Choosing a Bitcoin wallet is no longer just a matter of choosing security or simplicity. Using different wallets for different purposes is becoming common, as is using different accounts when dealing with fiat currencies.
A few years ago, several main types of wallets emerged, and new developments continue to appear. Therefore, choosing a wallet for those who have just begun to get acquainted with cryptocurrency only becomes more complicated. Here we will try to briefly classify wallets according to their purpose.
For most users, the Matbea online wallet https://matbea.org/ will be most convenient, since it is as easy to use as possible, supports all major cryptocurrencies and allows you to exchange cryptocurrency for rubles and back. Read more about the service here.
A Bitcoin wallet is, in the simplest case, a pair of two large and complex numbers. The first number is the public key, and the second is the private key.
- The public key will be your wallet or address to which you can send Bitcoins.
- A private key is a key that is encrypted and not publicly accessible; it serves to confirm transactions within the blockchain block chain.
Don't know which Bitcoin wallet is best to choose?
There is no best Bitcoin wallet. Wallets are created for different platforms and have different sets of functions. When I was looking for a wallet, I was primarily interested in the safety and reliability of storing my funds. My article will help you figure out what kinds of wallets there are, which are the most reliable, and which one is best suited for you. I review wallets mainly only in Russian.
I will say right away that I did not read Russian articles about wallets and did not translate or rewrite English-language articles, as many authors do. This article is my own research into wallets, based on advice from English-language articles and my own mistakes.
In this article I will talk about which wallets I tested, what I chose in the end and why. This article will also be useful to you if you want to find a wallet to store not only Bitcoin, but also a large number of other cryptocurrencies.
After you choose a wallet, I’m sure you will be interested in the following articles:
- how to buy bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies cheaply in Russia;
- the best cryptocurrency exchanges in the world (the most famous and relevant!);
- review of the TOP 10 best cryptocurrencies;
- the best way to earn bitcoins.
What is a Bitcoin wallet?
A Bitcoin wallet is the first step to using Bitcoin.
Why? A wallet is the Bitcoin equivalent of a bank account. It allows you to receive, store, and send Bitcoins to others, just like a bank account allows you to manage your money. Bitcoin wallets don't actually store bitcoins, but private keys - these are secret codes that allow you to control your bitcoins.
In fact, it is more correct to say that it is not the bitcoins that you should store and protect, but these very private keys that provide access to your bitcoins, which are stored in the cloud. All cryptocurrencies are stored in a shared online storage called a blockchain, and your private keys give you access to your Bitcoin addresses to transact with them.
More precisely, a Bitcoin wallet is a mobile application, computer program, website or device that allows you to manage private access keys to Bitcoins.
In this article, I will tell you how to create a Bitcoin wallet and choose the best one.
BitGO
BitGO is an online resource for storing Bitcoin, which is recognized as one of the safest.
This can be noticed already at the registration stage.
If with other similar storages you basically just need to enter your email address and come up with a password, then in BitGO you additionally need to install two-factor authentication using the Google Authentificator program.
BitGO will also provide a unique account recovery key.
After this, BItGO will allow you to create a crypto wallet on its platform.
Its functions are standard: transfers and storage of coins.
In addition to Bitcoin, you can store litecoins, bitcoin cash, and bitcoin gold on BitGO.
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Types of Bitcoin wallets
Let's discuss what types of Bitcoin wallets there are and which of them are the most reliable and secure. There are the following types of wallets:
- paper wallets (free). A paper wallet is a piece of paper on which two private keys are printed (and this is called a wallet!). This is perhaps the most reliable way to store bitcoins;
- hardware wallets (paid). Hardware wallets are Bitcoin wallets that are integrated into a USB flash drive. These are mostly paid wallets, but you can create a similar flash drive yourself. How to do this is written later in the article. Hardware wallets are a very reliable option for storing bitcoins;
- mobile wallets (Android, iPhone (free)). A mobile wallet is a wallet that you install on your smartphone;
- online wallets (free). These are wallets that can be accessed through a browser from any computer. They are all free;
- computer wallets (free) . Well, a computer wallet is a wallet in the form of a program that you install on your computer.
