to sporadically send funds to it, building up your nest egg over time.

 

 

What are your thoughts on Coinfinity’s Card Wallet– would you use it? Let us know in the comments section below.

 

Cheers,

 

 

The Crypto Renegade

Sugi Card Review (2020) | New NFC Hardware Wallet Contender?

What Is The Sugi Card?

 

The Sugi wallet is a new type of hardware wallet developed by European fintech company, Sofitto, by the former technical lead of the Mycelium wallet. This is a unique wallet designed for crypto storage, as it is a near field communication (NFC) card hardware wallet protected by a PIN. Like other hardware wallets, the private keys are always kept on the device which lacks any kind on internet connectivity to ensure its security against hacking attempts.

But Sugi allows you to spend and deposit crypto just as easy as you were using a bank card. But unlike other bank cards, Sugi does not have access to your funds in any way. Sugi supports the following cryptos: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC) and ERC20-based tokens.

 

 

How Much Does The Sugi Card Cost?

 

The company has revealed that it intends to add more cryptocurrencies to the list in the near future. Sugi also mentioned that it plans to incorporate fiat currency functionality by establishing partnerships with banks in Europe. Appearance: The Sugi wallet looks just a regular payment card which has the wallet’s logo imprinted on it. System compatibility The card only works with mobile devices that have the Sugi App installed.

The app is compatible with iOS and Android systems. The Sugi Card wallet is available for purchase in three plans. The Newbie plan enables you to buy the Sugi Card for EUR 59,90. The Pro plan offers ONE Sugi Card which can be personalized by embossing a chosen name or nickname, and it comes at the price of EUR 69,90.

The Expert plan offers two customized Sugi Cards for EUR 119,90.

 

 

How Does the Sugi Wallet Work?

 

 

The card is used in tandem with the Sugi mobile app, in order to authenticate payments when you tap the card on your mobile device.From this perspective, it is more advantageous than a regular USB hardware wallet, which requires a PC or laptop to be plugged into. And seeing that most of us keep their phones near at all times, it is a convenient way of verifying and managing crypto funds on the go.Its design makes it very easy to use for anyone. Unlike other cards that require a complex and lengthy setup, with Sugi you just need to know how to tap a card and you’re done.

 

Making payments using the Sugi card In order to make a payment, you have to follow the steps presented below:

 

  1. Open the app.
  2. Enter your Sugi PIN.
  3. Tap the card to your phone.
  4. Adding cryptocurrency to Sugi wallet to deposit cryptocurrencies into your wallet, you first send them to the Sugi mobile wallet app like any other mobile wallet.
  5. To view your Sugi address, access the app.

 

How does It compare to the competition? Let’s check it out below!

 

 

How safe is Sugi wallet? Sugi implements top notch security which is on par with other hardware wallets, being more secure than a regular mobile wallet.

 

 

Who Makes The Sugi Card?

 

 

Behind its development are several members from the Mycelium team, a secure bitcoin wallet that was created by the most experienced developers in the cryptocurrency industry, which have been activating since 2009. The keys are stored offline in the PIN-protected card. To make transactions you will need to have both the card and the app. The wallet complies to the highest security standards in the European Union (ISO/IEC 14443). Sugi cards also generate a backup phrase that can be used to restore access to funds if the card is lost or damaged.

 

 

The wallet does not actually have access to your funds or keys, but recovers them through a secret sharing scheme.A secret sharing scheme is a system that breaks down information and divides it to multiple parties in a manner in which no single party can access the funds without having all the keys. Summary The Sugi card is an extremely easy to use crypto wallet that incorporates NFC to communicate with your mobile device. It combines the robust security of a hardware wallet with the convenience of a mobile wallet, making it perfect for traders that are always on the go but are worried about security.

 

Sugi Card Review: Final Verdict

 

The Sugi Hardware Wallet is an extremely easy to use crypto wallet that incorporates NFC to communicate with your mobile device. It combines the robust security of a hardware wallet with the convenience of a mobile wallet, making it perfect for traders that are always on the go but are worried about security.

PROS: The only NFC card as a hardware wallet Transactions are authenticated just by tapping the card on the phone In-store payments and ATM withdrawals will be among the future implementations Will feature both fiat and cryptocurrency payments Cards can be customized Lower price compared to other hardware competitors

CONS: While it is less expensive than other wallets, it still is $60 dollars Can be used only on mobile apps, although fiat functionality is not yes incorporated.

 

 

What do you think? Are you going to try the Sugi Card to secure your crypto? Let us know down in the comments below!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

Ellipal Titan vs D’CENT (2020) | Which Wireless Hardware Wallet Is More Secure?

Ellipal Titan vs D’CENT! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

Ellipal Titan: Overview

 

This is a really unique device and has a very robust form factor that has ratings that rival that of some high-end smartphones. What separates this hardware wallet from the majority of other popular wallets is its communication method. So, what do I mean by that? This device has NO: USB Connection, NFC Connection, WiFi Connection, Bluetooth Connection, or Cellular Connection. So, how do you use it? The short answer is: QR Codes.

 

 

Ellipal Titan: Security

 

 

This is a 100% air-gapped device, so ultimately it is more secure than any other way to interact with a hardware wallet. Period. The device has a tamper-resistant enclosure that includes a self-destruct mechanism for any potential way to access the internals of the device. 

It is built in such a way that if anyone tries to break the screen or drill a hole through the device in an attempt to open its internal layout, the private keys will be erased. This is extremely powerful and will ultimately deter people from trying to hack this completely wireless device.

 

 

Ellipal Titan: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This hardware wallet has a camera, a 4-inch full color display, and does not display any balances on the device itself. The portfolio management and execution of the device is managed via a companion iOS and Android app that is used to initiate transactions and allows you to utilize the camera from your smartphone to transfer funds securely to the cold wallet, and vice versa.

I have been using this device for several weeks now, and in my personal opinion, it has been super easy to use and also very secure. I like knowing that my device is essentially indestructible and does not require any other 3rd party connection in order for it to function. This not only makes it very convenient, but it also very secure and eliminates room for error when typing or copying pasting wallet addresses that you are trying to transact with.

 

Ellipal Titan: Coin Support

 

 

This is always the section I check the most when reviewing hardware wallets, because although functionality and security are important, none of that matters unless it supports the coins you want to store offline. So here is the current list of supported coins and the one that are currently in development listed in the above picture.

 

 

D’CENT: Overview

 

 

The D’CENT is a mobile and bluetooth connected wireless hardware wallet device. With additional biometric security and the ease of use, this is a contender for the easiest to use mobile and wireless wallet. So how is it different than Ledger Nano X or other bluetooth devices? The Biometric security is a large differentiator here. It’s super convenient and makes it easy to sign and authenticate transactions on the go.

This means if you want to move your crypto from cold storage to a hot wallet, it can be done quickly and easily. A common scenario here would be if you are trying to pay a friend or you’re shopping and want to pay for a product in store very seamlessly. Let’s take a look at the security, features, and price below to go into a little more detail.

 

 

D’CENT: Security

 

 

The flagship feature of D’CENT is hands down the biometric security feature of the fingerprint sensor. There are some other hardware wallets that communicate with mobile, and can utilize Face ID or Touch ID for extra authentication with their mobile app, but this gives your authentication on the physical device as well. This is a unique and very secure feature that is not used by any other hardware wallet currently on the market.

The hardware wallet features a built-in fingerprint scanner that manages access to the hardware wallet. This security process improves the convenience for the users and enhances the security during access control. It also provides the wallet with fast transaction signing.

 

  • Multi-IC architecture design
  • Bank grade EAL 5+ Secure Element (This is the same security chip used in the Ledger Nano X)
  • Secure OS embedded on microprocessor

 

 

D’CENT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

One of the main features I like here is the option to generate a valid QR code on the large OLED screen of this device as a way to send funds directly from your smartphone to your D’CENT wallet. This is super convenient and truly makes this a wireless and independent device that can be used on the go via the D’CENT app, which also includes a market price section and of course all of your wallets and current fiat amount stored within each one.

What’s also nice is you no longer need to backup and restore this device for firmware upgrades like you do with other devices (although you can, since this device can also support bluetooth and USB connectivity if you choose). This makes this a very convenient choice when considering the ease of use and security when choosing how to secure your private keys.

 

 

D’CENT: Coin Support

 

The coin support is varied. The D’CENT can store and support: Bitcoin, Ethereum, ERC20 tokens, RSK, RRC20 (RSK tokens), Ripple (XRP), and MONACOIN. To many, this may not seem like it is very much, however, a majority of the major tokens are ERC-20 tokens and all can be supported natively on this device, which is good. I have not come across a hardware wallet yet that supports RSK and RRC20 tokens yet natively, so that definitely makes this an exclusive hardware wallet first for the D’CENT wallet!

 

 

Ellipal Titan vs D’CENT: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are two very unique wallets, even though they are both wireless. On the one hand, the D’CENT wallet is cheaper (with my current discount of $106) and has a biometric authentication via fingerprint sensor. This is extremely compelling.

On the other hand, the Ellipal Titan is completely air gapped and is transmitted through scanning QR codes on the device camera and allows for multi-factor authentication. Both are unique in my opinion and have different selling points.

