A crypto wallet is an app or device that holds the private keys for your coins. The coins themselves never leave the blockchain. What the wallet stores is the secret that lets you move them, and it uses that secret to sign each transaction you send.
When you create a wallet it shows you a recovery phrase, usually 12 or 24 words. Those words can rebuild every key in the wallet on another device. Whoever has them controls the coins, so write them on paper, keep them offline, and never type them into a website, a chat or a "support" form.
There is no single best crypto wallet for everyone. The right choice depends on which coins you hold, which device you use, and how much you keep in it. This guide explains the wallet types, shows what an address looks like for each coin, and links to our detailed guide for each wallet.
Wallets are grouped by where the keys live. Hot wallets keep the keys on a device that is connected to the internet. Cold wallets keep them on a device that stays offline or never exposes them.
| Type | Where the keys live | Good for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile wallet (hot) | Your phone | Everyday amounts, paying and receiving on the go, scanning QR codes | The phone is online, so malware, a lost phone or a careless backup can cost you the coins |
| Desktop wallet (hot) | Your computer | Coin control, fee control, connecting a hardware wallet, running your own node | Only as safe as the computer it runs on |
| Browser extension (hot) | Your browser profile | Using apps on Ethereum, Solana and other smart-contract chains | Each site you connect to can ask you to sign; a bad approval can drain tokens |
| Hardware wallet (cold) | A separate device that never shows the key to your computer | Savings and larger balances | Costs money, and you still need to protect the recovery phrase |
| Custodial account | The company that runs the app or exchange | Trading on that platform | The provider holds your coins and can freeze, limit or lose them; usually needs ID |
Many people use two: a hot wallet on the phone for small, frequent amounts, and a hardware wallet for savings. Our cold wallet guide covers hardware devices in detail.
With a custodial wallet, such as an exchange account, the company holds the keys and shows you a balance. It can freeze withdrawals, ask for ID documents, or limit what you can do. If the company has a problem, your coins are tied up in it.
With a self-custody (non-custodial) wallet, you hold the keys. Nobody else can move or freeze the coins, and no account or ID is needed to create one. The trade-off is responsibility: if you lose the recovery phrase and the device, nobody can restore your funds.
For coins you intend to keep, self-custody is the safer default. Every wallet in our coin guides below is self-custody.
A wallet address is the public "account number" you give to someone who wants to send you crypto. It is created from your keys, but it cannot be used to spend anything, so it is safe to share. Your wallet shows it on the Receive screen, usually with a QR code.
Each blockchain has its own address format. Looking at the first characters is a quick way to check that you copied the right one before you send or swap.
| Coin and network | Address starts with | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | bc1q… (SegWit), bc1p… (Taproot), 1… (legacy), 3… (script) | All four are valid Bitcoin addresses. Modern wallets give you bc1 addresses, which are cheaper to spend from |
| Ethereum (ETH) and ERC-20 tokens | 0x… plus 40 hex characters | USDT and USDC on Ethereum use the same 0x address as your ETH. Other EVM chains use the same format, so the network matters |
| Tron (TRX) and TRC-20 tokens | T…, 34 characters | USDT and USDC on Tron go to this address. You need some TRX for fees to move them later |
| Solana (SOL) and SPL tokens | No fixed prefix; 32 to 44 letters and numbers | USDT and USDC on Solana go to your normal Solana address |
| XRP | r…, 25 to 35 characters | Exchanges often ask for a destination tag as well. A personal wallet address usually does not need one |
| Monero (XMR) | 4… (main address), 8… (subaddress) | A main address is 95 characters. Wallets create a new subaddress for each payment |
| Cardano (ADA) | addr1… | Stake addresses start with stake1 and are not for receiving payments |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | bitcoincash:q… (CashAddr, prefix often left off), or legacy 1… | Never send BCH to a BTC address or BTC to a BCH address, even when both start with 1 |
| Litecoin (LTC) | ltc1…, L… or M… | ltc1 is the current standard; L and M addresses still work |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | D… | Make sure the wallet shows a Dogecoin address, not a Litecoin or Bitcoin one |
| Zcash (ZEC) | u1… or zs1… (shielded), t1… (transparent) | See our Zcash wallet guide for when to use each |
| Dash (DASH) | X… | Dash addresses look like Bitcoin legacy addresses but start with X |
Stablecoins are where most mistakes happen. USDT and USDC exist on several networks, and each network uses its own address format and its own fee coin:
Tokens sent on one network only show up in a wallet that watches that network. A 0x address also works on other EVM chains, so a wallet or exchange can accept a transfer on a chain you did not expect. Always pick the same network on both sides.
On Superswap.cx each network is a separate coin in the menu: USDT-ETH, USDT-TRX and USDT-SOL, and the same for USDC. Choose the one that matches the address you paste. Our USDT wallet guide and the stablecoin hub explain the networks in detail, and the TRC-20 to ERC-20 guide shows how to move USDT between them.
Paste it as the payout address · Send any of 13 coins · No account, no ID · Swaps from $50
Start a swap →Pick your coin for wallet reviews, setup steps and the address type to use.
Best BTC wallets, address types, fees
ΞETH and ERC-20 tokens, gas
◎SOL, USDC and USDT on Solana
₮Tron (TRC-20), ERC-20 and Solana
ŁLTC wallets and address types
🔐Hardware wallets for savings
ɱXMR wallets and setup
ⓩShielded ZEC wallets
Superswap.cx is non-custodial: the coins you swap to go straight to the wallet address you enter, and there is no account to log in to. To fund a new wallet:
Moving a large amount to a new wallet for the first time? Send a small test first, or swap at least the minimum and confirm it arrives. Questions? See the help page or write to 24/7 support at service@superswap.cx.
It depends on your coins and how much you hold. For daily use, pick a self-custody phone or desktop wallet that supports every coin and network you own. For savings, add a hardware wallet. Our coin guides compare current wallets for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDT, Litecoin, Monero and Zcash.
It is the public address you share so others can send you crypto, like an account number. It is safe to share because it cannot be used to spend your coins. Your wallet shows it on the Receive screen, often with a QR code.
No. Each blockchain has its own format: Bitcoin addresses usually start with bc1, Ethereum with 0x, Tron with T, XRP with r and Monero with 4 or 8. Tokens such as USDT use the address of the network they run on.
The coins usually arrive on a network your wallet is not watching, or they cannot be reached at all. Sometimes they can be recovered by importing the recovery phrase into a wallet that supports that network, but often they are lost. Always pick the same network on both sides.
No. You paste your own wallet address as the payout address and the coins are sent straight to it. There is no account, no email and no ID check, and swaps start at $50.
BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, SOL, XMR, LTC and more · Network fee in the quote · Most swaps 5–30 min
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