Cryptocurrencies are absolutely trending, especially with the rise of NFTs in 2021. NFT stands for “non-fungible tokens,” representing a unique (digital) object rather than a common medium of exchange. But crypto trading itself has also experienced substantial growth. With this in mind, it’s important to know how to store your crypto safely. Here’s how to keep your crypto secure!
How to Keep Your Crypto Safe
- 9 October 2025
- Protect
)
Ways to Store Your Crypto
Cryptos are tokens operating on blockchains—whether coins, tokens, or NFTs. All your crypto holdings are held in your crypto wallet. Yet there are several factors you need to consider when storing crypto. You need to know which blockchain network they run on because each network has its own protocol and native coins. For each network, you need a specific wallet address!
Simply put: you can’t store Ethereum tokens in a Bitcoin wallet.
The Importance of Secure Crypto Storage
Crypto can become extremely valuable after purchase. Prices may climb sharply, depending on the coin. But value alone means you have to treat access carefully, especially your access codes and seed phrase, which grant full control over your wallet.
It’s not just about losing money: criminals are increasingly targeting crypto because of its high value. High-value wallets are more tempting targets than wallets with a few coins.
Tips for Best Wallet Security
Your seed phrase is the key criminals need to access your wallet! Store it safely—never digitally on an internet-connected device. Instead, write it on paper and store it in a secure place like a safe. Alternatively, you can store your seed phrase as a text file on a USB drive. For extra security, you can keep it in an encrypted file.
Use a Hardware Wallet
In addition to storing wallets on your computer or server, you can use a hardware wallet. A hardware wallet is like a USB stick that contains your private keys. Once you detach it from your computer, its data can’t be accessed by hackers. Of course, keep the hardware wallet itself in a very safe place, ideally in a fireproof safe.
Popular brands include Trezor and Ledger, which produce secure and user-friendly hardware wallets.
Choosing Your Password
Select a unique password for your wallet. You can generate one using a password generator (many browsers provide this). You can also store it in a password manager. These are usually strong and difficult for hackers to crack.
If you prefer creating the password yourself, use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. You can even use a phrase as a password!
Use a different password for every account so that if one is exposed, the damage is limited.
2FA
With 2FA (two-factor authentication), you add an extra step during login. For instance, you enter your password first, then receive a code (via SMS or authenticator app) to continue.
Use authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Okta rather than SMS-based 2FA. This makes it nearly impossible for hackers to breach your wallet.
Why You Should Never Share Your Screen
In our work-from-home world, screen sharing has become more common—for tech support or coworker assistance. Tools like TeamViewer can allow remote control over your computer. That sounds convenient, but you never know what actions are being taken behind your back—you could have files accessed or software installed without your knowledge.
Avoid using wallets on a computer shared this way. It’s safer to use a dedicated computer for wallet activity.
Don’t Click Random Links
This advice applies to everyone, but it’s even more critical in crypto. Never click on a link if you don’t know where it leads—whether on the web or in an email.
Received an email claiming to be from your exchange or wallet with a link or attachment? Don’t click. Don’t download anything. Even if it seems to come from someone you trust, delete it and report it as spam.
If you click a link, you risk triggering a file download that could let hackers take control of your computer and gain access to your wallet.
More information on identifying spam can be found in this article (link).
Seed phrase
Whenever you create a wallet, you’re given a private key—your seed phrase. This is typically 12 to 24 words that let you recover your wallet on a different device if your computer fails or is lost.
Store the seed phrase in a secure place where no one else can find it. If it lands in the wrong hands, you lose access to your wallet immediately.
John-Paul Straver