At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself what coins you need to store offline, and if you prefer a large or smaller device. They are both secure in their own unique ways, but I would have to still go in favor of the ELLIPAL TITAN

You can’t beat the air-gapped security, and the user experience is much better on a larger screen, which also makes it easier to navigate and use on a regular basis. Although, if there was an under screen fingerprint sensor on future hardware wallet, that was also air-gapped and transmitted through QR codes, that would be a home run.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

Ellipal Titan vs BC VAULT (2020) | 2 Best Hardware Wallets Out Right Now?

Ellipal Titan vs BC VAULT! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

Ellipal Titan: Overview

 

This is a really unique device and has a very robust form factor that has ratings that rival that of some high-end smartphones. What separates this hardware wallet from the majority of other popular wallets is it’s communication method. So, what do I mean by that? This device has NO: USB Connection, NFC Connection, WiFi Connection, Bluetooth Connection, or Cellular Connection. So, how do you use it? The short answer is: QR Codes.

 

Ellipal Titan: Security

 

 

This is a 100% air-gapped device, so ultimately it is more secure than any other way to interact with a hardware wallet. Period. The device has a tamper-resistant enclosure that includes a self-destruct mechanism for any potential way to access the internals of the device. 

It is built in such a way that if anyone tries to break the screen or drill a hole through the device in an attempt to open its internal layout, the private keys will be erased. This is extremely powerful and will ultimately deter people from trying to hack this completely wireless device.

Ellipal Titan: User Experience (UX)

 

This hardware wallet has a camera, a 4-inch full color display, and does not display any balances on the device itself. The portfolio management and execution of the device is managed via a companion iOS and Android app that is used to initiate transactions and allows you to utilize the camera from your smartphone to transfer funds securely to the cold wallet, and vice versa.

I have been using this device for several weeks now, and in my personal opinion, it has been super easy to use and also very secure. I like knowing that my device is essentially indestructible and does not require any other 3rd party connection in order for it to function. This not only makes it very convenient, but it also very secure and eliminates room for error when typing or copying pasting wallet addresses that you are trying to transact with.

 

Ellipal Titan: Coin Support

 

 

This is always the section I check the most when reviewing hardware wallets, because although functionality and security are important, none of that matters unless it supports the coins you want to store offline. So here is the current list of supported coins and the one that are currently in development listed in the below picture.

BC VAULT: Overview

 

Unlike most other popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets, like Ledger Nano X and Trezor Model T, you do not set up a recovery seed card before you initialize the device. In fact, there is a gyro sensor for you to randomly generate private keys by physically shaking the device (seriously).

You can also hold more than 2000 unique wallets within the web app, and can granularly set specific passwords for each one and setup multiple PIN’s to not only make it more secure, but also allows for an easy way to share the device and use Multi-Sig. In fact, this is the first device that natively allows you to use Multi-Sig on a per wallet basis and set multiple PIN’s.

This wallet does not use HD wallets, so each wallet has its own unique backup. This does make it more secure, however, if you lose or forget the global PIN and global password for the device, your funds are locked inside forever. They do have an encrypted QR code backup for each individual wallet, or you can create a backup on the included micro SD card that comes in the box.

 

BC VAULT: Security

 

 

The storage is reliable. The BC Vault’s private keys have complete encryption and they are stored in the FRAM device. The FRAM is fully tamper-resistant and thanks to the reversible USB 3.0 Type-C connector any damage occurring from mechanical error is fully prevented.

In addition to the secure FeRAM that is securely encrypted, and the large display which is useful when confirming transactions, you have peace of mind not having to worry about anyone locating or using a recovery seed phrase to render your funds useless.

You can also import any private keys you have elsewhere via the SD card as well, so you can easily interchange private keys from other wallets if you have them in the correct format.

BC VAULT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This wallet has some pretty unique features I will admit, and it’s pretty refreshing. For example, you can use multiple cryptocurrencies at once. There are no “apps” you need to install or fear or worry of running out of space that most wallets have when upgrading the firmware.

Additionally, the amount of coins and wallets that can be used/stored simultaneously is astounding. As mentioned above, you can have up to 2000 unique wallets and can interchange multiple cryptos in multiple wallets.

 

BC VAULT: Coin Support

 

This is usually one of the most important factors when deciding on a hardware wallet (with the exception of security). If the wallet doesn’t currently support the coins you need to store offline, you can’t really take it too seriously as a deciding factor for purchase. Regardless of whether or not they claim to add more coins in the future.

 Needless to say, they have some unique choices for coin support HERE.

 

 

Ellipal Titan vs BC VAULT: Conclusion

 

This is a really close call. Each of these wallets have some unique features that I use for different use cases. When it comes to the BC VAULT, I can securely share this wallet with multiple people and it’s honestly the best user experience when it comes to multi-sig on a hardware wallet. Period.

When it comes to the Ellipal Titan, the completely wireless and air-gapped security is extremely compelling. It makes it very easy to use on the go, and not be tethered to a computer. The ease of use and over user experience is much improved from the last iteration of this product and I personally have been using this for long term “hodling” lately, and as a single user with no need for multi-sig on this type of device, it’s been extremely pleasant to use.

At the end of the day, these are really built for two different use cases (in my opinion), but both have great coin support and have very unique security features that set them apart from the rest of the pack. 

If I could only choose one and I didn’t specifically need multi-sig for a specific reason, I would go with the ELLIPAL TITAN. I’ve used almost every single hardware wallet on the market and the ease of use and peace of mind is enough to make me feel secure and makes it easy to send your private keys offline. You really can’t go wrong with ANY of these wallets, but just think about how you want to manage your crypto assets on a regular basis.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

Ellipal Titan vs KeepKey (2020) | Which Hardware Wallet Has A Better UX?

Ellipal Titan vs KeepKey! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

Ellipal Titan: Overview

 

This is a really unique device and has a very robust form factor that has ratings that rival that of some high-end smartphones. What separates this hardware wallet from the majority of other popular wallets is its communication method. So, what do I mean by that? This device has NO: USB Connection, NFC Connection, WiFi Connection, Bluetooth Connection, or Cellular Connection. So, how do you use it? The short answer is: QR Codes.

 

Ellipal Titan: Security

 

 

This is a 100% air-gapped device, so ultimately it is more secure than any other way to interact with a hardware wallet. Period. The device has a tamper-resistant enclosure that includes a self-destruct mechanism for any potential way to access the internals of the device. 

It is built in such a way that if anyone tries to break the screen or drill a hole through to device in an attempt to open its internal layout, the private keys will be erased. This is extremely powerful and will ultimately deter people from trying to hack this completely wireless device.

Ellipal Titan: User Experience (UX)

 

This hardware wallet has a camera, a 4-inch full color display, and does not display any balances on the device itself. The portfolio management and execution of the device is managed via a companion iOS and Android app that is used to initiate transactions and allows you to utilize the camera from your smartphone to transfer funds securely to the cold wallet, and vice versa.

I have been using this device for several weeks now, and in my personal opinion, it has been super easy to use and also very secure. I like knowing that my device is essentially indestructible and does not require any other 3rd party connection in order for it to function. This not only makes it very convenient, but it also very secure and eliminates room for error when typing or copying pasting wallet addresses that you are trying to transact with.

 

Ellipal Titan: Coin Support

 

 

This is always the section I check the most when reviewing hardware wallets, because although functionality and security are important, none of that matters unless it supports the coins you want to store offline. So here is the current list of supported coins and the one that are currently in development listed in the below picture.

KeepKey: Overview

 

KeepKey has been one of my absolute favorite hardware wallets to use in 2019. I was asked to test and report back issues with the ShapeShift beta that was a complete overhaul and utilized the KeepKey as it’s cornerstone of promoting keeping possession of your private keys under your control while you conduct trades, which has never been done before.

It was an ambitious goal, but they pulled it off in spades, and as a result it resulted in one of the best user experiences while using a hardware wallet I’ve ever encountered. It was quick, safe, and makes it easier than ever to manage your assets, portfolio, and trades all while keeping all your keys on a hardware wallet and never forfeiting custody. This is truly a game-changer and will pave the way for future hardware wallets moving into the next decade.

Let’s find out why below!

 

KeepKey: Security

 

KeepKey has a true random number generator (TRNG) for it’s PIN interface for extra physical security. In addition to offline storage, KeepKey’s PIN code and number randomization makes sure that

1) Your wallet is secure from physical theft.

2) That a hacker couldn’t steal bitcoins from your wallet with malware.

KeepKey is an HD wallet, meaning your entire wallet can be backed up with the 12 words generated on setup. 12 words is the default setting, although KeepKey supports seed lengths of 18 and 24.

The seed is generated using entropy from both the device itself and the computer used for setup. The seed is generated offline on the KeepKey and displayed on the device’s screen. The device’s offline screen makes sure the seed is never displayed on an internet-connected device.

 

KeepKey: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This is a complete overhaul that includes all of their services including: Instant Trades, Real-Time Market Data via CoinCap, In-App Crypto Purchases, and KeepKey Integration. 

That last part is of particular interest to me because I’ve wanted to find a way to execute purchases and trades while having my KeepKey connected, while ensuring that my private keys are protected throughout the entire process.

This is a very important detail, especially if you want to make purchases online with that extra protection and also ensure that my private keys are never compromised in a trade. This truly is the ultimate non-custodial hardware wallet solution. Here’s a few screenshots and user flows based on my experience using this web app.