The safest ways to store cryptocurrencies
To securely store large amounts of Bitcoin, it is best to use free paper wallets or hardware wallets. These are the most secure ways to store bitcoins because you store the private keys offline, outside the Internet, which means you cannot be hacked.
All other wallets are unsafe because they are on a computer, tablet or smartphone that is online all the time and therefore hackers potentially have access to your wallets. They are best used to store small amounts of Bitcoin for everyday transactions.
My amounts of bitcoins and other currencies are still small and therefore I myself use mobile wallets, which most often are both online wallets and have versions for computers. I will tell you which ones later in the article.
Let's take a closer look at all these types of wallets.
GreenAddress
This crypto wallet is installed as a browser extension.
When registering with GreenAddress, you must provide not only an e-mail and create a password.
The crypto wallet will also require you to come up with a PIN code and go through two-factor authentication through several methods: email, Google Authenticator, SMS or call to your mobile phone.
GreenAddress, like BitGO, will generate a sentence of 15 random words. You need to save it, because in the future without this phrase you will not be able to restore access to your account.
The GreenAddress functionality itself is simple and does not contain anything superfluous: sending and receiving, transaction history, address book.
In the GreenAddress settings, you can select one of 12 languages, including Russian, Ukrainian and English, and also set the priority of transactions.
GreenAddress will provide a choice of network - traditional or SegWit.
The priority of processing cryptocurrency transfers is also customizable.
But, as in other wallets, the higher it is, the higher the reward for miners.
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Paper wallets
Printed paper Bitcoin wallet created using bitaddress.org
Paper wallets are essentially just a pair of private keys that you print out and store on a piece of paper. It's very secure because the keys are generated in the browser using JavaScript and so they're sort of generated offline. You can open the website www.bitaddress.org, disconnect from the Internet, generate keys, print them, clear your browser and voila - your wallet is ready!
And then you store them on paper in a safe place. And no one will be able to find out your keys and rob you.
It's very simple and reliable, so there's no point in buying expensive hardware wallets or going through the hassle of creating your own USB wallet on a flash drive.
But everything is not so simple here and there are risks that your money will be stolen from you. For more information about paper wallets, how to create them, the risks of using them and how to completely protect yourself, read the article “How to create a paper Bitcoin wallet.”
How to create a paper Bitcoin wallet
Hardware wallets
Hardware wallets are separate devices that are designed specifically for storing bitcoins. These wallets are considered the most reliable, but they can also be hacked, which I will discuss later. There are two types of hardware wallets:
- commercial hardware wallets (cost on average $100);
- homemade bitcoin wallets on a USB flash drive (free).
Commercial hardware wallets are the most reliable ($100)
I’ll say right away that all these wallets are in English, but are considered the safest. It is not surprising that these wallets are considered the most reliable because the companies that create them try to make them so and advertise them as the most reliable solution for storing and transacting with bitcoins.
And indeed, I have not found a single article on the English-language Internet about such wallets ever being hacked by a hacker and someone losing their money. Nevertheless, vulnerabilities exist and CNN wrote about the vulnerabilities of the Ledger wallet in the article: “A 15-year-old teenager hacked the Ledger crypto hardware wallet,” and about the vulnerabilities of the Trezor wallet it was written in the article: “Lessons from hacking the Trezor wallet.”
I didn’t use these wallets because I don’t have that many bitcoins, and I think that absolutely any wallet can be hacked if necessary. But if you take precautions when using other types of wallets, they are quite safe. In addition, there are equally secure paper wallets. I plan to use a hardware wallet when I have accumulated huge amounts of bitcoins.
Before you can use a hardware wallet and spend bitcoins, you must connect it to your computer, smartphone, or tablet. This is the main risk of using it, because the computer may be infected and data leakage may occur. However, the manufacturers of these wallets claim that this is not possible.
