9 Best Crypto Wallets of 2024

What is a crypto wallet?

Crypto wallets provide a way to protect secret information that gives you control over your digital assets. This is not something you want to leave to chance; if you lose access to these “private keys,” you may never get your cryptocurrency back.

How to choose a crypto wallet

The first question when choosing a crypto wallet is whether you want a hot wallet or a cold wallet. The main difference between a hot wallet and a cold wallet is that hot wallets are connected to the internet while cold wallets are not.

Other questions to ask when comparing wallets include: How many types of digital assets are supported, how easy is it to move crypto offline, into a cold wallet, and are there resources for in-app staking or rewards programs?

🔥 Best hot crypto wallets

Hot wallets are often free to use, offering add-on services such as trading or staking in exchange for fees. A hot wallet makes it relatively easy to carry out transactions using crypto, but it may be more vulnerable to hackers who could theoretically reach your crypto over the internet.

Here are NerdWallet’s top picks for hot crypto wallets.

Zengo

Zengo has emerged as a next-generation wallet that claims to build on the technology of previous wallets. Rather than seed phrases and private keys, Zengo uses a form of cryptography known as multi-party computation, or MPC, to secure assets and perform transactions. Zengo claims this is the first instance of a consumer wallet (as opposed to an institution) using MPC. Seed phrases and private keys have been at the heart of self-custody in crypto since the beginning, but Zengo aims to enhance security while doing away with the issues that come from managing your own keys and seed phrases. The company says that as of 2024, no Zengo wallets have been phished, hacked or otherwise taken over. 

The biggest downside to Zengo is that it does not offer a downloadable desktop version, and currently, it lacks support for some very popular cryptocurrencies, including Solana, XRP, Cardano and Polkadot ^[0]

Crypto.com Defi Wallet

Crypto.com DeFi Wallet is a wallet created by a company mostly known for its crypto exchanges. It’s specifically tailored for use in what is known as decentralized finance (DeFi), which is a sector of the crypto world focused on lending, saving and other financial products that don’t rely on a central broker. Users of Crypto.com DeFi Wallet can use their crypto holdings to interact with DeFi products both on their mobile app and in a browser extension. It also has a desktop app that integrates with Ledger hardware wallets.

The Crypto.com DeFi Wallet emerged as a winner here thanks to the wallet's connection to the main Crypto.com app. This makes it extremely simple to use Crypto.com's well-reviewed centralized trading app, then transfer assets to your own self-custody wallet. Note, however, that for BTC, there is a $100 withdrawal minimum. So you'd need more than $100 worth of BTC to instantly transfer it to your DeFi wallet.

Guarda

Guarda is a free, all-purpose crypto wallet whose users can access their crypto via mobile, desktop or browser extension. It says it supports more than 400,000 digital assets. Users of Guarda can move crypto into cold storage through an integration with the hardware wallet Ledger. Guarda also has staking programs available

Exodus

Exodus offers a solid set of software tools, including a mobile app, a desktop app and a browser extension. Its products allow users to buy, trade or stake cryptocurrency directly from their wallets, and it has an integration with the Trezor cold wallet intended to help people easily move crypto from hot to cold storage. Exodus, which is free to use, also has a solid library of explanatory content for people who are learning about crypto.

Trust Wallet

Trust Wallet is another storage product that operates in partnership with a major crypto exchange. It is the official wallet of Binance, the international digital asset firm, and that partnership gives users the ability to buy, sell and trade directly from their wallet. It says it supports more than 10 million types of digital assets, though this should probably be taken with a grain of salt, as CoinMarketCap only puts the number of circulating cryptocurrencies at about 2.4 million^[0]

Coinbase Wallet

You’ve heard of Coinbase. The company operates the largest U.S.-based crypto exchange. But Coinbase Wallet is a separate product that allows users to store cryptocurrency themselves rather than keeping it in the custody of Coinbase. Because the Coinbase Wallet was created by Coinbase, it integrates easily with its company’s exchange and may be a good introduction for users who haven’t used a non-custodial wallet before.

The free application has some other strengths, such as mobile and browser-based connections to decentralized applications. It also lacks some functionality offered by competitors, such as a desktop app, though its browser extension connects to the Ledger hardware wallet.