 

KeepKey: Coin Support

 

Natively, this wallet in the current beta form supports over 40 assets with more on the way! Here is a current list of assets that are supported right now.  Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty. For years, KeepKey only supported: Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Namecoin, Dogecoin, and Dash. For a hardware wallet that needs to compete in this market place, that needed a serious upgrade.

Luckily, they have been making some AMAZING changes and not only added a ton of ERC-20 Support, but more importantly, they are revamping their entire platform to have one fluid, seamless application that integrates all of their core services (See my previous post for details on this). This is extremely powerful, and a decision that I believe will catapult them ahead of the competition. They are currently in a closed beta, and it is expected that they will be releasing this later in 2019. Stay tuned for news on this.

Some of the notable coins that have been added are:

-Chainlink (LINK)

-DigixDAO (DGD)

-Binance Coin (BNB)

-Dai (DAI)

-Maker (MKR)

-TrueUSD (TUSD)

 

 

Ellipal Titan vs KeepKey: Conclusion

 

Overall, this is a very difficult choice. These 2 wallets have been my favorite user experience of any hardware wallets in the past 2 months. However, I use them for VERY different purposes.

First, I use the KeepKey for when I want to make crypto trades and not have to send my private keys to the exchange. This is the only hardware wallet (currently) that allows you to trade and still maintain full non-custodial control throughout the entire process. As mentioned above, they completely revamped their software to include trading, portfolio management, and more.

With that said, the Ellipal Titan does allow you to trade certain coins using their QR code transfer process, but you still have to transfer your private keys to a 3rd party while the trade executes, which is pretty close, but not the same.

I use the Ellipal Titan for long term “HODLing” and the KeepKey for trading and portfolio management. There is no “wrong” choice, it ultimately depends on your trading habits and your goals. At the end of the day, I would still go with the ELLIPAL TITAN, for the reasons stated above, but the KeepKey is a VERY close second.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

SafePal vs Ellipal Titan (2020) | Which Air-Gapped Hardware Wallet Is Better?

SafePal vs Ellipal Titan! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

SafePal: Overview

 

This device was originally created by Binance Labs division and wanted to have a unique approach to a hardware wallet that was cheap enough for the average user, but also supported the Binance chain and added support for their internal projects. This really is a unique entry level hardware wallet, that greatly differs in terms of design, functionality, and overall user experience.

SafePal: Security

 

 

This can be considered one of the most attractive features of the device as it’s only $39.99 for this hardware wallet. Yes, you read that right. But why is it so cheap? Well, even though it looks like a very sleek and expensive device, its is made of plastic coating and a very small camera module that is used to transact at a very low resolution.l It’s obvious that they built this as cheaply as they could, while still remaining secure.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but you also get what you pay for. One of the key features that sets this device apart from most other competing hardware wallets is the fact that there is NO:

  • NFC
  • BLUETOOTH
  • USB
  • CELLULAR
  • EXTERNAL DEVICE CONNECTIONS

This gives it extra security, but it also makes it easier to use, as there are no extra devices necessary for this to operate, other than your smartphone. All you need right out of the box is a charger that supports USB-A to charge the device and a smartphone to download the SafePal App to setup and initialize the device.

 

SafePal: User Experience (UX)

 

This is the cheapest completely wireless hardware wallet on the market. It interacts only with your smartphone and the camera embedded into the device that allows you to transmit encrypted data via the QR code. This is truly a unique device.

This is a pretty solid introductory hardware wallet. It’s unique from it’s direct competitors and its simple and easy to use. As mentioned above, it has no connection weaknesses and cannot be hacked by any radio frequency or directly connected internet device. 

It’s truly a unique wireless hardware wallet that can be used on the go and is one of only a few hardware wallets that are “truly wireless” with no dependence on other devices. Oh, and did I mentioned it’s under $40?

 

SafePal: Coin Support

 

 

This is the one weak point of this product is the lack of coin support, as it only supports: Bitcoin, Ether (and ERC-20 Tokens), BNB, Litecoin, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash. However, they have mentioned that there is Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) coming very shortly. They truly are attempting to add more coins, and over time, if they don’t raise their price, this option will be a slam dunk for most users.

Additionally, I will add that the Binance Chain Coins (BEP2) tokens are also supported as this is a Binance hardware wallet after all. Below Is a full list of coins currently supported.

Ellipal Titan: Overview

 

This is a really unique device and has a very robust form factor that has ratings that rival that of some high-end smartphones. What separates this hardware wallet from the majority of other popular wallets is its communication method. So, what do I mean by that? This device has NO: USB Connection, NFC Connection, WiFi Connection, Bluetooth Connection, or Cellular Connection. So, how do you use it? The short answer is: QR Codes.

 

Ellipal Titan: Security

 

 

This is a 100% air-gapped device, so ultimately it is more secure than any other way to interact with a hardware wallet. Period. The device has a tamper-resistant enclosure that includes a self-destruct mechanism for any potential way to access the internals of the device. 

It is built in such a way that if anyone tries to break the screen or drill a hole through to device in an attempt to open its internal layout, the private keys will be erased. This is extremely powerful and will ultimately deter people from trying to hack this completely wireless device.

Ellipal Titan: User Experience (UX)

 

This hardware wallet has a camera, a 4-inch full color display, and does not display any balances on the device itself. The portfolio management and execution of the device is managed via a companion iOS and Android app that is used to initiate transactions and allows you to utilize the camera from your smartphone to transfer funds securely to the cold wallet, and vice versa.

I have been using this device for several weeks now, and in my personal opinion, it has been super easy to use and also very secure. I like knowing that my device is essentially indestructible and does not require any other 3rd party connection in order for it to function. This not only makes it very convenient, but it also very secure and eliminates room for error when typing or copying pasting wallet addresses that you are trying to transact with.

 

Ellipal Titan: Coin Support

 

 

This is always the section I check the most when reviewing hardware wallets, because although functionality and security are important, none of that matters unless it supports the coins you want to store offline. So here is the current list of supported coins and the one that are currently in development listed in the above picture.

 

 

SafePal vs Ellipal Titan: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are very similar devices in many ways. They both are air-gapped. They both utilize encrypted QR codes for transmission, and they both are completely mobile and wireless. 

Having said that, these are at two opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of overall build and quality. The form factor of the SafePal is slim and nice, however it is plastic and can easily be broken and/or pried open if someone really wanted access to the internals.

The Ellipal Titan is the clear winner here, as its form factor is designed to withstand most elements and has an “anti-tampering” design that makes it almost impossible to break open. That level of quality and security against attacks (and it breaking when being dropped), is no where to be found in this class of hardware wallets. You really can’t go wrong with the Ellipal Titan, as it’s become my “go to” wallet for 2020 (so far).

 

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

SafePal vs KeepKey (2020) | Which One Would Is Better?

SafePal vs KeepKey! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

KeepKey: Overview

 

 

KeepKey has been one of my absolute favorite hardware wallets to use in 2019. I was asked to test and report back issues with the ShapeShift beta that was a complete overhaul and utilized the KeepKey as it’s cornerstone of promoting keeping possession of your private keys under your control while you conduct trades, which has never been done before.

It was an ambitious goal, but they pulled it off in spades, and as a result it resulted in one of the best user experiences while using a hardware wallet I’ve ever encountered. It was quick, safe, and makes it easier than ever to manage your assets, portfolio, and trades all while keeping all your keys on a hardware wallet and never forfeiting custody. This is truly a game-changer and will pave the way for future hardware wallets moving into the next decade.

Let’s find out why below!

 

KeepKey: Security

 

KeepKey has a true random number generator (TRNG) for it’s PIN interface for extra physical security. In addition to offline storage, KeepKey’s PIN code and number randomization makes sure that

1) Your wallet is secure from physical theft.

2) That a hacker couldn’t steal bitcoins from your wallet with malware.

KeepKey is an HD wallet, meaning your entire wallet can be backed up with the 12 words generated on setup. 12 words is the default setting, although KeepKey supports seed lengths of 18 and 24.

The seed is generated using entropy from both the device itself and the computer used for setup. The seed is generated offline on the KeepKey and displayed on the device’s screen. The device’s offline screen makes sure the seed is never displayed on an internet-connected device.

KeepKey: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This is a complete overhaul that includes all of their services including: Instant Trades, Real-Time Market Data via CoinCap, In-App Crypto Purchases, and KeepKey Integration. That last part is of particular interest to me because I’ve wanted to find a way to execute purchases and trades while having my KeepKey connected, while ensuring that my private keys are protected throughout the entire process.

This is a very important detail, especially if you want to make purchases online with that extra protection and also ensure that my private keys are never compromised in a trade. This truly is the ultimate non-custodial hardware wallet solution. Here’s a few screenshots and user flows based on my experience using this web app.

 

KeepKey: Coin Support

 

Natively, this wallet in the current beta form supports over 40 assets with more on the way! Here is a current list of assets that are supported right now.  Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty. For years, KeepKey only supported: Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Namecoin, Dogecoin, and Dash. For a hardware wallet that needs to compete in this market place, that needed a serious upgrade.

Luckily, they have been making some AMAZING changes and not only added a ton of ERC-20 Support, but more importantly, they are revamping their entire platform to have one fluid, seamless application that integrates all of their core services (See my previous post for details on this). This is extremely powerful, and a decision that I believe will catapult them ahead of the competition. They are currently in a closed beta, and it is expected that they will be releasing this later in 2019. Stay tuned for news on this.