Attention! Never buy hardware wallets from anyone who resells them. Buy them only on the websites of official manufacturers, otherwise you may lose money. Fraudulent merchants can embed their code into a hardware wallet. One Englishman lost his life's savings by purchasing a Ledger wallet from a third party.
The Three Most Popular Hardware Wallets for Storing Bitcoins
Ledger Nano S
Ledger Nano S – $91.00
- official website: www.ledgerwallet.com;
- platforms: Windows (7+), Mac (10.9+), Linux or Chrome OS;
- cryptocurrencies: more than 30;
- Supported wallets: Ledger Wallet, Copay, Electrum, Mycelium, MyEtherWallet, GreenBits, BitGo.
TREZOR ONE
Trezor – $59.00
- official website: www.trezor.io;
- platforms: Windows (7+), OS X (10.11+), Linux, Android (USB On-The-Go (aka USB Host));
- cryptocurrencies: more than 100 coins and tokens;
- Supported wallets: ArcBit, Copay, Electrum, Mycelium.
KeepKey
Keep Key – $49.00
- official website: www.keepkey.com;
- platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, and Android;
- cryptocurrencies: about 36;
- Supported wallets: Electrum, Mycelium.
Attention! Although KeepKey is now selling quite cheaply, this hardware wallet does not inspire confidence in me (even though it is recommended by many leading publications). They changed the URLs several times, I can’t log into my personal account, their website is very crooked and many links on it don’t work. These are warning signs... It looks like they abandoned their wallet. Don't buy it!
Which hardware wallet is better to choose?
In principle, all these wallets are almost the same, so you can safely choose only by price and design.
Prices in the picture may not be current (change frequently)
, I personally would choose the Ledger Nano S. I like him the most. Which wallet do you like best?
I choose Ledger Nano S for the following reasons:
- the most stylish design of the three wallets (to my taste);
- most supported third-party wallets;
- I have all the cryptocurrencies I need;
- All platforms are supported.
If you also like it, then order it using the link above on the manufacturer’s official website and wait about a month until it is delivered by mail to Russia. But Trezor is also a decent choice and costs less. I like Ledger better by design.
Do not buy wallets from unknown entrepreneurs in Russia - it is dangerous, and they can then steal all the money from your wallet.
With these hardware wallets, you will store your private keys separately from your computer or smartphone, which is constantly connected to the Internet and is therefore vulnerable.
All three hardware wallets have small monitors on them that allow you to display Bitcoin information instead of a computer monitor, which provides additional security because on a virus-infected computer, hackers can see the contents of your monitor.
According to the manufacturers of these wallets, all transactions with private keys are performed on the wallet itself, and even if your computer is infected, your computer keys are safe (a controversial statement!).
When you store private keys offline, hackers simply cannot physically access them. And even if your hardware wallet itself is stolen, access to it will be impossible, since it is protected by a PIN code.
If you lose your hardware wallet, it gets damaged or it gets stolen, you will still not lose your money if you create a backup of your wallet in advance. For example, for the Ledger Nano S wallet, this is a 24-word phrase that you should store somewhere safe. These 24 words are your backup; the wallet manufacturer does not know or store them. As I wrote above, cryptocurrencies are stored on the blockchain, and your private keys give you access to your Bitcoin addresses to transact with them. If you saved a backup, you can easily restore your hardware wallet by purchasing a new one.
Manufacturers of hardware wallets like to write that storing bitcoins in such a wallet is as secure as using an underground secure metal vault. Honestly, this comparison makes me smile, but even if this is so, then such storage facilities have been successfully hacked, are being hacked and will continue to be hacked.
How to create your own Bitcoin hardware wallet on a regular USB flash drive
It seems to me that a wallet on a regular flash drive is no less secure than buying a commercial hardware wallet.
