How To Choose a Crypto Wallet

So you are ready to get yourself a crypto wallet, but you’re not sure which wallet is best for your specific needs. It might be overwhelming at first. In der Tat gibt es eine enorme Zahl verschiedener Wallet-Typen, die alle unterschiedliche Funktionen und Möglichkeiten zur Interaktion mit der Blockchain bieten.

Aber sie haben auch einige grundlegende Funktionen gemeinsam. They allow users to store the private keys that control their accounts, plus offer an interface that allows you to manage those accounts. Das Verständnis für die Funktionen jeder einzelnen Wallet ist jedoch nur ein Teil des Ganzen.

Denn abgesehen davon unterscheiden sich die Krypto-Wallets ziemlich stark voneinander. Insbesondere die Art und Weise, wie sie die privaten Schlüssel speichern und wie die Benutzeroberfläche der Wallet funktioniert, kann je nach Gestaltung erheblich variieren.

Wenn also alle so verschieden sind, wie wählt man dann die passende Krypto-Wallet für sich aus?

Well, to help you choose which wallet you might need, let’s first explore the different types of features you might want to take into consideration.

Wie man die optimale Krypto-Wallet auswählt

Jede Wallet-Art bringt Vorzüge, aber ebenso Nachteile mit sich. So, before you choose the same crypto wallet as all of your friends, you might want to consider some of these key questions first.

Bietet sie Selbstverwaltung?

Firstly, some wallets allow you true ownership over your digital assets. Then others merely allow you to use their interface, forcing you to forfeit the ownership of your assets in the process. In der Regel werden verwahrende Wallets von zentralisierten Börsen betrieben. Instead of allowing you to manage your private keys yourself, they manage the keys to your account for you. Unfortunately, this means they have the true ownership of your funds.

Ist das wirklich sicher?

Die Sicherheit ist wohl der entscheidende Punkt, den es zu beachten gilt. While all sorts of crypto wallets offer all manners of different use-cases, what’s the point if it can’t actually protect your precious assets?

The secret to a secure wallet is down to where and how it stores and accesses your private keys. Anyone with access to your private keys has access to your entire wallet. Therefore, it’s imperative that your crypto wallet stores your private keys in a place no one else but you can access them.

Hackers will attempt to gain remote access to your private keys by infecting your internet connected device— then tricking you into either handing over control by weaponizing your smartphone or laptop’s screen, or by finding and extracting your public keys from your browser’s data store.

Doch die Bedrohung beschränkt sich nicht allein auf digitale Hacks: Auch physische Übergriffe stellen ein Risiko dar. For example, you wouldn’t want to store your private keys on an untrustworthy, unaudited or weakly secured computer chip. Daher ist es entscheidend, die verschiedenen Optionen auch im Hinblick auf ihren Schutz vor physischen Hacks zu bewerten.

Werden verschiedene Blockchain-Netzwerke unterstützt?

In addition, many crypto wallets are designed to work for a single network. This means you’ll need a separate account for every blockchain network you access. Yes–that means you cannot use the same account for storing both Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, and much more. That said, there are lots of wallets—including Ledger signers— which let you create multiple accounts on several blockchains. So, if you’re planning to use multiple networks, you might be looking for something with this capability.

Werden Vermögenswerte unterschiedlicher Art unterstützt?

Selbst innerhalb eines Ökosystems stehen Ihnen unterschiedliche Wallets zur Auswahl, von denen viele gezielt auf die Unterstützung bestimmter Vermögenswerte ausgerichtet sind.

Einige Krypto-Wallets beschränken sich auf die Unterstützung von Coins, während andere auch fungible und nicht-fungible Token (NFTs) verwalten können. That means if you want to store and manage Bitcoin Ordinals, you’ll need a specific type of crypto wallet to do so.

So with all these things considered, you’re ready to find the best crypto wallet for you. Werfen wir einen Blick auf die verschiedenen Arten von Krypto-Wallets und sehen wir uns an, für welche Zwecke sie entwickelt wurden.

Welche Krypto-Wallet eignet sich am besten für die sichere Aufbewahrung von Kryptowährungen?

Beim Verwahren von Kryptowährungen sollte die Sicherheit an oberster Stelle stehen. There are several different threats to your digital assets, with some wallets providing better protection from these threats than others.

The first risk your wallet may encounter is remote hacking. To explain, software wallets store private keys on your host device–the same one connected to the internet. This means that hackers with access to your smartphone or laptop may be able to either extract your private keys and take control of your wallet or trick you into signing a malicious transaction that gives them power to take what they like.

Zur Bekämpfung dieser speziellen Bedrohung stellen Hardware-Wallets die sicherste Option dar.