Some of the notable coins that have been added are:

-Chainlink (LINK)

-DigixDAO (DGD)

-Binance Coin (BNB)

-Dai (DAI)

-Maker (MKR)

-TrueUSD (TUSD)

SafePal: Overview

 

This device was originally created by Binance Labs division and wanted to have a unique approach to a hardware wallet that was cheap enough for the average user, but also supported the Binance chain and added support for their internal projects. This really is a unique entry level hardware wallet, that greatly differs in terms of design, functionality, and overall user experience.

 

SafePal: Security

 

 

This can be considered one of the most attractive features of the device as it’s only $39.99 for this hardware wallet. Yes, you read that right. But why is it so cheap? Well, even though it looks like a very sleek and expensive device, its is made of plastic coating and a very small camera module that is used to transact at a very low resolution.l It’s obvious that they built this as cheaply as they could, while still remaining secure.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but you also get what you pay for. One of the key features that sets this device apart from most other competing hardware wallets is the fact that there is NO:

  • NFC
  • BLUETOOTH
  • USB
  • CELLULAR
  • EXTERNAL DEVICE CONNECTIONS

This gives it extra security, but it also makes it easier to use, as there are no extra devices necessary for this to operate, other than your smartphone. All you need right out of the box is a charger that supports USB-A to charge the device and a smartphone to download the Safepal App to setup and initialize the device.

SafePal: User Experience (UX)

 

This is the cheapest completely wireless hardware wallet on the market. It interacts only with your smartphone and the camera embedded into the device that allows you to transmit encrypted data via the QR code. This is truly a unique device.

This is a pretty solid introductory hardware wallet. It’s unique from it’s direct competitors and its simple and easy to use. As mentioned above, it has no connection weaknesses and cannot be hacked by any radio frequency or directly connected internet device. It’s truly a unique wireless hardware wallet that can be used on the go and is one of only a few hardware wallets that are “truly wireless” with no dependence on other devices. Oh, and did I mentioned it’s under $40?

 

SafePal: Coin Support

 

 

This is the one weak point of this product is the lack of coin support, as it only supports: Bitcoin, Ether (and ERC-20 Tokens), BNB, Litecoin, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash. However, they have mentioned that there is Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) coming very shortly. They truly are attempting to add more coins, and over time, if they don’t raise their price, this option will be a slam dunk for most users.

Additionally, I will add that the Binance Chain Coins (BEP2) tokens are also supported as this is a Binance hardware wallet after all. Below Is a full list of coins currently supported.

 

SafePal vs KeepKey: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are two of the cheapest (as of this writing) hardware wallets you can get right now, with quality security propositions. With the KeepKey, you can for the first time trade your crypto non-custodially and manage your portfolio without ever handing over your private keys. This is the first of its kind.

With the SafePal, you are 100% air-gapped and there is no way to intercept the transmission, because there are no signals. Because everything is transmitted through QR codes, you know that you’re completely off the grid.

In the end, it really depends on what your crypto goals are. If you are someone who likes to trade, I would go with the KeepKey, hands down. Being able to trade and manage your portfolio while maintaining full possession of your private keys is extremely compelling. 

If you only want to hold, say, BTC, LTC, and ETH, I would go with the SafePal. It’s simple to use with a mobile device and you don’t have to worry about ever mistyping a wallet address, as the QR code ensures that you never miss a beat when transacting. If I had to choose, I’d still go with KeepKey. Even though it’s not wireless, it provides a full portfolio management platform that covers all the bases for any seasoned or new crypto user.

 

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

SafePal vs BC VAULT (2020) | Which Wallet Is More Secure?

SafePal vs BC VAULT! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

BC VAULT: Overview

 

 

Unlike most other popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets, like Ledger Nano X and Trezor Model T, you do not set up a recovery seed card before you initialize the device. In fact, there is a gyro sensor for you to randomly generate private keys by physically shaking the device (seriously).

You can also hold more than 2000 unique wallets within the web app, and can granularly set specific passwords for each one and setup multiple PIN’s to not only make it more secure, but also allows for an easy way to share the device and use Multi-Sig. In fact, this is the first device that natively allows you to use Multi-Sig on a per wallet basis and set multiple PIN’s.

This wallet does not use HD wallets, so each wallet has its own unique backup. This does make it more secure, however, if you lose or forget the global PIN and global password for the device, your funds are locked inside forever. They do have an encrypted QR code backup for each individual wallet, or you can create a backup on the included micro SD card that comes in the box.

 

BC VAULT: Security

 

The storage is reliable. The BC Vault’s private keys have complete encryption and they are stored in the FRAM device. The FRAM is fully tamper-resistant and thanks to the reversible USB 3.0 Type-C connector any damage occurring from mechanical error is fully prevented.

In addition to the secure FeRAM that is securely encrypted, and the large display which is useful when confirming transactions, you have peace of mind not having to worry about anyone locating or using a recovery seed phrase to render your funds useless.

You can also import any private keys you have elsewhere via the SD card as well, so you can easily interchange private keys from other wallets if you have them in the correct format.

BC VAULT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This wallet has some pretty unique features I will admit, and it’s pretty refreshing. For example, you can use multiple cryptocurrencies at once. There are no “apps” you need to install or fear or worry of running out of space that most wallets have when upgrading the firmware.

Additionally, the amount of coins and wallets that can be used/stored simultaneously is astounding. As mentioned above, you can have up to 2000 unique wallets and can interchange multiple cryptos in multiple wallets.

 

BC VAULT: Coin Support

 

This is usually one of the most important factors when deciding on a hardware wallet (with the exception of security). If the wallet doesn’t currently support the coins you need to store offline, you can’t really take it too seriously as a deciding factor for purchase. Regardless of whether or not they claim to add more coins in the future.

 Needless to say, they have some unique choices for coin support HERE.

SafePal: Overview

 

This device was originally created by Binance Labs division and wanted to have a unique approach to a hardware wallet that was cheap enough for the average user, but also supported the Binance chain and added support for their internal projects. This really is a unique entry level hardware wallet, that greatly differs in terms of design, functionality, and overall user experience.

 

SafePal: Security

 

 

This can be considered one of the most attractive features of the device as it’s only $39.99 for this hardware wallet. Yes, you read that right. But why is it so cheap? Well, even though it looks like a very sleek and expensive device, its is made of plastic coating and a very small camera module that is used to transact at a very low resolution.l It’s obvious that they built this as cheaply as they could, while still remaining secure.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but you also get what you pay for. One of the key features that sets this device apart from most other competing hardware wallets is the fact that there is NO:

  • NFC
  • BLUETOOTH
  • USB
  • CELLULAR
  • EXTERNAL DEVICE CONNECTIONS

This gives it extra security, but it also makes it easier to use, as there are no extra devices necessary for this to operate, other than your smartphone. All you need right out of the box is a charger that supports USB-A to charge the device and a smartphone to download the Safepal App to setup and initialize the device.

SafePal: User Experience (UX)

 

This is the cheapest completely wireless hardware wallet on the market. It interacts only with your smartphone and the camera embedded into the device that allows you to transmit encrypted data via the QR code. This is truly a unique device.

This is a pretty solid introductory hardware wallet. It’s unique from it’s direct competitors and its simple and easy to use. As mentioned above, it has no connection weaknesses and cannot be hacked by any radio frequency or directly connected internet device. It’s truly a unique wireless hardware wallet that can be used on the go and is one of only a few hardware wallets that are “truly wireless” with no dependence on other devices. Oh, and did I mentioned it’s under $40?

 

SafePal: Coin Support

 

 

This is the one weak point of this product is the lack of coin support, as it only supports: Bitcoin, Ether (and ERC-20 Tokens), BNB, Litecoin, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash. However, they have mentioned that there is Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) coming very shortly. They truly are attempting to add more coins, and over time, if they don’t raise their price, this option will be a slam dunk for most users.

Additionally, I will add that the Binance Chain Coins (BEP2) tokens are also supported as this is a Binance hardware wallet after all. Below Is a full list of coins currently supported.

 

SafePal vs BC VAULT: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are two very unique wallets at two ends of the spectrum in terms of quality, price, and overall usability. On the one hand, the SafePal is an entry level device which you can get for under $40 and is completely air-gapped and wireless. It doesn’t hold that many coins yet, but it will slowly add more coin support over time.

The BC VAULT is more of an advanced user wallet, that not only supports multiple wallets, but can securely share wallets with multi-sig and also securely share it among family and friends. This is a very robust wallet offering and the easiest one to use with multi-sig, which is inherently more secure.

You can’t really go wrong with either of these wallets, but I would have to say the BC VAULT is going to be my choice here. It holds hundreds of more coins and have a very easy to use UI. Yes, this is NOT a wireless device, but its robust security features and vast coin support easily make up for its usability factor. I absolutely feel that this device is going to allow me to securely store all of my private keys offline, especially with shared wallets.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

D’CENT vs SafePal (2020) | Which Wireless Hardware Wallet Is Better?

D’CENT vs SafePal! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these bluetooth hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making a such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

SafePal: Overview

 

This device was originally created by Binance Labs division and wanted to have a unique approach to a hardware wallet that was cheap enough for the average user, but also supported the Binance chain and added support for their internal projects. This really is a unique entry level hardware wallet, that greatly differs in terms of design, functionality, and overall user experience.