BUT... You'll have to tinker here until you figure out how to install and configure the software. And there is no guarantee that you won’t mess up and that your money won’t be stolen in the end. Therefore, if you want a ready-made solution, then it’s better to pay $100 and buy one of the ready-made hardware wallets that I wrote about above. I will not write detailed instructions on how to set up the software, but will simply write a general scheme for creating a wallet on a flash drive. To do all this, much more detailed instructions are needed. So, to create a reliable Bitcoin wallet on a regular flash drive, you will need:
- 2 USB flash drives. One flash drive is for installing a wallet, and the second is for creating a backup, because flash drives sometimes break. I usually buy Kingston flash drives - they are a company that specializes in creating memory; I've never had one of their flash drives fail. After each operation with bitcoins, you need to create a backup flash drive just in case;
- Ubuntu operating system. Install the Ubuntu operating system on the flash drive. This is the world's most popular operating system of the Linux family, which can also be installed on a flash drive. I really like Ubuntu, I’ve been using it for a long time instead of Windows and OS X (OS X is a copy of Ubuntu, it differs only in design and payment, but both are based on Unix). Unlike Windows and OS X, much fewer viruses are written for Linux, because there are very few computers with this operating system on the Internet; Linux is mainly run by servers managed by experienced system administrators, who are much more difficult to deceive than the average Windows user. Therefore, Ubuntu is much safer, especially if you run it from a flash drive;
- ELECTRUM or another Bitcoin wallet. Install the Electrum Bitcoin wallet on the flash drive. All articles on the English Internet recommend installing this wallet on a flash drive. I don't like this wallet. In fact, you can install any wallet that works with Linux. For example, you can install the following wallets in Russian: ArcBit, GreenAddress or Bither in English. So the choice of wallet is yours. I wrote more about these three wallets later in the article;
- Veracrypt data encryption program. To ensure the security of storing data on a flash drive, you need to encrypt it. In this case, even if the contents of the flash drive fall into the hands of hackers, they will have to tinker a lot before they can decrypt the data (this is almost impossible!). To do this, you can use the data encryption program Veracrypt. I wrote more about data encryption in the article: “How to securely encrypt the contents of your computer?”
- strong passwords. It is very important to create strong passwords that are difficult to crack. Therefore, it is best to generate access passwords for VeraCrypt and the Electrum wallet using a good password manager. By the way, it is also better to store passwords in a password manager. Read more about passwords and password managers in the article: “How to create a password that is difficult to crack?”
In principle, nothing complicated, but if you are a computer user, you will, of course, have to tinker a lot with setting up your wallet.
I think there is no need to say that for security purposes, a flash drive can only be used for transactions with Bitcoin and stored in a safe place.
Cold wallet for storing Bitcoin (BTC)
This type of coin storage is considered the most reliable. Here, only you are responsible for the safe management of storing your own money. Your client can only download all the blocks and verify their authenticity. It controls that each subsequent block has a link to the previous one.
The responsibility for storing the keys lies solely with you. Therefore, do not forget to make backup copies of the key file in a timely manner. Now let's take a look at the applications for the cold BTC wallet.
Bitcoin Core
If you are not sure which client to use, then opt for Bitcoin Core. This application has a fairly high level of security, confidentiality is high and it works stably.
This is the official BTC client and, compared to other clients, it is in many ways ahead of them. But, nevertheless, the application is very resource intensive.
Experts advise keeping it turned on at all times to support the Bitcoin system and allow other nodes to connect to you. If your computer or laptop turns out to be weak for this application, then for such cases there are other clients for managing Bitcoin wallets.
The peculiarities of Bitcoin Core include the fact that the wallet.dat file is used to store your BTC addresses and private keys to them. Using the client, the file can be encrypted using a password.
The application has a Russian version. It is possible to import and export keys, and it is also possible to sign messages. Thanks to working through the command line, you can use additional client features that are not included in the graphical shell.