Hardware-Wallets

Eine Hardware-Wallet ist ein physisches Gerät. Unlike software wallets, they keep private keys in a computer chip, stored safely and securely away from your internet-connected device. This means that if your web2 device, such as your laptop or smartphone, is hacked, you can still trust the transaction details on the screen of your hardware wallet.

Ein wesentliches Risiko bei Hardware-Wallets stellt der physische Hackerangriff dar. Each hardware wallet has a different security model, so checking that your hardware wallet has effective components to combat physical hacking is a must. Firstly, most hardware wallets offer a sort of two-factor authentication. To explain, every time you transact with a hardware wallet you will have to enter a code on the physical device.

Ledger signers use a PIN code, a unique 4-8 digit code that serves as the first barrier for a physical hack. Moreover, they store your private keys in a Secure Element chip—the same chip you might find in a passport or bank card. These tamper-proof chips keep your private keys in an offline environment, making it harder for hackers to steal your digital assets. 

Hardware wallets are fantastic for secure storage, with Ledger signers offering even more security than most. However, they do come with a risk: You. If you interact with a malicious smart contract, your hardware wallet might not be able to protect your assets.

To explain, malicious smart contracts may present themselves as harmless apps or platforms, then fool you into signing away your most valuable assets. Viele Blockchain-Transaktionen sind vom Menschen nicht lesbar, und das Signieren einer solchen Transaktion wird als „Blindsignatur“ bezeichnet. In these cases, you can’t know the result of a transaction before approving it—which could put your assets at risk.

Cold-Wallets

So, how do you store crypto without making mistakes and signing away your crypto? Eine Überlegung wert könnte das Einrichten einer Offline-Wallet sein. Eine Offline-Wallet ist eine Krypto-Wallet, die niemals mit Blockchain-Apps oder Smart Contracts interagiert. It’s purely for sending and receiving cryptocurrencies.

Obwohl es viele Arten von Offline-Wallets gibt, entscheiden sich Nutzer häufig dafür, Offline-Wallet-Konten auf ihrer bestehenden Hardware-Wallet einzurichten. That’s because your accounts on a hardware wallet are completely separate from each other, meaning an account that interacts with a smart contract cannot affect another account which doesn’t. This allows you to keep one account completely cold–used only for sending and receiving assets. Meanwhile, you can have another separate account you use purely for connecting to web3 apps and services.

Using this method, the only way your wallet—and all of the accounts within it—can become compromised, is if someone gains access to your secret recovery phrase. Remember: your Secret recovery phrase is like the master key for all of your private keys controlled by a specific wallet. Das bedeutet, dass jede Person mit Zugriff auf diese Wiederherstellungsphrase die Kontrolle über alle dazugehörigen Konten erlangen kann. Deshalb ist es so entscheidend, sie sicher zu verwahren.

Welche ist die beste Krypto-Wallet für die Interaktion mit Apps und Services?

Viele Nutzer, die sich in die Welt von Web3 begeben, tun dies vor allem, um Apps und Services zu nutzen. DApps – also dezentralisierte Anwendungen – treten in den unterschiedlichsten Formen auf: dezentralisierte Börsen, DeFi-Kreditplattformen, aber auch Blockchain-basierte Spiele und Metaverses. Allerdings erlauben diese Plattformen in der Regel nur den Zugriff über eine begrenzte Auswahl an Wallets. Und oft handelt es sich dabei um Software-Wallets (Online-Wallets).

Software-/Online-Wallets

Software wallets are the best for interacting with blockchain apps because they are easy and free to set up, and they are often widely used on popular blockchain apps and platforms. Zu den bekanntesten Software-Wallets gehören MetaMask, Phantom, Keplr, Temple und Kukai.

Zwar sind diese Wallet-Typen sehr leicht zugänglich, doch ist ihre Nutzung mit bestimmten Risiken verbunden. To explain, software wallets store your private key on your internet connected device, i.e. your smartphone or computer. This means your private keys are vulnerable to online threats.

That said, there is a way to mitigate this risk: Using a Ledger signer to protect your software wallet. This keeps your private keys offline and safe from these types of threats. For more information on how, make sure you check out the full article on using Ledger signer with third-party wallets.

Your Ledger Signer and the Discover Section

Now, if connecting your device to a third-party wallet sounds like too much responsibility for you to handle—don’t worry! There’s also a much easier way to connect to blockchain apps. Connecting your Ledger signer to Ledger Wallet and navigating to the Discover section will present you with countless apps and services.

Put simply, Ledger Wallet provides a secure gateway to popular web3 platforms and services from different providers. Using this method, you can start to explore web3 without worrying about phishing or malicious smart contract functions. Ledger Wallet has a clear signing plugin, which guarantees that all apps show you the proposed outcome of each transaction in human readable language.