MetaMask

If you’re a regular user of applications on the Ethereum blockchain, chances are you’ve come across MetaMask. Free and open-source, MetaMask can store any digital asset that’s built on Ethereum. MetaMask also integrates with many of the “Web3” applications that exist on the Internet and require crypto transactions to work.

MetaMask has mobile and browser-based wallets, though it does not have a desktop app. It also offers staking and DeFi apps through its MetaMask Portfolio feature. Just remember that if you’re not a big user of Ethereum and its related tokens, MetaMask might not be much help to you.

How our ranked hot wallets compare

There is a large selection of hot wallets on the market, and most of them can support hundreds or even thousands of cryptocurrencies. They also generally can hold at least some types of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, and many connect directly to exchanges where you can buy or sell crypto.

🧊 Best cold wallets

Cold wallets are usually gadgets that are disconnected from the internet that help you store sensitive crypto information. They tend to cost money, because you have to buy a piece of actual hardware that’s set up to store your crypto. Because they are not connected to the internet, they may be harder for other users to reach. But if you lose the actual device, recovery could be very difficult.

While there are ways to do this yourself, hardware wallets come preloaded with software and other usability and security features that make the process smoother.

Cold wallets cost more than hot wallets, in part because you’re buying an actual, physical product. When you’re comparing crypto wallets, you may want to consider details such as price and security measures. If you also use a hot wallet, you should check to make sure the hardware you’re considering will work with your software wallet.

Here are NerdWallet’s top picks for cold crypto wallets.

Ledger

Ledger is one of the best-known names in crypto wallets. Its prices range from around $79 to $149, and Ledger can integrate with many popular software wallets such as Crypto.com and Guarda. Ledger has a highly rated mobile app, plus a dedicated desktop app, and its developers are in the process of rolling out a browser extension. Ledger also has two-factor authentication available, and a library of educational content for users.

Trezor

Trezor features a touch screen for fully on-device entry and highly secure offline storage, but it has no native staking or NFT management. It also has no Bluetooth connection or mobile app. Trezor offers some of the highest-end hardware available in crypto storage. While its entry-level model (the Tezor Model One) costs around $60, it also has a more expensive model (price at publication was $179) with a touch screen. Trezor has integrations with other crypto firms such as Exodus, though it also provides built-in services such as staking and crypto purchases through its software products. It has a desktop offering, as well as a mobile app (Trezor Suite Lite) for Apple and Android.

How our ranked cold wallets compare

Learn more about crypto wallets

What are non-custodial crypto wallets?

Non-custodial crypto wallets are the type of storage option preferred by many crypto enthusiasts because they place you in control of your own private data. Unlike when you keep assets on a cryptocurrency exchange, with a non-custodial wallet, you don’t have to trust a third party to secure your private keys.

That’s not to say non-custodial wallets are without risk. They are less forgiving of errors such as lost passwords, and you have to trust that your wallet’s hardware and software will work as intended.

And moving assets between wallets regularly can become costly because of transaction fees imposed by underlying blockchain networks. For these reasons some crypto users have multiple types of wallets: some for long-term safekeeping and others for active trading.

One way to choose a wallet is by looking at the website of the cryptocurrency you’re hoping to store. There are many single-purpose solutions built for individual cryptocurrencies. For example, MetaMask is often considered a top Ethereum wallet because it focuses solely on ERC-20 tokens. Similarly, Electrum is among the top Bitcoin wallets because it's built specifically for Bitcoin power users.

But if you’re planning to protect multiple kinds of cryptocurrencies in one place, it’s a good idea to shop around. Here’s how to know what’s right for you.

» Not ready for a wallet? Here are the best crypto exchanges and platforms

Are there other ways to invest in crypto?

You can also keep your crypto on a cryptocurrency exchange, but then you're trusting a third party to secure your assets. Some popular brokerages, such as Fidelity and Robinhood, allow you to buy crypto through accounts with them as well.

Can I move crypto from a traditional online broker to a crypto wallet?

That depends on the broker. Some, like Robinhood, do work with external wallets, while others do not. For more information, check out our roundup of the best crypto exchanges and apps.

How do I buy crypto?