Armory for Bitcoin Core
Armory operates on top of Bitcoin Core and expands its functionality. For it to work, you need to install the official Bitcoin Core client and synchronize blocks. Armory is easy to use and even novice users can handle it. Along with improved security, you can have multiple wallets under your control. It will reliably protect your data from Internet attacks, plus provide offline storage.
With Armory, it is possible to create messages that you can sign using the private key of a Bitcoin address. This is necessary so that the recipient knows that this message was sent by you.
Mobile Bitcoin wallets in Russian: Android and iPhone (iOS)
Almost all popular mobile wallets have versions for both Android and iPhone. That's why I didn't separate them. Here I have reviewed all the most popular and reliable mobile wallets.
Attention! When using mobile wallets, the most important thing is to pay attention to downloading a real wallet from the official website, and not a fake one from “left” sites.
Blockchain.com
I use this wallet myself because I find it very reliable, and here's why. This Bitcoin wallet is used by 25 million users from all over the world. There is a serious organization behind this wallet, its owners are known, it is trustworthy, easy to learn, reliable, there is a Russian version, cross-platform: there are versions for Web, iOS and Android. Leading newspapers such as the New York Times, Techcrunch, The Wall Street Journal, and The Telegraph wrote about him.
The wallet is available in Russian. Previously, they had a website blockchain.info and the Russian version of the site was available there, now they are moving to the blockchain.com domain, and it is only in English for now, but I think they will add multilingualism in the near future.
The mobile wallet itself is in Russian, but some words inside are not translated, but still nothing - you can use it.
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum.
Supported platforms: Android, iOS, Web.
Android popularity and user rating: 1,000,000 downloads, 4.4 average score.
Airbitz.co
Airbitz Wallet
Although the website of this wallet is only in English, the mobile version of this wallet is available in Russian. I didn't like this wallet at all. There are a lot of trade offers inside. It gives the impression that something is being sold to you, it looks like intrusive advertising.
The Block26 venture fund invested serious money in the development of this wallet. The wallet is open source.
The inscription “downloading”, which is visible in the picture, hung on my phone for about 15 minutes, and nothing downloaded. I didn't like it, but maybe it will suit you.
They have created a new multi-currency wallet called Edge, but it is only in English and only has 7 cryptocurrencies.
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin.
Supported platforms: Android, iOS.
Android popularity and user rating: 100,000 downloads, 4.2 average score.
ArcBit
Arcbit Wallet
The wallet was created by programmer Timothy Lee, who previously worked in the large blockchain.info project (I wrote about this wallet above).
I like this wallet for its simplicity and ease of use. Nice wallet.
However, it is not very popular: only 10,000 downloads, few reviews and low user ratings. Plus, it is unknown whether Timothy Lee will support him.
I love big projects. Therefore, I will not use this wallet.
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin.
Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS.
Android popularity and user rating: 10,000 downloads, 3.1 average score.
GreenAddress
This is an open source wallet from unknown creators.
What is attractive about it is that it is available on all platforms and translated into all languages of the world. The wallet interface itself is primitive and has a low average score from Android users - only 3.5. Although most of the wallets that I looked at also have a primitive interface.
I didn't like this wallet. You will have to install it in English, then you need to go to Settings and change the language to Russian, then exit the application and enter it again.
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin.
Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Web.
Android popularity and user rating: 50,000 downloads, 3.5.
Coin.space
Coin.space wallet
I immediately liked this wallet. It is installed very simply and immediately in Russian. Everything is clear there. Nice interface. Not surprisingly, the average user rating was 4 points on Android.
Ads are shown in the interface below, but they can be removed by purchasing a wallet for 119 rubles.
The good thing about the wallet is that it supports all major cryptocurrencies, and you can also add many tokens to it directly in your personal account.
I couldn't find any information about the owners anywhere, but the wallet is open source and can be checked on GitHub. For me this is the only negative as I like the owners to be known and have a good reputation.
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Etherium, Litecoin, Ripple, Stellar, ERC20 token.
Supported platforms: Windows Phone, Android, iOS.
