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Bitcoin Wallets: The Definitive Guide

By July 21, 2020May 9th, 20234 minute read

There are physical wallets that store physical, tangible currencies like the INR, USD, Euro, etc. Then there are other wallets that store digital information necessary for conducting monetary transactions. Bitcoin wallets belong in the second category.

Nowadays, even fiat currency transfers happen from mobile-based wallet apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, etc.

But these wallets function by accessing your primary bank account or the money stored in the wallet. On the contrary, a BTC wallet is like your bank account.

Bitcoin wallets store digital information. Information regarding all BTC transactions and balances. Bitcoin wallets also contain the private and public keys necessary for conducting a BTC transaction. The other term for public keys is ‘wallet address’.

Wallet addresses are similar to your bank account details like account number, IFSC code, etc, that you share publicly for receiving payments.

Private keys are akin to your internet banking password or debit card pin.

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This was an overview. Let’s look at them in detail.

How do Bitcoin Wallets Work?

Bitcoin wallets are applications that facilitate BTC transactions by interacting with the Bitcoin blockchain.

Due to the underlying decentralized architecture, all bitcoins exist on the blockchain. No one owns any BTC in their bitcoin wallets. As mentioned earlier, BTC wallets only store public and private keys/wallet address.

A wallet’s combination of public and private keys helps access bitcoins from the blockchain for financial settlements.

How Bitcoin Wallets Work?

When you buy bitcoin, you pay for a section of ownership on the Bitcoin blockchain. The private key in bitcoin wallets keeps that ownership safe.

Multi-Sig Wallets

Sending bitcoin from a wallet results in the creation of a transaction that has to be signed.

Transactions from single key wallets need only one signature. However, this exposes the wallet to risks of hacking and theft. Apart from this, the loss of the private key could make the available funds in the wallet unusable forever.

Multi-sig wallets need ‘multiple signatures’ to sign off transactions, and hence, reduce phishing risks considerably.

Generally, multi-sig wallets have two or more users. Therefore, the number of signatures required to authenticate transactions is less than or equal to the number of users. To know more about multi-sig wallets check out the video below:

How do multi-sig wallets work?

Types of Bitcoin Wallets

Bitcoin wallets can be divided into three basic categories – software, hardware, paper.

Software Wallets

  • Desktop Wallets – Desktop bitcoin wallets are PC and laptop-based wallets. They are free to download and install and are one of the safest wallet options out there. But a desktop wallet generally stores private keys in the computer’s hard drive. If the hard drive gets damaged or lost, the stored bitcoin funds could be lost forever. Some of the popular desktop wallets are Bitcoin Core, Electrum, Exodus, etc.
  • Mobile Wallets – Mobile or smartphone wallets are a bit more convenient to use than desktop bitcoin wallets. They store private keys in the phone’s hard drive and make it easier to conduct BTC transactions. It is also super simple to track your bitcoin investment portfolio on a mobile wallet. It is advisable to active 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) on mobile bitcoin wallets for additional security. Some of the well-known smartphone wallets are Trust Wallet, WazirX, Atomic Wallet, Edge, Freewallet, etc.
  • Web Wallets – Website based BTC wallets exist on the internet and can be accessed anywhere, anytime, and on any device – laptops or smartphones. However, there are physical/cloud online servers that store private keys of web wallets. You should exercise care and caution in choosing and handling a web wallet for your bitcoin transactions. Nonetheless, some options have a comparatively low chance of failure – Xapo, Strongcoin, etc.

Hardware Wallets

To date hardware bitcoin wallets or cold storage wallets are trustworthy options for storing BTC private keys. There have been no verifiable incidents on funds being stolen from hardware wallets.

They look like USB sticks/pen drives and are immune to computer viruses (as claimed by few hard wallet manufacturers). These wallets provide recovery options to retrieve private keys in case they get lost.

Although they are not free unlike the web, desktop, or mobile wallets but an investment in hardware bitcoin wallets guarantees the safety of your BTC holdings. But for that, you need to buy a hardware wallet from only the most trusted manufacturers in the industry. Some of them are Trezor, Ledger, KeepKey.

Paper Wallets

Paper BTC wallets are QR codes of public and private keys printed on paper. They just provide offline storage support.

Paper bitcoin wallet, Source: Bank of Holders

Both QR codes need to be scanned onto a software wallet to make a transfer. Paper wallets are difficult to be hacked but precautions need to be taken before creating one.