Die besten Krypto-Wallets zum Kaufen und Verkaufen von Kryptowährungen

Before you start interacting with web3, you might want some cryptocurrencies first. Buying and selling cryptocurrencies can be as easy as swapping one crypto for another. However, if you want to buy a cryptocurrency with a fiat currency (such as dollars or euros), or sell your cryptocurrency in return for fiat currency, you will have to use a crypto on-ramp or off-ramp service. Diese Services werden in der Regel von zentralisierten Kryptobörsen (CEXs) vermittelt. Damit kommen wir zu einer weiteren Wallet-Variante: der verwahrenden Wallet.

Selbstverwahrende Wallets

Custodial wallets allow the user access to the account, but essentially the centralized entity retains ownership over the account and everything in it. Das liegt daran, dass solche Wallets den Nutzern nicht die Kontrolle über ihre privaten Schlüssel überlassen. Essentially, they work much like bank accounts, which makes them a good choice for beginners. They are convenient and often designed with user-friendliness in mind.

Allerdings bergen sie auch Risiken. Should that centralized entity stop operating, you may not have access to your funds. Ein Bankrott der Einrichtung könnte bereits ausreichen. In fact, that’s exactly what happened with centralized lending platform Celsius. Nachdem sie Insolvenz angemeldet hatte, konnten ihre Kunden keine Vermögenswerte mehr abheben.

Die Nutzung zentralisierter Börsen für On-Ramp- und Off-Ramp-Transaktionen mag zwar sehr praktisch sein, doch für eine langfristige Aufbewahrung sind die verwahrenden Wallets solcher Börsen nicht die ideale Lösung.

On-ramps and Off-Ramp Via Ledger Wallet

Luckily, custodial wallets aren’t your only on and off-ramp option. Through Ledger’s ecosystem you can buy and sell crypto for fiat currencies securely using a third-party provider.

To explain, while many of the Buy providers in Ledger Wallet are centralized exchanges, using them via the Ledger ecosystem means retain custody of your keys while accessing this important service. That means you can buy crypto with your fiat currency then immediately secure it with your Ledger signer rather than needing to transfer it from your custodial wallet. 

Within Ledger Wallet you can on or off ramp using several different buy and sell providers including MoonPay, Wyre, Coinify and PayPal. Here, you can easily buy (and sell) crypto using your regular credit card, in conjunction with your Ledger signer. Plus you can buy or sell a wide variety of coins and tokens including Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, DOT and more.

This is the most secure way to buy cryptocurrencies, plus, you can rest assured that using this method, only you can access the crypto in your account.

Die besten Wallets für DAOs und Organisationen

If you’ve set up a web3 community with treasury funds, such as a decentralized autonomous organization, an NFT or fan token project, you might want to control the funds with multiple people. In fact, you might even want to set up an account with your partner to control the funds for your next get-away. In solchen Fällen, in denen die Genehmigung mehrerer Personen notwendig ist, erweist sich eine Multisig-Wallet als die ideale Krypto-Wallet.

Multisig-Wallets

Multisig wallets are crypto wallets that operate via smart contracts and they require two or more participant’s signatures to approve transactions. These types of wallets are a game-changer for web3 businesses and communities which may require the permission of multiple representatives in order to move money, or make decisions on behalf of the community. Using a smart contract, you can set up each representative to sign with their own crypto wallet— whether that’s a software or hardware wallet like a Ledger signer.

The Ledger Ecosystem can Help You Find The Best Crypto Wallet For You

Whatever you need a crypto wallet for, the Ledger Ecosystem has an option for you.

Firstly, Ledger signer offer unparalleled security features including; a secure element chip, a trusted display, and rigorous security auditing in the Ledger Donjon. Not only that, Ledger signers offer flexibility; allowing you to set up and manage multiple accounts on multiple networks. 

Then, through the Ledger Wallet discover section, you can access countless platforms in a secure and decentralized way. Since you can access blockchain apps directly through Ledger Wallet, you don’t have to worry about malicious transactions or phishing attacks. Instead, Ledger Wallet acts as a secure gateway to access blockchain apps and services.

Plus, if you want to explore web3 further, you can also connect your Ledger to a range of third-party wallet interfaces, allowing you to interact with blockchain apps beyond the Ledger Wallet Discover section. With this method, you can connect to countless platforms and apps with confidence that your private keys stay offline. 

And of course, using your Ledger signer along with the Ledger Ecosystem has its main advantage: Secure self-custody. With Ledger, you can be sure that your private keys stay under your control. In short, the Ledger Ecosystem allows YOU to take control of your assets, because that’s what self-custody is all about.