Android popularity and user rating: 50,000 downloads, 4.
Mycelium
Mycelium Wallet
Supports all three commercial hardware wallets mentioned above: Trezor, Ledger and KeepKey.
I didn’t find anything about the owners, but the wallet is open source.
I didn't really like it, but that's my subjective assessment. I don't plan to use this wallet.
Supported cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash.
Supported platforms: Android, iOS.
Android popularity and user rating: 500,000 downloads, 4.
Coinomi
This is the only wallet that supports a huge number of cryptocurrencies and tokens (over 150 in total).
I have not found any competitors equal to it in terms of the number of coins. The wallet interface is entirely in Russian.
However, this wallet is not open source since 2022, and its owners and creators are unknown. Overall, although this is a popular wallet with good reviews, this wallet doesn’t inspire confidence in me at all. I wouldn't keep money in it.
If you need to store many different cryptocurrencies, then what options you have other than this wallet, I will write later in the article.
Supported cryptocurrencies: more than 150.
Supported platforms: Android, iOS.
Android popularity and user rating: 500,000 downloads, 4.
Other mobile wallets
Here are a few other wallets that I have looked into and want to briefly mention:
- Bither. This wallet is only in English, has only 10,000 installations and 4 average reviews on Android, platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS. You can only store Bitcoin. I wrote about it in detail in an old mini-review of wallets;
- Electrum. This wallet is only in English and only for Bitcoin. It is popular because it has 100,000 installations on Android, the average review is 3.2. Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android. I didn't like this wallet at all.
Copay
This is a hot platform created by BitPay.
It can be installed on Mac OS, Windows, Linux.
Copay has also developed mobile Bitcoin storage for iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
Downloads quickly. Installation also takes no more than a minute. After installation, the wallet will prompt you to enter an electronic mailbox to which transfer statements will be sent.
This step is optional and can be skipped. Next, the storage will prompt you to make a backup. It is needed so that in the event of a breakdown or loss of the device on which Copey is installed, the information can be restored. Otherwise, all data, including the cryptocurrency itself, will be lost.
The interface is simple and clear. It supports 11 languages, including Russian and English.
Immediately after installation and backup, the user can create another personal or shared crypto wallet.
Moreover, the platform allows you to join an already created shared wallet.
Copay supports direct connection with two exchanges – Coinbase and Glidera.
This means that you can buy or sell bitcoins on these exchanges directly from your wallet.
You can transfer cryptocurrency to Copay using a QR code or by specifying the appropriate address.
You can also use Copay to scan the recipient's address so you don't have to bother typing.
You can also send in the standard way: enter the addressee, the amount and click “send”.
In the Copay settings, you can select an alternative currency, as well as set the priority of your own transactions. By default it is in normal mode. This means that one transfer will take over 30 minutes of waiting. In this case, you will have to pay a commission of 384 satoshi/byte.
By priority, Copay divides them into:
- Urgent. Confirmation time: less than 20 minutes; commission: 767 satoshi/byte;
- Priority. Over 20 minutes - 511 sat/byte;
- Regular. More than 30 min. — 384 sat/b;
- Economical. About 1 hour - 384 sat/b;
- Very economical. Approximately 4 hours - 218 satoshi/byte.
Copay is a cross-platform resource . This means that it can be installed on multiple devices at the same time. Copay also works with BitCash, a cryptocurrency that emerged as a result of the Bitcoin hard fork.
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In which wallet can you store many different cryptocurrencies?
There are four options if you want to store many cryptocurrencies in one wallet at once. The most reliable multi-currency option is the Trezor hardware wallet or walletgenerator.net paper wallet. More details below.
Multi-currency mobile wallet
The first thing that comes to mind if you need to store a lot of cryptocurrencies is the multi-currency mobile wallet Coinomi, which has a huge number of currencies, but this is a bad option because the owners of the wallet are unknown and it has a closed source code. It is considered very unsafe.
