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BC Vault Review (2020) | Most “Unique” Hardware Wallet Approach In A While
In this review, I am going to do a deep dive into the BC Vault hardware wallet. How does it stack up against the Ledger Nano X or the Trezor Model T? Does it have more coins supported? How much does it cost? What about the security of the device?
Luckily, we are going to address all of these questions and more in this article, so stay tuned and find out what makes this hardware wallet truly unique from the rest. I have reviewed a handful of new hardware wallets recently and can honestly say that this wallet is much different than the last 10 I’ve ripped into.
If you want to check the most recent review I’ve done, it’s for an entry level hardware wallet made by Binance’s team and it also has a unique twist as well called the Safepal S1. You can find that review HERE for comparison.
Now, let’s take a look at the BC Vault details below. You won’t regret it!
BC Vault – What Makes It Unique?
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.
What’s In The Box?
This is everything that comes in the box of the device. I have also posted an unboxing video below with a tutorial and setup guide video coming soon. Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- BC Vault Hardware Wallet Device
- Multiple Stickers “Wallets are for pocket money, Vaults are for safe keeping.”
- USB C to USB-A Nylon Cable
- Getting Started Guide
- Welcome Note From CEO
- 1 GB Micro SD Card
You have everything you need to get started right out of the box. Once you remove all the security tape and plastic screen protectors, you are now ready to connect your device through the web app to set your global PIN
Features & Price
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.
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.
The cost is this wallet is 155 Euros, which is approximately $170 USD at the time of this writing. This isn’t a bad price, considering the features and amount of crypto you can store and use on this device.
Coins Supported
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, including:
Bitcoin
Ethereum
Litecoin
Dogecoin
Dash
Bitcoin Cash
Ripple
Stellar
Ethereum Classic
ERC-20 Tokens
Bitcoin Gold
Tron
Vechain
Icon
OmiseGO
0x
BINANCE COIN
WaltonChain
Polymath
Salt
Cindicator
Dynamic Trading Rights
Iconomi
OriginTrail
Viberate
CargoX
InsurePal
Xaurum
You can also find a complete list of currencies that are supported by clicking HERE. That will link you directly to BC VAULT’s website, which will always be up to date at the time you are reading this.
I will point out that some of these coins cannot be found natively on any other hardware wallet, such as InsurePal and Iconomi, and even Xaurum. These are definitely some interesting choices, but it appears to work well for very specialized camps.
BC Vault – Conclusion
The bottom line is, the BC Vault is far different than the last handful of hardware wallets I’ve used. From the unboxing to the entirely different recovery process, to the highly secure wallet formatting has made this a true contender for the most secure hardware wallet on the market. If you want to “HODL” your coins safely and not have to worry about securing a recovery seed phrase, this might be the only hardware wallet you will ever need.
What do you think? Is there a more secure wallet out there? Let us know down 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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SafePal S1 Review (2020) | Binance’s “Unique” Entry Level Hardware Wallet
In this review, we are going to deep dive into what makes the Safepal S1 hardware wallet unique. Why is it any better than Trezor or Ledger? Why is the price so much lower? How secure is this new and fairly unknown hardware wallet maker? Is it backed by Binance? Stay tuned for this article to get all of these questions answered and more!
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.
I will also link to the full reviews for the Trezor One hardware wallet, and the Ledger Nano S hardware wallet, HERE and HERE, respectively for comparison. Also, if you have any questions that were not answered here, leave a comment down below and I will personally answer them for you.
Now, onto the Safepal S1 hardware wallet. Let’s go!
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SafePal S1 – What Makes It Unique?
The Safepal hardware wallet is first and foremost an entry level hardware wallet competing directly with Trezor One and Ledger Nano S, in terms of pricing and functionality. However, although this wallet does not support anywhere near as many coins as the Trezor and Ledger (more on that bellow), but it’s truly a wireless, disconnected and unencumbered security device.
This device is 100% completely offline. This is not true of the two other wallets mentioned here. So how does this device work, then? Two words for you: QR Codes. The device has a camera installed on the back and has a 1.3 color LCD screen to verify transactions, which has the ability to display a QR code for you to make transactions directly from your smartphones mobile wallet, directly to the Safepal.
The Safepal S1 hardware wallet is built with dual chip architect. Embedded with financial grade EAL5+ crypto chip, S1 keeps your private key in top security. It has multiple layers of sensor detects any possible software or hardware attacks, and once a malicious attack is detected, the device will activate self-destroy and key-erasing mechanism, preventing anyone from stealing your money.
This is most likely why thy don’t ship the box with any anti-tampering mechanisms, much like Ledger.
What’s In The Box?
This device has everything you need to get setup right out of the box (minus the Safepal App for your smartphone). Recovery seed cards, user manual, stickers, and more.
• SafePal S1
• User Manual
• USB Cable (Charging Only)
• Mnemonic Recovery Card (x3)
• SafePal Stickers (x2)
• Cleaning ClothThere isn’t anything else you need, except either a charging adapter, or your computer to power up your device on the only button on the side of the device. However, my device came with a little juice already on it when I pulled it out of the box.
Features & Price
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.
Additionally, this is the first and only device to support the Binance DEX (decentralized exchange) for ERC-20 and BNB tokens for trading offline. Pretty sweet.
Coins Supported
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 – Conclusion
Overall, 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 $50?
There are higher quality and more durable devices that use a similar method of communication, such as the Cobo Vault and The Ellipal 2.0 (and upcoming Ellipal Titan), however those devices are much more expensive. Personally, If I mainly only wanted to secure Bitcoin, Ethereum, and only a handful of ERC-20 tokens, then I would definitely go with this device over the Ledger Nano S, or even the Trezor.
Not because the above are bad in any way (because they are not), but because for the price and no dependence on other devices, this is truly a contender for the best “entry-level” hardware wallet.
What do you think? Is there a better deal for an entry level hardware wallet? Sound off 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.
