Choosing a hardware wallet

What actually matters

• Supply chain: where you buy matters more than features. Buy from the maker's own site, typed by hand.
• Firmware track record: how the vendor discloses and fixes bugs.
• A trustworthy screen to verify addresses and amounts.
• Fit for your plan: if you will build multisig later, plan on devices from different vendors.

Our verdicts (as of October 15, 2026)

Products not listed (for example Passport, Keystone, SeedSigner, Krux, Bitkey) were not reviewed in this edition. That is not a judgment either way. Full details and sources: Security Status.

Why buying direct matters right now

In October 2026 Ledger confirmed that criminals fitted cellular implants into genuine devices sold through unauthorized channels, so the implant could capture the seed during setup. Ledger said its secure element, device OS and servers were not compromised (Ledger), and asked sellers across Asia to halt sales while it investigated (BleepingComputer). The lesson applies to every brand: buy from the maker.

Buying steps

1. Shortlist by use case: beginners, BitBox02 or Trezor Safe; QR air-gapped, Jade; future multisig, two or three different vendors.
2. Check the vendor's security page on the day you buy, and compare with our Security Status. If there is a new unresolved advisory, wait.
3. Order from the official site (type the URL yourself; phishing sites buy search ads).
4. Protect shipping privacy: consider a mail-forwarding address and a dedicated email, because customer lists have leaked before.
5. On arrival, check seals. Reject any device that comes pre-initialized or with seed words already printed, or that asks you to restore from words in the box.

Common mistakes

• Buying second-hand to save money.
• Trusting a recommendation that is a year old.
• Buying three identical devices for multisig.
• Clicking a search ad to the "official store".