 

 

SafePal: Security

 

 

This can be considered one of the most attractive features of the device as it’s only $39.99 for this hardware wallet. Yes, you read that right. But why is it so cheap? Well, even though it looks like a very sleek and expensive device, its is made of plastic coating and a very small camera module that is used to transact at a very low resolution.l It’s obvious that they built this as cheaply as they could, while still remaining secure.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but you also get what you pay for. One of the key features that sets this device apart from most other competing hardware wallets is the fact that there is NO:

  • NFC
  • BLUETOOTH
  • USB
  • CELLULAR
  • EXTERNAL DEVICE CONNECTIONS

This gives it extra security, but it also makes it easier to use, as there are no extra devices necessary for this to operate, other than your smartphone. All you need right out of the box is a charger that supports USB-A to charge the device and a smartphone to download the Safepal App to setup and initialize the device.

SafePal: User Experience (UX)

 

This is the cheapest completely wireless hardware wallet on the market. It interacts only with your smartphone and the camera embedded into the device that allows you to transmit encrypted data via the QR code. This is truly a unique device.

This is a pretty solid introductory hardware wallet. It’s unique from it’s direct competitors and its simple and easy to use. As mentioned above, it has no connection weaknesses and cannot be hacked by any radio frequency or directly connected internet device. It’s truly a unique wireless hardware wallet that can be used on the go and is one of only a few hardware wallets that are “truly wireless” with no dependence on other devices. Oh, and did I mentioned it’s under $40?

 

SafePal: Coin Support

 

 

This is the one weak point of this product is the lack of coin support, as it only supports: Bitcoin, Ether (and ERC-20 Tokens), BNB, Litecoin, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash, DigiByte (DGB), NEO, and Zcash (ZEC) . However, they have mentioned that there is Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) coming very shortly. They truly are attempting to add more coins, and over time, if they don’t raise their price, this option will be a slam dunk for most users.

Additionally, I will add that the Binance Chain Coins (BEP2) tokens are also supported as this is a Binance hardware wallet after all. Below Is a full list of coins currently supported.

D’CENT: Overview

 

The D’CENT is a mobile and bluetooth connected wireless hardware wallet device. With additional biometric security and the ease of use, this is a contender for the easiest to use mobile and wireless wallet. So how is it different than Ledger Nano X or other bluetooth devices? The Biometric security is a large differentiator here. It’s super convenient and makes it easy to sign and authenticate transactions on the go.

This means if you want to move your crypto from cold storage to a hot wallet, it can be done quickly and easily. A common scenario here would be if you are trying to pay a friend or you’re shopping and want to pay for a product in store very seamlessly. Let’s take a look at the security, features, and price below to go into a little more detail.

 

D’CENT: Security

 

 

The flagship feature of D’CENT is hands down the biometric security feature of the fingerprint sensor. There are some other hardware wallets that communicate with mobile, and can utilize Face ID or Touch ID for extra authentication with their mobile app, but this gives your authentication on the physical device as well. This is a unique and very secure feature that is not used by any other hardware wallet currently on the market.

The hardware wallet features a built-in fingerprint scanner that manages access to the hardware wallet. This security process improves the convenience for the users and enhances the security during access control. It also provides the wallet with fast transaction signing.

 

  • Multi-IC architecture design
  • Bank grade EAL 5+ Secure Element (This is the same security chip used in the Ledger Nano X)
  • Secure OS embedded on microprocessor

 

D’CENT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

One of the main features I like here is the option to generate a valid QR code on the large OLED screen of this device as a way to send funds directly from your smartphone to your D’CENT wallet. This is super convenient and truly makes this a wireless and independent device that can be used on the go via the D’CENT app, which also includes a market price section and of course all of your wallets and current fiat amount stored within each one.

What’s also nice is you no longer need to backup and restore this device for firmware upgrades like you do with other devices (although you can, since this device can also support bluetooth and USB connectivity if you choose). This makes this a very convenient choice when considering the ease of use and security when choosing how to secure your private keys.

 

D’CENT: Coin Support

 

The coin support is varied. The D’CENT can store and support Bitcoin, Ethereum, ERC20 tokens, RSK, RRC20 (RSK tokens), Ripple (XRP), and MONACOIN. To many, this may not seem like it is very much, however, a majority of the major tokens are ERC-20 tokens and all can be supported natively on this device, which is good. I have not come across a hardware wallet yet that supports RSK and RRC20 tokens yet natively, so that definitely makes this an exclusive hardware wallet first for the D’CENT wallet!

 

 

D’CENT vs SafePal: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are two of the most interesting wallets out there. On the one hand, the SafePal is embracing the QR code level security of an entry level wallet, but is lacking in its overall coin support. I do expect this to change over time and expand their offerings as they begin to gain market share.

On the other hand, the D’CENT is the only hardware wallet that offers biometric securirty (by use of your thumbprint) as an extra layer of security for signing and authorizing transactions. This is nice in knowing that no one can process any transactions, even if they know your password and/or PIN code. 

The D’CENT is also lacking (in comparison to other mainstream hardware wallets) in terms of coin support, but supports the RSK chain (Bitcoin Side-Chain) that is unique to this wallet and will still support all the main coins you get on every other hardware wallet.

At the end of the day, I would go with the SafePal. It’s currently under $40 and has air-gapped technology and is a completely wireless device that doesn’t require you to connect to a computer to manage your crypto assets. That’s not to say the D’CENT is bad, I just would rather spend less and get what some could construe as a better security model, even though its current coin support leaves much to be desired.

 

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the D’CENT over the SafePal? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

Secux V20 vs Ledger Nano X (2020) | Does Ledger Have Some Bluetooth Competition?

Secux V20 vs Ledger Nano X! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these bluetooth hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

Ledger Nano X: Overview

 

The Nano X comes beautifully packaged with the device itself, a USB-C cable, a set of instructions and recovery seed cards. The previous bulky buttons that were on top of the device are now seamlessly integrated on it in a way that’s even a bit hard to notice. All in all a beautiful design. The primary features of this device are the bluetooth connection which allows you to manage this device using your smartphone via the iOS and Android app.

Additionally, you can now hodl, store, or manage up to 100 cryptos simultaneously, all without access to your desktop or laptop computer. This is easily it’s best new features, but aside from the upgraded storage capacity and the wireless connectivity, the device itself is now larger, has an integrated 2-function button, and an overall larger screen for verifying transactions. With a trusted device and a more universal charging cable, this makes it much more compelling to spend the extra money to store more coins and one that you can easily take with you as you travel.

 

 

Ledger Nano X: Security

 

 

Ledger is at the forefront of developing the industry’s device security. How? And in what ways?

CC EAL5+ SECURE ELEMENT

Only Ledger’s devices can claim the French cybersecurity agency ANSSI’s full certification.

The Nano X and Nano S both feature what is called a ‘secure element’. The chip seen below is the next generation chip that comes in the Nano X:

The secure chip meets the CC EAL5+ certification and run’s Ledger’s proprietary BOLOS operating system. 

 

According to Ledger:

A Secure Element is a secure chip that…embeds intrinsic countermeasures against many known attacks. This kind of chip is tamper-resistant and protects your device to a range of different attacks.”

 

Ledger Nano X: User Experience (UX)

 

Honestly, the user experience is a massive upgrade from the Ledger Nano S. With that said, It has a few usability issues that I find to be quite difficult to overcome. Although this device is physically larger than it’s predecessor, it still has a fairly difficult to use early experience.

For example, the screen is still fairly small and still cannot accommodate a QR code for scanning. This may not seem like a big deal, but after using several hardware wallets, it really does make a big difference. Using a QR code is not only safer (because it removes the chance of error from manually typing in a wallet address), but it is incredibly faster and makes the entire of transacting offline, a much easier experience. 

Although this device has stepped up the quality considerably from it’s latest iteration, I still feel that utilizing an all new form factor could have been beneficial and a little more innovative than replicating their 1st generation device with a few small tweaks.

 

 

Ledger Nano X: Coin Support

 

 

The Ledger Nano X utilizes the “Ledger Live” dashboard which is a desktop application that allows you to manage all of your coins, portfolio, and potential trades in an easy to use application. You can use this on both an iOS or Android app as well as a desktop.

This app allows you to manage up to 1,100 coins that are supported by the device. However, only about 200 of them are “native” apps. This means that you can manage them directly within the Ledger Live app, without having to connect to a 3rd party wallet, such as MyEtherWallet or MyCrypto. I will leave a link HERE with a list of fully supported coins.

 

Secux V20: Overview

 

 

After unboxing and looking at the SecuX V20 device, I was pleasantly surprised that the overall quality and screen size was much larger than other mid-tier devices in this price range, such as the Ledger Nano X and the Trezor Model T. Now, those devices are classic and original devices, but they are tiny and made of a somewhat flimsy, plastic form-factor.

This device has a beautiful brushed aluminum reinforced hardware wallet. It has a clean flat display and the back has a durable padding rubber-like backing that is built for abuse and stability. I would have no qualms with dropping this device as it’s built very solidly and feels heavy in your hand, unlike their entry-level devices. The SecuX V20 has only one MicroUSB port and one button for activating the device and for 2FA. 

The SecuX V20 device is the only one with a unique form factor and octagon design that is very sleek and very durable. This device is connected by bluetooth! That means it has wireless support and can be managed with full functionality by the SecuX app for iOS and Android. It also has a USB cable, so it can be managed online with a web wallet as well, hence, why it’s considered a “Cross-Platform” device.