I don’t know of any other mobile wallets that can store so many currencies. I studied all the available wallets, but did not find anything similar. Maybe you know? If yes, then share in the comments.
Perhaps Coin.space, which has 6 cryptocurrencies, or a multi-currency wallet called Edge, but it is only in English and has only 7 cryptocurrencies, and also blockchain.com, which has 3 cryptocurrencies, but this is very little!
Multi-currency hardware wallets
The most reliable and secure option is to buy any of the hardware wallets mentioned above. At the same time, the Ledger and KeepKey wallets support more than 30 cryptocurrencies, and the Trezor wallet supports more than 100. I wrote in great detail about these wallets and how to buy them so that you are not deceived. My favorite wallet is Ledger, but if you need more than 100 currencies, then Trezor is a better option.
Paper multicurrency wallets
Perhaps another reliable way to store all kinds of cryptocurrencies is a paper wallet walletgenerator.net. I like this wallet for its simplicity of creation, the presence of the Russian language and stylish design. On this service you can create paper wallets not only for bitcoins, but also for 200 other currencies. I wrote about how to safely use paper wallets in the article: “How to create a paper Bitcoin wallet.”
Cryptocurrency exchanges
You can store your currencies directly on a cryptocurrency trading exchange. The most reliable exchange is Kraken, but there are only about 15 currencies. Therefore, the most reliable option for a huge number of currencies is still the Trezor hardware wallet or the walletgenerator.net paper wallet. And if you still want to store currencies on exchanges, then read my detailed review of international crypto exchanges in Russian. There I wrote in detail about the Kraken exchange and about all the other leading exchanges in the world.
Online Bitcoin wallets in Russian
An online Bitcoin wallet is a wallet that can be used directly in the browser from any computer. There is no need to install anything special on your computer or phone. This is very convenient, but unsafe because the computer may be infected.
Only an online Bitcoin wallet does not exist in its pure form. Typically this is a mobile wallet that also has an online version. Many popular wallets have an online version.
Here are the two most popular online wallets.
GreenAddress.it
GreenAddress online wallet interface
All popular sites on the English-speaking Internet recommend the GreenAddress online wallet. It is available in all languages of the world, including Russian. However, I did not find information about the owners of this company. However, as it was written on their website at the time of writing, all their wallets (iOS, Android, computer, online) are open source. I think they can be trusted, but I still like large companies that are written about in the media and whose owners are well known. And that's why I use a different wallet.
Blockchain.com
Blockchain.com online wallet interface
Blockchain.com is the wallet that I use myself. And it has an online version. The online wallet itself is available in Russian, but the website of this service is not yet fully translated into other languages, because they recently moved from the blockchain.info domain to the new blickchain.com domain. Perhaps by the time you read this article they will have already fixed it.
This wallet gives me much more confidence than GreenAddress.it, because it is a large project, its owners are well-known, leading newspapers such as the New York Times, Techcrunch, The Wall Street Journal, and The Telegraph have written about it.
There are three cryptocurrencies available in this wallet, not just Bitcoin. This is also a big plus.
When you register, the wallet will be in English, to change the language you need to click on the following links, as shown in the picture below: SETTINGS > Preferences > Wallet Language > Russian .
Changing the interface language of the blockchain.com online wallet to Russian
Cryptocurrency trading exchanges as online wallets
You can use any cryptocurrency exchange as an online wallet. Essentially, it is the same as using a regular online wallet.
I do not recommend using Russian exchanges; they are all anonymous and belong to private individuals about whom little is known. My friend had 5 bitcoins stolen on the Eksmo exchange, support took a month to respond, they did not provide logs and, of course, they replied that he was not robbed on their side. If you use Russian exchanges, do so for trading in small amounts and do not store cryptocurrencies there. And of all the Russian exchanges, I would choose cex.io as the best of the worst.
I have great confidence in the Kraken exchange, which is the largest in Europe. But, unfortunately, it is only in English.
