Ripple is a US tech company that aims to make it faster, easier and more affordable to send money overseas. To achieve this, it offers a range of products and solutions to banks and payment providers around the world.
This includes the use of XRP, the native asset of the decentralised XRP Ledger. You can buy and sell XRP on a wide range of cryptocurrency exchanges, but before you do, it’s essential that you set up a safe and secure wallet to store your XRP.
However, there are a number of XRP wallets available, so the challenge is sifting through the best products to find one that’s right for you.
If you came here searching for Ripple wallets, you might be surprised to learn that Ripple and XRP are actually two different things.
Ripple is the name of a US tech company that aims to provide faster and cheaper cross-border payments.
XRP (XRP) is an independent digital asset that facilitates fast transactions on the Ripple network, acting as a source of liquidity and a link between different fiat currencies.
If you’re searching for a Ripple wallet, it’s important to be aware that Ripple doesn’t recommend or endorse any XRP wallets. However, there are several wallets available from third-party providers, so make sure to compare your options and remember to keep an eye out for the following features:
There’s lots more to learn about how cryptocurrency wallets work.
The Ledger Nano S offers a simple, secure way to store your XRP. An XRP hardware wallet that plugs into your computer’s USB port, the Nano S is compact, versatile and extremely popular.
The Nano is essentially a USB device that stores your private keys. However, it also features a built-in organic LED (OLED) screen, which allows you to quickly and conveniently check your balance or confirm a transaction.
Hardware wallets allow you to conveniently store and manage your currency and are generally considered to be more secure than web and desktop wallets. Rather than actually storing your currency, the Nano S tracks your XRP holdings on the blockchain. It also stores and protects the data (private keys) needed to access your cryptocurrency.
Read our full review of the Ledger Nano S wallet here
The fact that it offers offline storage provides protection against hackers, while you’ll need to create a four-digit PIN that you must use to send payments. If there are three incorrect PIN guesses, the device wipes itself. Other security features include a backup recovery sheet and advanced passphrase options.
This wallet also supports a range of other popular cryptos, including bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Dash (DASH) and Zcash (ZEC), so you have a secure place to store your crypto portfolio.
Keep in mind that in periods of high demand, there have been shipping delays of up to six weeks.
Uphold is a digital money platform and multi-currency wallet where you can buy, convert and store XRP and several other assets. In fact, it offers support for 8 cryptocurrencies, 20 fiat currencies and 4 precious metals.
Read our full review of the Uphold platform.
Boasting a simple setup process and a straightforward user interface, Uphold can be accessed via your web browser or through iOS and Android mobile apps. Supported cryptocurrencies are XRP, bitcoin, Litecoin, Ether, Basic Attention Token, Bitcoin Cash, Dash and Bitcoin Gold, and sending and receiving payments is easy. 2-factor authentication is supported to provide extra protection for your funds, while 24/7 security monitoring provides extra peace of mind.
Uphold is available to users in more than 180 countries, but the payment methods you can use to deposit funds into your wallet vary depending on your country of residence. Conversion fees also apply, so read the fine print closely before signing up.
This open-source XRP wallet offers a free and easy way to store XRP. The creators of Toast Wallet claim they set out to create a Ripple wallet that’s “simple enough for your grandma but safe enough for a Swiss banker”, and that gives you a good idea of what you can expect.
Toast Wallet combines a simple interface with accessibility across a wide range of platforms. It’s available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux, allowing you to manage your XRP holdings across all your devices. There’s also a backup feature for extra security as well as a secure PIN and a recovery passphrase. As it’s non-hosted, you’re always in control of your private keys.
Perhaps the biggest downside of Toast Wallet is that it can only store XRP. This won’t be a problem for some users, but if you’re looking for a wallet that can hold a variety of crypto holdings, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
You can download this wallet from the official Toast Wallet website.
You also have the option of storing your XRP holdings in a wallet based on a cryptocurrency exchange. The main advantage of this approach is that your coins will be ready to trade instantly should you ever wish to sell them.
However, storing your funds on an exchange comes with a security risk as there have been numerous reported examples of exchanges being hacked and customers having their coins stolen. There have also been incidences of dodgy exchange operators stealing from their customers, so it’s generally recommended that you set up a secure wallet separately which only you can access.
If you’re searching for a web wallet which you can use to store your XRP holdings, GateHub is well worth a closer look. This online wallet supports XRP as well as several other cryptocurrencies and allows you to send and receive payments via Ripple, SEPA, international wire and more.
The biggest strength of GateHub is its ease of use. The user interface is simple to understand for crypto novices and also allows you to access a comprehensive overview of your crypto assets (including analytics) on a single page.
It offers support for the following crypto and fiat currencies: XRP, USD, EUR, BTC, BCH, ETH, ETC, REP, DASH, QAU and XAU. Platform users can trade currencies and cryptocurrencies directly on the Ripple network and even trade precious metals like gold and silver.
In terms of security, you’ll need to set up a GateHub identity and satisfy know-your-customer (KYC) requirements when you register for an account. GateHub also allows you to set up 2-factor authentication to provide increased security.
Cryptonator is an online wallet that provides support for XRP, bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin, Zcash and a range of other coins. In all, 19 currencies are supported, and all are simple to view and manage through Cryptonator’s user-friendly interface. You can also instantly exchange between currencies in your account without incurring any fees, though you might want to check how Cryptonator’s rates compare to those offered elsewhere before using this feature.
You can manage the XRP in your Cryptonator account 24/7, and another bonus is that you can access your account from multiple platforms. As well as access from your PC or Mac, Cryptonator also has apps for Android and Chrome.
From a security point of view, Cryptonator claims to offer bank-grade security. Features include an encrypted SSL connection over HTTPS, 2-factor authentication and trusted IPs.
Having said that, this is an online wallet, so it’s never going to be as safe as storing your funds in an offline hardware wallet. There’s also no iOS app, which is a real drawback for iPhone owners.
Want to store XRP or any other cryptocurrency as safely and securely as possible? Make sure to keep the following tips in mind:
Check out our complete guide to securely storing your crypto
Images: Shutterstock
Disclosure: At the time of writing the author holds ADA, ICX, IOTA and XLM.