The unique and notable coins that are natively supported on these devices is Groestlcoin (GRS) and Ripple (XRP). Not many hardware wallets support these coins natively, however, almost all hardware wallets support an array of ERC-20 tokens and your main-stream coins, like BTC and ETH.

 

 

Secux V20: Security

 

 

The SecuX V20  is placed with a CC EAL 5+ Certified Security Element (SE) which always ensures that stored private keys, as well as the device PIN code, are perfectly protected against any form of attack. Other significant security features include:

 

  • Pre-installed tamper-resistant firmware as well as an upgrade system
  • Physical confirmation for every transaction
  • A one-time password or custom PIN code for controlling device access or the wallet apps
  • Anti-tamper packaging
  • Randomized digital keyboard for preventing consequences of keystrokes

 

Also, the wallet complies with the BIP32, BIP39 and BIP44 standards which allow the user to generate passwords of 12, 18 and 24 words for funds recovery.

 

 

Secux V20: User Experience (UX)

 

 

The picture below showcases the key features of this device, is the “Cross-Platform Support”, which means it can be managed via desktop, laptop, and mobile. Now, as I mentioned this device CAN conduct transactions via the mobile app, but also the Secux W20 can too, as they are bluetooth enabled. 

This truly is one of the first multiple platform devices that you can manage on the big desktop screen, as well as wirelessly on the go. It has a 600mAH battery which can be charged from an empty battery within 30 minutes on the second charge

 

 

Secux V20: Coin Support

 

This is usually the most important factor when considering the hardware that you choose. This top-tier wallet from SecuX has support for the following coins as of this writing: BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, GRS and LTC. It also supports all ERC-20 tokens as well.

Luckily, they update the firmware frequently and they plan on adding more coins as well in the near future. If you are new to “HODLing” and you do not need any specific coins outside of these top market cap coins and ERC-20 Ethereum-based tokens to start, then this is a good option.

 

 

Secux V20 vs Ledger Nano X: Conclusion

 

Overall, the SecuX V20 is a robust, and very secure wallet. For the price point, features and capabilities, the only thing that is comparable is the Ledger Nano X, which is also a bluetooth and wireless crypto wallet using the same security chip.

With the Ledger Nano X, it comes in a little cheaper at $119, and it also allows you to hold 100 apps (or different cryptocurrencies simultaneously), but it comes in a cheap and somewhat flimsy plastic enclosure that has a very tiny screen. Personally, I prefer a larger display and I’ve used almost all (if not all) hardware wallets out there, and confirming the address you’re sending to is MUCH easier to do on a large, bright, full color display. Additionally, this device has QR code support, which makes it easier when sending funds from a mobile wallet directly to your hardware wallet.

The one thing I did NOT like about the SecuX V20 is the lack of coin support with only 6 coins supported natively, and a handful of more coins to be supported in the future. If you plan on only “HODLing” the top 5 market-cap coins and perhaps a few ERC-20 tokens, I would probably say this is a better option and has a much cleaner and larger display for managing and verifying transactions.

With my discount, (Code: BITCOINLOCKUP), it will take the price to around $134 and free shipping. When compared to other entry level wallets, you can’t beat the sturdiness and large screen (which is more important than you think), when managing your assets offline.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the Secux V20 over the Ledger Nano X? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

BC VAULT vs KeepKey (2020) | How Important Is Multi-Sig, Really?

BC VAULT vs KeepKey! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

BC VAULT: Overview

 

Unlike most other popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets, like Ledger Nano X and Trezor Model T, you do not set up a recovery seed card before you initialize the device. In fact, there is a gyro sensor for you to randomly generate private keys by physically shaking the device (seriously).

You can also hold more than 2000 unique wallets within the web app, and can granularly set specific passwords for each one and setup multiple PIN’s to not only make it more secure, but also allows for an easy way to share the device and use Multi-Sig. In fact, this is the first device that natively allows you to use Multi-Sig on a per wallet basis and set multiple PIN’s.

This wallet does not use HD wallets, so each wallet has its own unique backup. This does make it more secure, however, if you lose or forget the global PIN and global password for the device, your funds are locked inside forever. They do have an encrypted QR code backup for each individual wallet, or you can create a backup on the included micro SD card that comes in the box.

 

BC VAULT: Security

 

 

The storage is reliable. The BC Vault’s private keys have complete encryption and they are stored in the FRAM device. The FRAM is fully tamper-resistant and thanks to the reversible USB 3.0 Type-C connector any damage occurring from mechanical error is fully prevented.

In addition to the secure FeRAM that is securely encrypted, and the large display which is useful when confirming transactions, you have peace of mind not having to worry about anyone locating or using a recovery seed phrase to render your funds useless.

You can also import any private keys you have elsewhere via the SD card as well, so you can easily interchange private keys from other wallets if you have them in the correct format.

BC VAULT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This wallet has some pretty unique features I will admit, and it’s pretty refreshing. For example, you can use multiple cryptocurrencies at once. There are no “apps” you need to install or fear or worry of running out of space that most wallets have when upgrading the firmware.

Additionally, the amount of coins and wallets that can be used/stored simultaneously is astounding. As mentioned above, you can have up to 2000 unique wallets and can interchange multiple cryptos in multiple wallets.

 

BC VAULT: Coin Support

 

This is usually one of the most important factors when deciding on a hardware wallet (with the exception of security). If the wallet doesn’t currently support the coins you need to store offline, you can’t really take it too seriously as a deciding factor for purchase. Regardless of whether or not they claim to add more coins in the future.

 Needless to say, they have some unique choices for coin support HERE.

KeepKey: Overview

 

Shapeshift And Trezor

 

KeepKey has been one of my absolute favorite hardware wallets to use in 2019. I was asked to test and report back issues with the ShapeShift beta that was a complete overhaul and utilized the KeepKey as it’s cornerstone of promoting keeping possession of your private keys under your control while you conduct trades, which has never been done before.

It was an ambitious goal, but they pulled it off in spades, and as a result it resulted in one of the best user experiences while using a hardware wallet I’ve ever encountered. It was quick, safe, and makes it easier than ever to manage your assets, portfolio, and trades all while keeping all your keys on a hardware wallet and never forfeiting custody. This is truly a game-changer and will pave the way for future hardware wallets moving into the next decade.

Let’s find out why below!

 

KeepKey: Security

 

KeepKey has a true random number generator (TRNG) for it’s PIN interface for extra physical security. In addition to offline storage, KeepKey’s PIN code and number randomization makes sure that

1) Your wallet is secure from physical theft.

2) That a hacker couldn’t steal bitcoins from your wallet with malware.

 

KeepKey is an HD wallet, meaning your entire wallet can be backed up with the 12 words generated on setup. 12 words is the default setting, although KeepKey supports seed lengths of 18 and 24.

The seed is generated using entropy from both the device itself and the computer used for setup. The seed is generated offline on the KeepKey and displayed on the device’s screen. The device’s offline screen makes sure the seed is never displayed on an internet-connected device.

KeepKey: User Experience (UX)

 

shapeshift & trezorw,

 

This is a complete overhaul that includes all of their services including: Instant Trades, Real-Time Market Data via CoinCap, In-App Crypto Purchases, and KeepKey Integration. That last part is of particular interest to me because I’ve wanted to find a way to execute purchases and trades while having my KeepKey connected, while ensuring that my private keys are protected throughout the entire process.

This is a very important detail, especially if you want to make purchases online with that extra protection and also ensure that my private keys are never compromised in a trade. This truly is the ultimate non-custodial hardware wallet solution. Here’s a few screenshots and user flows based on my experience using this web app.

 

KeepKey: Coin Support

Natively, this wallet in the current form supports over 40 assets with more on the way! Here is a current list of assets that are supported right now.  Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty. For years, KeepKey only supported: Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Namecoin, Dogecoin, and Dash. For a hardware wallet that needs to compete in this market place, that needed a serious upgrade.

Luckily, they have been making some AMAZING changes and not only added a ton of ERC-20 Support, but more importantly, they are revamping their entire platform to have one fluid, seamless application that integrates all of their core services (See my previous post for details on this). This is extremely powerful, and a decision that I believe will catapult them ahead of the competition. They are currently in a closed beta, and it is expected that they will be releasing this later in 2019. Stay tuned for news on this.

Some of the notable coins that have been added are:

-Chainlink (LINK)

-DigixDAO (DGD)

-Binance Coin (BNB)

-Dai (DAI)

-Maker (MKR)

-TrueUSD (TUSD)

 

 

BC VAULT vs KeepKey: Conclusion

 

Honestly, this is a tough one. My experience has been extremely pleasant when using both of these hardware wallets and I use them both for different coins and different use cases. Having said that, I enjoy the trading and portfolio experience on the KeepKey better.

The BC Vault is a VERY unique and robust wallet, especially if you want to secure share this hardware wallet with multiple people and want to use multi-sig to have shared wallets with multiple “voters” required in order to spend a transaction.

As of the time of this writing, you can can get a Keepkey for under $50 during this holiday season special and comes in multiple colors, so you will get a high quality device that is easy to use and uniquely allows you to trade your assets without ever releasing custody of your private keys.

This is a VERY big deal, and has not been done yet on any other hardware wallet. Although, Shapeshift has recently added some limited support for Trezor and Ledger Nano S.

All this to say, if you want a robust “vault” that is very intricate and allows for multiple users to use it safely, go with the BC VAULT. If you like to trade and want a very user friendly way to manage your portfolio, you can’t go wrong with the KeepKey.