No one should be around when you are printing paper wallets. Use only offline printers for printing the wallets. It is advisable to use an operating system like Ubuntu, running from a flash drive or DVD.

The website generating the public and private BTC keys should run offline (before the keys are generated). Lastly, paper bitcoin wallets are susceptible to damage through spillage or wear and tear. You should protect the printed information with a good quality lamination or plastic coating.

Choosing the right wallet can go a long way in protecting your bitcoin holdings from bad actors and malicious players. After you buy bitcoin, make sure to walk that extra mile and secure your investment.

Also you can download the wallet and Start Trading Now!

Android – WazirX – Bitcoin Wallet

iOS – ‎WazirX – Bitcoin Wallet

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Bitcoin And How Does It Work?

Bitcoin is decentralized digital money that may be bought, sold, and exchanged without an intermediary such as a bank. Bitcoin is based on a blockchain that is considered to be a distributed digital ledger. As the name suggests, blockchain is a linked database made up of blocks that store information about each transaction, such as the date and time, total amount, buyer and seller, and a unique identifier for each exchange. Entries are linked in chronological order to form a digital blockchain

How To Convert Bitcoin To Cash?

There are many ways of converting Bitcoin to cash, such as crypto exchanges, Bitcoin ATMs, Bitcoin Debit Cards, Peer to Peer Transactions. You can use cryptocurrency exchanges such as WazirX for this. Unlike typical ATMs, which allow you to withdraw money from your bank account, a Bitcoin ATM is a physical location where you may buy and sell Bitcoins using fiat currency. Several websites provide the option of selling Bitcoin in return for a prepaid debit card that may be used just like a standard debit card. You can sell Bitcoin for cash through a peer-to-peer platform in a faster and more anonymous manner.

Is Bitcoin A Good Investment For The Future?

Some investors are afraid of the risks or devastation, but others are very eager to pursue the possibility of profit from a Bitcoin investment. A Bitcoin investment is similar to stock investing, except it can be more volatile.

How To Invest In Bitcoin?

Bitcoin may be invested in two ways: through mining or exchanges. Bitcoin mining is carried out by high-powered computers that solve challenging computational arithmetic problems that are too difficult to complete by hand and complex enough to tax even the most powerful computers. WazirX, a Bitcoin exchange, is another alternative.

What Is Meant By Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a digital currency that was initially released in January 2009. It is based on ideas offered by Satoshi Nakamoto, a mysterious and pseudonymous figure, in a whitepaper. The name of the person or individuals who invented technology has not been revealed. Bitcoin promises lower transaction fees than other online payment systems, and unlike government-issued currencies, it is decentralized.

How Does Bitcoin Technology Work?

The blockchain is the foundation of Bitcoin. It is a decentralized, distributed ledger that tracks the provenance of digital assets. The data on a blockchain can't be changed by design, making it a real disruptor in industries like payments, cybersecurity, and healthcare.

Is Bitcoin Cash A Good Investment?

Bitcoin Cash is a hard fork of Bitcoin formed in 2017 to address Bitcoin's scalability and challenges. Bitcoin Cash seeks to make global transactions faster, cheaper, and more secure. Bitcoin Cash is now accepted by thousands of online and offline businesses all over the world. Studied correctly, Bitcoin Cash may be an investment worthy of consideration.

Is Bitcoin Trading Is Legal In India?

In 2020, the Supreme Court of India lifted the RBI’s restrictions on cryptocurrencies. According to the Supreme Court, the existence of Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency is unregulated but not unlawful. The verdict has greatly aided the world of digital money in the country. To put it another way, investing in Bitcoin is perfectly legal, and you may do so through various apps and traders.

Is Bitcoin Legal In India?

In India, Bitcoin is not illegal. Because of cryptocurrency's rapid evolution, policymakers and regulators seemed to have recognized the chance to accept the new technology early. From the infamous 'RBI ban' in 2018 to reports of an impending bill banning cryptos in 2021 that has yet to develop, India has seen its fair share of ups and downs when it comes to Bitcoin regulation. Last year, the Supreme Court Of India approved the use of Bitcoin throughout the country. According to the Supreme Court, the existence of Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency is unregulated but not unlawful.

Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency is not a legal tender and is currently unregulated. Kindly ensure that you undertake sufficient risk assessment when trading cryptocurrencies as they are often subject to high price volatility. The information provided in this section doesn't represent any investment advice or WazirX's official position. WazirX reserves the right in its sole discretion to amend or change this blog post at any time and for any reasons without prior notice.
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