Cold Wallet Guide (2026): Hardware Wallets, Cold Storage and Setup

A cold wallet keeps the private keys to your crypto on something that never touches the internet. The most common kind is a hardware wallet: a small device that creates your keys, stores them, and signs transactions on its own screen, so malware on your computer or phone can't reach them.

This guide explains cold storage, compares the hardware wallets on sale today and which of SuperSwap's 13 coins each one handles (Monero support differs a lot between models), and shows how to set one up safely and send a swap payout to it. We run Superswap.cx, a swap service, so the last part covers our own swap. Device and coin facts come from each maker's own website, coin pages and support documents.

Checked 22 October 2026: current models, coin support and Monero support for each maker below.

Hot Wallets vs Cold Storage

• Hot wallet: an app on a phone, computer or browser. Your keys live on a device that is online, which is convenient for spending and swapping.
• Cold wallet (cold storage wallet): the keys are created and kept offline. To spend, you prepare a transaction on your computer or phone, and the cold device signs it without ever revealing the key.

Your coins never sit "inside" the device. They stay on the blockchain, and the device holds the keys that control them. If you lose the device but still have your recovery phrase, you can restore everything onto a new one. Lose the phrase and the device together, and the coins are gone.

A common setup is both: a hot wallet with spending money and a cold wallet for savings.

Types of Cold Wallets

• USB or Bluetooth hardware wallets (Ledger, Trezor, BitBox). The device connects to your computer or phone, but the keys stay on its secure chip and you confirm every transaction on its screen.
• Air-gapped hardware wallets (Keystone, Coldcard). These never connect for signing: transactions move in and out as QR codes or on a microSD card.
• Paper wallets. A key or address printed on paper. They are hard to spend from safely: you must import the key into online software to move the coins, and the generator page itself has to be trusted. For most people a hardware wallet is the better choice.
• An offline computer. Some advanced users sign on a computer that is never connected to a network. It works, but it takes care to set up and keep offline.

Hardware Wallets Compared

Listed by maker, not ranked. "Coins in the maker's app" covers SuperSwap's coins only.

Bitcoin-only editions. Trezor, BitBox and Keystone also sell or offer Bitcoin-only versions. If you plan to hold ETH, USDT, LTC or other coins, buy the multi-coin edition; BitBox notes that its two editions can't be converted later.

Older models. Trezor's Model One and Model T are discontinued, and the Model One never supported Monero. Ledger no longer sells the original Nano S.

Which Device Fits Your Coins

• Monero: a Ledger used with Feather (see our Feather wallet guide), a Trezor Safe 3 or Safe 5 with Feather or Monero GUI, or a Keystone 3 Pro on the Cypherpunk firmware. Our Monero wallet setup guide and Monero hub cover the software side.
• Shielded Zcash: Ledger or Keystone. Trezor handles transparent ZEC only. See the Zcash wallet guide.
• Bitcoin only: Coldcard, or the Bitcoin-only edition of a Trezor, BitBox or Keystone.
• ETH, stablecoins and many coins: Ledger, Trezor or Keystone. You can pair them with MetaMask or Rabby; see the Ethereum wallet guide.
• Litecoin: Ledger, Trezor, Keystone or BitBox. See the Litecoin wallet guide.
• Dash: check the maker's current coin list before you buy, since Trezor Suite no longer supports it.

How to Set Up a Hardware Wallet Safely

1. Buy from the maker's own store or an authorised reseller, never second-hand. Check that the packaging is sealed.
2. Install the app from the maker's site. Type the address yourself (ledger.com, trezor.io, keyst.one, bitbox.swiss, coldcard.com) instead of clicking a search ad.
3. Let the device create a new recovery phrase. If a device arrives with a phrase already filled in on a card, don't use it.
4. Write the phrase down on paper or metal, in order, and store it somewhere safe and private. Never type it into a computer, phone or website, and never photograph it.
5. Update the firmware through the official app when it asks.
6. Consider a passphrase (an extra word on top of the phrase) only if you are sure you can keep both backed up.
7. Test before you trust it. Receive a small amount, then send a small amount out, before you move savings.

No maker will email, call or message you for your recovery phrase. A message that asks for it, or asks you to "verify" your device on a website, is a scam.

How to Send a Swap Payout to a Hardware Wallet Address

Swapping into cold storage is the same as swapping into any wallet: you paste the hardware wallet's address as the payout address. You don't need the device plugged in for the coins to arrive.

1. Open the companion app (Ledger Wallet, Trezor Suite, Feather for Monero, and so on) and choose the account for the coin you will receive.
2. Tap Receive and check the address on the device's screen. Make sure it matches the one on your computer or phone. This step catches malware that swaps addresses.
3. Paste that address into the payout field on Superswap.cx and compare the first and last few characters. For USDT or USDC on Ethereum, use the device's ETH account address.
4. Check the quote (the network fee is already included) and send your deposit. Most swaps complete in 5–30 minutes; you can follow yours on the order tracking page.
5. The coins go straight to the hardware wallet address. SuperSwap is non-custodial, so there is no balance held for you anywhere in between.

Routes people often use for savings: BTC → XMR, ETH → BTC, USDT (TRC-20) → BTC and BTC → LTC. See all pairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a cold wallet and a hardware wallet?

A cold wallet is any wallet whose private keys are kept offline. A hardware wallet is the most common kind: a small device that stores the keys and signs transactions on its own screen. Paper wallets and offline computers are other forms of cold storage.

Which hardware wallets support Monero?

Ledger devices work with Monero through Feather or Monero GUI, and Feather lists the Nano S Plus, Nano X, Flex and Stax. Trezor Safe 3 and Safe 5 work with Feather, Monero GUI and Cake Wallet on Android, while the Safe 7 works with Cake Wallet only for now. Keystone 3 Pro supports Monero on its Cypherpunk firmware. Coldcard and BitBox do not support Monero.

Is a paper wallet still a good cold wallet?

For most people, no. To spend from a paper wallet you have to import the key into online software, and you must trust the page that generated it. A hardware wallet keeps the key offline and still lets you sign transactions safely.

Do I need to plug in my hardware wallet to receive crypto?

No. Coins are sent to an address on the blockchain, so they arrive whether the device is connected or not. You only need the device to check the receive address on its screen and to sign when you spend.

What happens if I lose my hardware wallet?

Your coins are safe as long as you still have the recovery phrase. Restore it onto a new device, or a compatible wallet, and your balances return. If both the device and the phrase are lost, the coins cannot be recovered.