 

 

BC VAULT vs Keepkey! What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

BC VAULT vs D’CENT (2020) | Which New Hardware Wallet Is Better?

BC VAULT vs D’CENT! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

BC VAULT: Overview

 

Unlike most other popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets, like Ledger Nano X and Trezor Model T, you do not set up a recovery seed card before you initialize the device. In fact, there is a gyro sensor for you to randomly generate private keys by physically shaking the device (seriously).

You can also hold more than 2000 unique wallets within the web app, and can granularly set specific passwords for each one and setup multiple PIN’s to not only make it more secure, but also allows for an easy way to share the device and use Multi-Sig. In fact, this is the first device that natively allows you to use Multi-Sig on a per wallet basis and set multiple PIN’s.

This wallet does not use HD wallets, so each wallet has its own unique backup. This does make it more secure, however, if you lose or forget the global PIN and global password for the device, your funds are locked inside forever. They do have an encrypted QR code backup for each individual wallet, or you can create a backup on the included micro SD card that comes in the box.

 

 

BC VAULT: Security

 

 

The storage is reliable. The BC Vault’s private keys have complete encryption and they are stored in the FRAM device. The FRAM is fully tamper-resistant and thanks to the reversible USB 3.0 Type-C connector any damage occurring from mechanical error is fully prevented.

In addition to the secure FeRAM that is securely encrypted, and the large display which is useful when confirming transactions, you have peace of mind not having to worry about anyone locating or using a recovery seed phrase to render your funds useless.

You can also import any private keys you have elsewhere via the SD card as well, so you can easily interchange private keys from other wallets if you have them in the correct format.

 

BC VAULT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This wallet has some pretty unique features I will admit, and it’s pretty refreshing. For example, you can use multiple cryptocurrencies at once. There are no “apps” you need to install or fear or worry of running out of space that most wallets have when upgrading the firmware.

Additionally, the amount of coins and wallets that can be used/stored simultaneously is astounding. As mentioned above, you can have up to 2000 unique wallets and can interchange multiple cryptos in multiple wallets.

 

 

BC VAULT: Coin Support

 

This is usually one of the most important factors when deciding on a hardware wallet (with the exception of security). If the wallet doesn’t currently support the coins you need to store offline, you can’t really take it too seriously as a deciding factor for purchase. Regardless of whether or not they claim to add more coins in the future.

 Needless to say, they have some unique choices for coin support HERE.

 

D’CENT: Overview

 

The D’CENT is a mobile and bluetooth connected wireless hardware wallet device. With additional biometric security and the ease of use, this is a contender for the easiest to use mobile and wireless wallet. So how is it different than Ledger Nano X or other bluetooth devices? The Biometric security is a large differentiator here. It’s super convenient and makes it easy to sign and authenticate transactions on the go.

This means if you want to move your crypto from cold storage to a hot wallet, it can be done quickly and easily. A common scenario here would be if you are trying to pay a friend or you’re shopping and want to pay for a product in store very seamlessly. Let’s take a look at the security, features, and price below to go into a little more detail.

 

 

D’CENT: Security

 

 

The flagship feature of D’CENT is hands down the biometric security feature of the fingerprint sensor. There are some other hardware wallets that communicate with mobile, and can utilize Face ID or Touch ID for extra authentication with their mobile app, but this gives your authentication on the physical device as well. This is a unique and very secure feature that is not used by any other hardware wallet currently on the market.

The hardware wallet features a built-in fingerprint scanner that manages access to the hardware wallet. This security process improves the convenience for the users and enhances the security during access control. It also provides the wallet with fast transaction signing.

  • Multi-IC architecture design
  • Bank grade EAL 5+ Secure Element (This is the same security chip used in the Ledger Nano X)
  • Secure OS embedded on microprocessor

 

D’CENT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

One of the main features I like here is the option to generate a valid QR code on the large OLED screen of this device as a way to send funds directly from your smartphone to your D’CENT wallet. This is super convenient and truly makes this a wireless and independent device that can be used on the go via the D’CENT app, which also includes a market price section and of course all of your wallets and current fiat amount stored within each one.

What’s also nice is you no longer need to backup and restore this device for firmware upgrades like you do with other devices (although you can, since this device can also support bluetooth and USB connectivity if you choose). This makes this a very convenient choice when considering the ease of use and security when choosing how to secure your private keys.

 

 

D’CENT: Coin Support

 

The coin support is varied. The D’CENT can store and support Bitcoin, Ethereum, ERC20 tokens, RSK, RRC20 (RSK tokens), Ripple (XRP), and MONACOIN. To many, this may not seem like it is very much, however, a majority of the major tokens are ERC-20 tokens and all can be supported natively on this device, which is good. I have not come across a hardware wallet yet that supports RSK and RRC20 tokens yet natively, so that definitely makes this an exclusive hardware wallet first for the D’CENT wallet!

 

BC VAULT vs D’CENT: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are two of the most unique wallets I’ve ever used. The biometric fingerprint sensor that the D’CENT has, with the flexibility of bluetooth feature for both mobile and desktop support is a nice selling point. The coin support is not that robust (yet), but I believe in time it will be competing amongst the best. 

Not to mention, with my discount offered below via my partnership with them, you can get this wallet for only $106, which does make it cheaper than the BC Vault.

With that said, the BC VAULT has a very clean UI and user experience, and uniquely supports over 2000 different wallets and allows for very easy-to-use multiple signatures is a VERY secure feature you don’t see easily used on most other hardware wallets.

If I had a gun to my head and had to pick which one of these wallets I had to pick, I would go with the BC VAULT, it’s far more unique and having multi-sig is a very useful and secure feature, although I really do like the biometric authentication with the D’CENT. BC VAULT wins this round.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

BC VAULT vs Ledger Nano X (2020) | Are These Hardware Wallets Worth It?

BC VAULT vs Ledger Nano X! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

Ledger Nano X: Overview

 

The Nano X comes beautifully packaged with the device itself, a USB-C cable, a set of instructions and recovery seed cards. The previous bulky buttons that were on top of the device are now seamlessly integrated on it in a way that’s even a bit hard to notice. All in all a beautiful design. The primary features of this device are the bluetooth connection which allows you to manage this device using your smartphone via the iOS and Android app.

Additionally, you can now hodl, store, or manage up to 100 cryptos simultaneously, all without access to your desktop or laptop computer. This is easily it’s best new features, but aside from the upgraded storage capacity and the wireless connectivity, the device itself is now larger, has an integrated 2-function button, and an overall larger screen for verifying transactions. With a trusted device and a more universal charging cable, this makes it much more compelling to spend the extra money to store more coins and one that you can easily take with you as you travel.

 

 

Ledger Nano X: Security

 

 

Ledger is at the forefront of developing the industry’s device security. How? And in what ways?

CC EAL5+ SECURE ELEMENT

 Only Ledger’s devices can claim the French cybersecurity agency ANSSI’s full certification.

The Nano X and Nano S both feature what is called a ‘secure element’. The chip seen below is the next generation chip that comes in the Nano X:

The secure chip meets the CC EAL5+ certification and run’s Ledger’s proprietary BOLOS operating system. 

 

According to Ledger:

A Secure Element is a secure chip that…embeds intrinsic countermeasures against many known attacks. This kind of chip is tamper-resistant and protects your device to a range of different attacks.”

 

Ledger Nano X: User Experience (UX)

 

ledger nano x

 

Honestly, the user experience is a massive upgrade from the Ledger Nano S. With that said, It has a few usability issues that I find to be quite difficult to overcome. Although this device is physically larger than it’s predecessor, it still has a fairly difficult to use early experience.

For example, the screen is still fairly small and still cannot accommodate a QR code for scanning. This may not seem like a big deal, but after using several hardware wallets, it really does make a big difference. Using a QR code is not only safer (because it removes the chance of error from manually typing in a wallet address), but it is incredibly faster and makes the entire of transacting offline, a much easier experience. 

Although this device has stepped up the quality considerably from it’s latest iteration, I still feel that utilizing an all new form factor could have been beneficial and a little more innovative than replicating their 1st generation device with a few small tweaks.

 

 

Ledger Nano X Coin Support

 

The Ledger Nano X utilizes the “Ledger Live” dashboard which is a desktop application that allows you to manage all of your coins, portfolio, and potential trades in an easy to use application. You can use this on both an iOS or Android app as well as a desktop.

This app allows you to manage up to 1,100 coins that are supported by the device. However, only about 200 of them are “native” apps. This means that you can manage them directly within the Ledger Live app, without having to connect to a 3rd party wallet, such as MyEtherWallet or MyCrypto. I will leave a link HERE with a list of fully supported coins.

 

BC VAULT: Overview

 

 

Unlike most other popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets, like Ledger Nano X and Trezor Model T, you do not set up a recovery seed card before you initialize the device. In fact, there is a gyro sensor for you to randomly generate private keys by physically shaking the device (seriously).

You can also hold more than 2000 unique wallets within the web app, and can granularly set specific passwords for each one and setup multiple PIN’s to not only make it more secure, but also allows for an easy way to share the device and use Multi-Sig. In fact, this is the first device that natively allows you to use Multi-Sig on a per wallet basis and set multiple PIN’s.

This wallet does not use HD wallets, so each wallet has its own unique backup. This does make it more secure, however, if you lose or forget the global PIN and global password for the device, your funds are locked inside forever. They do have an encrypted QR code backup for each individual wallet, or you can create a backup on the included micro SD card that comes in the box.