I have studied in detail all the major crypto exchanges in the world, if you are interested, then read the article: “The best cryptocurrency exchanges in the world.”
Computer Bitcoin wallets
There is no need to write about these wallets separately, because many popular mobile wallets have a version that can be installed on a computer. Read the section about mobile wallets, where I indicate all the platforms on which you can install the wallet. Here is a list of wallets that have a desktop version:
- ArcBit (available in Russian);
- GreenAddress (available in Russian);
- Bither (English only);
- Electrum (English only).
Read more about these wallets in the mobile Bitcoin wallets section above.
Summary: which Bitcoin wallet is better to choose?
So, let's summarize all of the above. Here are the 7 best Bitcoin wallets.
The most secure crypto wallets
The most secure wallets are the free paper wallet walletgenerator.net and the paid hardware wallets Ledger, Trezor and KeepKey.
These 4 wallets are good if you need to store not only Bitcoin, but also many other cryptocurrencies.
Homemade hardware wallet on a flash drive
A homemade hardware wallet on a USB flash drive is also reliable and secure. You can create a hardware wallet on a flash drive yourself for free, as described above in the article, but you will have to tinker with the settings for a long time, and if you don’t understand it, you can mess up. It's better to use a paper wallet than to mess around with setting up a flash drive.
Best Mobile Wallets
Blockchain.com . Undoubtedly, the most popular and secure wallet is the blockchain.com wallet. It's in Russian. He has a serious organization and big money behind him. 25,000,000 million users from all over the world. It has three cryptocurrencies: bitcoin, bitcoin cash, etherium. This wallet can be used on both Android phones and iPhones. My choice is to use it myself.
Coin.space. I also like the coin.space Bitcoin wallet. Its owners are unknown, but it is open source. It is also in Russian, also for Androids and iPhones, but it supports 7 cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Etherium, Litecoin, Ripple, Stellar, ERC20 token. If you want to buy, in addition to Bitcoin and Ethereum, also promising Litecoin, Ripple, Stellar, then you can use this wallet.
Good luck with your cryptocurrency purchase!
How to work with a Blockchain wallet
At the moment, Blockchain supports 4 cryptocurrencies at once: bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin cash and stellar. The overall balance and the balance of each of them can be found on the right side of the screen.
Cryptocurrency balance on BlockChain.Com
To receive bitcoins to your account, do the following.
- Click the "Get" button.
- In the drop-down list, select the “Bitcoin” currency and copy the wallet address.
Please note that it will change with each payment. This means that you can only use it once, and then you will need to return to Blockchain and copy a new one in the same window. - Give your temporary wallet number to the sender to receive bitcoins in your account.
You can transfer bitcoins to Blockchain as follows.
- Click the "Submit" button.
- Select the currency “Bitcoin” from the drop-down list.
- Specify the recipient's Bitcoin wallet and the transfer amount.
If you wish, you can also include a note with the transaction so that you do not forget the purpose for which it was carried out. This is personal information that only you will see. - In the Transaction Fee drop-down list, select Regular to have funds transferred within an hour, or Priority to speed up the process.
- Confirm your bitcoin transfer.
What is the commission for?
The Bitcoin network itself does not require any commission, but miners require it. The fact is that Bitcoin transactions require confirmations and are considered valid only after they have been included in one of the blocks of the chain (roughly speaking, recorded in the history of transactions).
Whether a transaction will be included in the next block is decided by the software of the miner who received the reward for the previous block. The bitcoin client automatically selects transactions with the highest commission, which in the future will become an additional reward for the miner who closed this block.
So, you can send bitcoins without fees, but then there is a high chance that the transaction will never be included in the block chain and you will have to wait for an automatic refund for several weeks. To prevent this from happening, the commission must be paid regularly. At the moment it is 3-4 satoshi per byte of data, which translated into Russian means 10-15 thousand satoshi per transaction. In this case, processing the transfer by the network will take from a couple of minutes to several hours.
