Wallets and your seed phrase

Custodial vs non-custodial, and how to protect your keys.

A wallet does not "store" coins. It stores the private keys that let you move coins recorded on the blockchain.

Two kinds of wallet

• Custodial (e.g. an exchange account): the company holds the keys for you. Easy, but you depend on them.
• Non-custodial (e.g. MetaMask, Trust Wallet, a hardware wallet): you hold the keys. You are in control and fully responsible.

Seed phrase rules

• It is usually 12 or 24 words. Anyone who has it can take all your funds.
• Write it on paper and keep it offline. Do not photograph it or store it in notes or cloud drives.
• Never type it into a website, share it in a chat, or give it to "support".

Browse our wallet directory to compare options.

Educational content, not financial advice. Rules and products change, so verify with official sources.