If 2022's well-publicized stories of crypto platform insolvency have taught us anything, it's that "not your keys, not your coins" is as true now as ever. To help you keep your ETH holdings safe, we've conducted an extensive review of the best Ethereum wallets available in the US.
We looked at criteria including overall security, functionality and cost to determine which wallets are the best all-rounders for self-custody of your Ether.
Disclaimer: This page is not financial advice or an endorsement of digital assets, providers or services. Digital assets are volatile and risky, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Potential regulations or policies can affect their availability and services provided. Talk with a financial professional before making a decision. Finder or the author may own cryptocurrency discussed on this page.
The Nano S Plus is our pick for the best ETH wallet overall thanks to Ledger's robust security, wide range of cryptocurrencies and NFTs all at the affordable price point of US$79.
The Nano S Plus is a hardware wallet manufactured by French company Ledger, which has been around since 2014. Ledger wallets have a clean security track record, with no hardware breaches recorded.
The accompanying Ledger Live app also allows you to swap cryptocurrencies, purchase them with debit or credit card or put them to work via staking. You can also sync your device with MetaMask to interact with DeFi protocols while keeping your private keys safely offline.
You'll be hard-pressed to find another wallet that offers so much value at such a moderate price.
The Ledger Nano X is one of the best-known and feature-rich hardware wallets on the market. Its robust security, support for a wide range of cryptos and connection to both desktop and mobile interfaces are some of the reasons it was our pick for the best Ethereum hardware wallet.
Ledger has a long track record of providing industry-standard level security for digital assets.
The Nano X hardware is supported by the Ledger Live app, which helps you manage up to 5,500 cryptos, Ethereum and Polygon NFTs and a range of DeFi apps from a single user interface available on both desktop and mobile.
You can also stake a selection of your digital assets via Ledger Live.
The Nano X is Bluetooth-enabled and compatible with both Android and IOS mobile devices, so you can manage your crypto on the go.
Exodus Wallet is a software wallet for desktop and mobile that provides access to a wide range of cryptocurrencies. While many wallets only let you manage coins on a single network, Exodus supports assets on blockchains including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. This all-in-one functionality makes it our top Ethereum wallet pick for beginners.
The wallet has added features like a portfolio overview that help you to oversee your holdings. And if you'd like to top up your portfolio, you can use the wallet's built-in exchange to swap your digital assets.
You can also stake cryptos like Algorand (ALGO) and Cosmos (ATOM) through Exodus.
For added security, you can store the keys to your assets on a Trezor hardware wallet, making it easy to upgrade from one to the other if you decide to go pro.
One of Exodus's most beginner-friendly features is its highly-responsive support staff. If you email them for support, you can expect to hear back within an hour.
The Trezor Model T wins our best pick for experienced users thanks to several advanced features which come together to give you greater control over your funds.
Where the Model T falls short is the range of coins and tokens it supports. It's best thought of as a Bitcoin wallet first and an altcoin wallet second. The Trezor Suite software only supports a small handful of popular blockchains, but through third-party software, the Model T supports over 1,800 coins and tokens.
Atomic Wallet is our pick for best Ethereum desktop wallet thanks to its support for over 500 crypto coins and tokens across more than 50 blockchains in a single app – and it's available on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Its easy-to-use interface makes it a popular choice for beginners and pros alike.
The wallet was launched in 2017 by Konstantin Gladych, CEO of Changelly. Changelly is a decentralized crypto exchange built into Atomic Wallet, allowing you to swap cryptos or purchase them with a credit or debit card.
You can stake 10+ digital assets including Cardano (ADA), Cosmos (ATOM) and Tezos (XTZ), and the wallet features an NFT gallery for the Solana blockchain.
If you run into any problems while using Atomic Wallet, you can reach out to its 24/7 customer support team.
When new to the cryptocurrency industry, searching for a wallet to store the private keys of your Ether, or ETH, can be a daunting task. Even for experienced investors, there are hundreds of options available. Luckily there are some standout elements that every good cryptocurrency wallet should have.
At the top of the list should be security. A wallet's sole purpose is to keep private keys secure. If a wallet's security protocols are not up to scratch, move on to the next option.
Become familiar with how the wallet keeps your private keys safe. Does it implement 2-factor authentication (2FA)? Does it allow backups to be created? Can you whitelist IP addresses? Additionally, what is the company's development record like? Are they constantly working and looking for new ways to upgrade the system? To stay ahead of those wishing to exploit consumers, development teams need to be continuously working.
For extra security, look for a cryptocurrency wallet that allows a user to remain in control of their private keys. While some exchanges or online platforms offer a wallet service, if the cryptocurrency is stored through a centralized organization, a user is never truly in control. To remain in full control, search for a non-custodial cryptocurrency wallet.
Another factor to consider is the ease of use. Does the wallet have a beginner-friendly user interface that will help a user avoid making mistakes? Is the associated software easy to navigate and install? Especially for beginners, keeping software as simple as possible is key.
While security and ease of use are crucial, another aspect to consider is smart contract functionality. One of Ethereum's unique characteristics is that it allows developers to program digital contracts, otherwise known as smart contracts. Smart contract functionality allows for interaction with all decentralized applications (dApps) that run on the Ethereum blockchain. If a wallet is compatible, a user can lend, borrow, exchange and trade all from their wallet.
Finally, it is important to look at what other cryptocurrencies are supported by the wallet. Some crypto wallets focus on a select few cryptocurrencies. Others are compatible with hundreds. Do you want the cryptocurrency wallet to be compatible with all Ethereum compatible (ERC20) tokens?
To safely and securely store Ether, remember these simple tips:
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