 

 

BC VAULT: Security

 

The storage is reliable. The BC Vault’s private keys have complete encryption and they are stored in the FRAM device. The FRAM is fully tamper-resistant and thanks to the reversible USB 3.0 Type-C connector any damage occurring from mechanical error is fully prevented.

In addition to the secure FeRAM that is securely encrypted, and the large display which is useful when confirming transactions, you have peace of mind not having to worry about anyone locating or using a recovery seed phrase to render your funds useless.

You can also import any private keys you have elsewhere via the SD card as well, so you can easily interchange private keys from other wallets if you have them in the correct format.

 

BC VAULT: User Experience (UX)

 

 

This wallet has some pretty unique features I will admit, and it’s pretty refreshing. For example, you can use multiple cryptocurrencies at once. There are no “apps” you need to install or fear or worry of running out of space that most wallets have when upgrading the firmware.

Additionally, the amount of coins and wallets that can be used/stored simultaneously is astounding. As mentioned above, you can have up to 2000 unique wallets and can interchange multiple cryptos in multiple wallets.

 

 

BC VAULT: Coin Support

 

This is usually one of the most important factors when deciding on a hardware wallet (with the exception of security). If the wallet doesn’t currently support the coins you need to store offline, you can’t really take it too seriously as a deciding factor for purchase. Regardless of whether or not they claim to add more coins in the future.

 Needless to say, they have some unique choices for coin support HERE.

 

BC VAULT vs Ledger Nano X: Conclusion

 

Overall, these are two highly regarded hardware wallets with unique properties in its own right. If you want to have the flexibility of being able to use this device on the go and utilize it via a smartphone app, then you should go with the Ledger Nano X. If you want something that has a MASSIVE portfolio support and lots of customizable security, you should go with the BC VAULT.

At the end of the day, it really depends on your personal preference and what your immediate needs are. Now, I have used both of these devices extensively and I have a clear favorite (check out the details in the above video). If I only had to choose one of these devices, I would choose the BC VAULT, it has a very unique and strong security model, it can hold up to 2000 wallets simultaneously, and can support multi-sig, which allows for mutliple users to securely use the same wallet and requires a set number of users in order to send money.

Not only that, you can SECURELY share this device with multiple people as all of these wallets are encrypted and can have multiple custom passwords. I would truly feel confident handing this hardware wallet to my friend with over 10 BTC on it, because I know he will have no way to access the funds within my wallet. I can’t say that about the Ledger Nano X.

All in all, these both are great wallets and you ultimately need to decide what coins you need to store offline, how many coins you need to store at once, and if you need mobile support. These are all very personal, and in my case, I would rather sacrifice the mobile support to have a very easy to use multi-sig hardware wallet with the ability to share it with family, friends, or even a new business.

 

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the BC Vault over the Ledger Nano X? BC VAULT vs Ledger Nano X! Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

 

SafePal vs Ledger Nano S (2020) | Which Entry Level Hardware Wallet Is Better?

SafePal vs Ledger Nano S! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.

I am going to dive into which of these entry-level hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile OR desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download? 

These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you. 

Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.

 

Ledger Nano S: Overview

 

 

The Ledger Nano S is a very compact, sleek, and secure device that allows you to store over 1,100 cryptocurrencies at the time of this writing. This is crucial as more altcoins gain acceptance and you need a wide portfolio to protect longer term. Ledger takes their security very seriously and for good reason. There have been a number of exchange hacks and reports of people losing or having their wallets hacked by nefarious individuals throughout history. This is why having this device is so crucial.

Ledger Nano S is a device that is upgraded frequently with new features and firmware upgrades to ensure that it has the latest security protections and new assets being added every single month. Not to mention, it is currently the cheapest among the 3 best-known hardware wallet companies, starting at only $59 USD!

 

Ledger Nano S: Security

 

The Ledger Nano S has an A-grade security setup which sets it apart from the competition. It uses a secure element which holds and stores the private keys in a separate and secure environment from the rest of the operating system. This ensures that if for any reason the rest of the device is somehow compromised, you precious private keys are safe.

It also supports the standards BIP-39 protocol that requires you to setup a recovery seed phrase of 24 words during the initial setup, that allows you to restore your coins to any other wallet in the event you have broken, lost, or somehow cannot gain access to the device itself, so you have a fail safe.

Ledger Nano S: User Experience (UX)

 

 

I will keep this section short and sweet, as I addressed above, this is a sleek and compact device, which makes it very stable and durable. It has a small OLED screen and 2 physical buttons. This is used for navigating apps, verifying your pin to access to the device, confirming a transaction, and generating the recovery seed words upon first time setup.

When entering in your PIN on the device, the right button will function as the “Up” arrow, and the left button the “Down” arrow for scrolling through your selections, then pressing both at the same time will confirm your selection, so it’s pretty intuitive. It has a one port which is micro USB that connects to a cable to a standard USB port that can be used on a MAC or PC.

 

Ledger Nano S: Coin Support

 

Technically, this device supports over 1,000 different coins, with a few caveats below. I will also leave a link for the full list of supported coins HERE.

– You can really only hold 3 or 4 apps on the device at once. I originally only kept 3 apps on the device, as those were the only coins I needed to add at the time. However, when I went to add a 4th, it told me I needed to remove an existing app to make room. The RAM or space is on the device is very limited, so it’s good if you have only 2-3 coins you want to manage at once.

-They require you go through the process of removing and uninstalling all apps and then going in and reinstalling them for EVERY firmware update. This is tedious and really obnoxious for the serious hardware wallet user. I understand you need to have backups and be careful with every upgrade but c’mon, this is the only device I have this issue with.

SafePal: Overview

 

This device was originally created by Binance Labs division and wanted to have a unique approach to a hardware wallet that was cheap enough for the average user, but also supported the Binance chain and added support for their internal projects. This really is a unique entry level hardware wallet, that greatly differs in terms of design, functionality, and overall user experience.

 

SafePal: Security

 

 

This can be considered one of the most attractive features of the device as it’s only $39.99 for this hardware wallet. Yes, you read that right. But why is it so cheap? Well, even though it looks like a very sleek and expensive device, its is made of plastic coating and a very small camera module that is used to transact at a very low resolution.l It’s obvious that they built this as cheaply as they could, while still remaining secure.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but you also get what you pay for. One of the key features that sets this device apart from most other competing hardware wallets is the fact that there is NO:

  • NFC
  • BLUETOOTH
  • USB
  • CELLULAR
  • EXTERNAL DEVICE CONNECTIONS

This gives it extra security, but it also makes it easier to use, as there are no extra devices necessary for this to operate, other than your smartphone. All you need right out of the box is a charger that supports USB-A to charge the device and a smartphone to download the SafePal App to setup and initialize the device.

SafePal: User Experience (UX)

 

This is the cheapest completely wireless hardware wallet on the market. It interacts only with your smartphone and the camera embedded into the device that allows you to transmit encrypted data via the QR code. This is truly a unique device.

This is a pretty solid introductory hardware wallet. It’s unique from its direct competitors and its simple and easy to use. As mentioned above, it has no connection weaknesses and cannot be hacked by any radio frequency or directly connected internet device. It’s truly a unique wireless hardware wallet that can be used on the go and is one of only a few hardware wallets that are “truly wireless” with no dependence on other devices. Oh, and did I mentioned it’s under $50?

 

SafePal: Coin Support

 

 

This is the one weal point of this product is the lack of coin support, as it only supports: Bitcoin, Ether (and ERC-20 Tokens), BNB, Litecoin, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash. However, they have mentioned that there is Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) coming very shortly. They truly are attempting to add more coins, and over time, if they don’t raise their price, this option will be a slam dunk for most users.

Additionally, I will add that the Binance Chain Coins (BEP2) tokens are also supported as this is a Binance hardware wallet after all. Below Is a full list of coins currently supported.

 

 

SafePal vs Ledger Nano S: Conclusion

 

At the end of the day, these are the two most trusted entry level hardware wallets on the market today. They both have an entry point under $60 (which is very cheap considering the competition), and the SafePal is currently on sale for under $40.

On the one hand, the Ledger Nano S has a massive development team and “technically” supports over 1,000 coins, however, as I mentioned above, it really only allows you to hold 3-4 coins on the device at once. The coin selection is a very nice feature, especially if you want to expand and swap out your portfolio. However, even though the SafePal does not hold nearly as many coins (currently), it is VASTLY more secure.

Having no connection to USB, Bluetooth, or any other transmission method other than an encrypted QR code via a camera, is a very attractive selling point. Not to mention the fact that you don’t need a computer and a USB connection to use it, makes it more accessible for a much larger market.

Personally, it really just depends on your current situation. You need to ask yourself: “What coins do I need to store offline?” “Am I ok with having to use a computer to use this device?” “Do I want to hold more than 3 different coins at once on the device?”. If it were me, I would choose the SafePal. This by NO means the Ledger Nano S is a bad device, I just believe the fact that I can use the SafePal with a smartphone and also having no insecurities makes it a very compelling choice. The fact that it’s currently cheaper is just a bonus.

 

 

What do you think? Would you choose the SafePal over the Ledger Nano S? SafePal vs Ledger Nano S! Let us know down below in the comments!

 

Cheers,

 

The Crypto Renegade

 

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.

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