In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital transactions, digital wallets are an essential tool to access dApps, for managing and staking various cryptocurrencies, as well as conducting financial transactions and engaging with NFTs. With a wide array of blockchains available, it’s crucial to work out how to evaluate digital wallets across a range of features, from security to transaction speeds. This article compares digital wallets across seven prominent blockchains:
to assess the good, the bad and the in-between.
Before looking at the various blockchains, it’s worth summarizing the different types of digital wallets, including:
This is the most robust solution for storing cryptocurrencies securely. Your digital assets are kept offline, hence safe from online attacks like hacking and phishing. When you want to access funds, however, you need to connect the device to a hot wallet - i.e. a digital wallet that is always connected to the internet.
These online wallets are accessible through a browser and offer users the convenience of managing their cryptocurrency holdings like a traditional bank account or payment system. They are more vulnerable to security issues, but offer users a seamless experience for transactions, including sending, receiving and utilizing crypto. Use online wallets that offer offline key storage and two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible. Security keys are generally better than SMS verification due to increased protection.
These wallets are downloaded onto personal computers. They are very user-friendly, but are tied to a specific computer which means users can’t access their funds from other devices while on the go.
These wallets can be installed on smartphones; they offer a practical solution for cryptocurrency storage and are relatively straightforward to install and use. They offer a handy tool for quick transactions and on-the-go management, but, like other hot wallets, security can be an issue.
Let’s turn to blockchains now. How do digital wallets compare across a variety of established and up-and-coming blockchains?
When it comes to digital wallets, Cardano offers a wide range of options that are dependent on your needs. Some Cardano wallets, for example Daedalus Wallet, run a full node - i.e. for each transaction, a full copy of the block chain is downloaded. This provides an extra layer of security and a completely trustless operation. The Daedalus Wallet also takes some time to install.
If you’re looking for a lighter wallet, there are definitely other worthwhile options such as VESPR. This mobile, non-custodial wallet offers a highly intuitive user interface (UI). It’s suitable for both novices looking to explore web3 or more experienced investors. It’s fast and easy to use: send, store and receive Cardano native tokens, connect to dApps and explore your NFT collection.
Cardano can process more than 1,000 transactions per second (TPS), which is significantly faster than Bitcoin’s transaction speed, though not as fast as some other blockchains like Solana.
Almost all Cardano wallets allow hardware wallet support, which, of course, helps with security. Fees on the Cardano blockchain are relatively low compared to other platforms, such as Ethereum: Cardano has 37.5 - 70 times lower fees than Ethereum. The minimum transaction fee on Cardano is 0.16 ADA. On top of that, you pay to get your transaction “prioritized” by validators. This fee depends on the network traffic. On average, a transaction on the Cardano network costs $0.2-$0.4.
Some good Cardano wallets for NFTs include Nami, the first smart contract wallet on Cardano that is an open source in-browser wallet extension for Chrome, Brave and Edge. You could also try Eternl, a browser-based and app wallet with advanced features for more technically proficient users. The wallet allows for the filtering and sorting of NFTs and tokens
So what digital wallet should you use for “baking” - a Tezos blockchain term to describe the process of validating blocks - or for any other crypto-based transaction? Many wallets support various platforms, including web, desktop and mobile applications, offering users flexibility in choosing their preferred device for accessing their XRZ, Tez or ‘tezzies’. Most Tezos wallets include hardware integration and are easily installed.
Temple is a great wallet for starting out - it supports a wide range of browsers, including Chrome, Brave, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Edge, Vivaldi, Safaris, and more, as well as iOS and Android apps. You can delegate straight from the wallet, create multiple accounts and manage your NFTs, and the security is good as well.
Another wallet to try is Kukai, a web browser wallet that’s been going since 2018. It was built specifically for the Tezos blockchain and is based on three principles: community, security and reliability. It’s easy to set up, has a straight-forward interface and a built-in dApp browser. Stake Tez directly from your wallet. Cons include an inability to do token swaps directly from the wallet, a lack of privacy (users don’t have the same anonymity as with other wallets) and no mobile app.
Comparing Cardano with Tezos, PoS (proof-of-stake) competitors, it seems that the Tezos chain is more adaptable and enjoys quicker upgrades. Against Ethereum, Tezos has the faster transaction throughput (40 TPS versus Ethereum’s 15 TPS). Integration and compatibility are important aspects of Tezos wallets.
A number of Tezos wallets - e.g. Kukai - have undergone an external security audit, and most support hardware integration. Many wallets are user-friendly. The average Tezos transaction fee is approximately. $0.01.
NFTs on the Tezos blockchain are energy-efficient (less energy to mint), cost-effective, and have smart contract capabilities. Check out Kukai wallet which has great NFT features - you can access thousands of NFT collections directly from the wallet.
Notable Algorand digital wallets include: Pera Algo wallet, the official wallet for Algo built by the Algorand development team and suitable for mobile (iOS and Android) and as a web browser, MyALGO, a very simple web browser wallet (no token staking, unfortunately) and AlgoSigner, a basic open-source wallet for the Chrome browser extension that makes it very easy to sign and use Algorand-based applications on the web.
In terms of transaction speeds, Algorand is known for its fast transaction times. Transactions on the Algorand network are confirmed in seconds, making it one of the fastest blockchains available. Transaction fees are also low compared to other blockchains. This makes it an ideal platform for minting NFTs as it is fast, cheap, secure and environmentally friendly.
Algorand wallets are known for their security and ease of use. Algorand’s official wallet is among the leading crypto wallets supporting the WalletConnect protocol as the industry standard for secure payments. This messaging layer is used to communicate securely between mobile wallets and dApps using QR code scanning for desktop or deep linking for mobile. Importantly, users’ private keys never leave their mobile device and are never exposed to connected dApps. The average fee for a transaction on Algorand is approximately 0.001 Algos.
On Algorand, tokenization, whether it’s fungible or non-fungible (NFT), can be achieved without writing any smart contract code. It’s supported in the Algorand protocol itself using ASAs (Algorand Standard Assets). The best wallet for buying, selling and viewing NFTs is Pera Algo.
When it comes to Polygon, previously known as the Matic network, look for wallets that support major operating systems - e.g. iOS, Android, Windows, macOS - and provide compatibility with popular web browsers. Also, consider wallets that offer integration with dApps and popular Ethereum-based platforms, as this will enhance your ability to interact with the Polygon ecosystem seamlessly.
Metamask, an extremely popular self-custodial wallet app and browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera and Microsoft Edge) certainly deserves a mention. This multi chain digital wallet is an excellent choice for beginners with a simple password-based login and good support.
A potential downside, however, is that only Ethereum tokens, that is tokens supported by ERC-20, can be interacted with in this wallet. Other types of tokens would need to be wrapped - for example, Bitcoin. If you’re keen on a wallet oriented toward DeFi (rather than NFTs), check out app-based digital wallet Minke.
Polygon’s high transaction speeds and low fees make the blockchain highly desirable. If Ethereum’s blockchain is more about features and security, Polygon prides itself on affordable rates, faster speeds and scalability.
If you’re after security, choose a wallet where you control your own keys - e.g. Metamask. Keys can also be stored locally on your browser and security can be increased by accessing biometric authentication. Many wallets are very user friendly. The average transaction fee on Polygon is less than 0.05 MATIC.
Some of the best digital wallets - e.g. Metamask or Trust wallet - support and showcase NFTs on the Polygon blockchain.
When choosing an Avalanche wallet, it’s important to note the following - if you want to run an Avalanche blockchain validator node, you need to hold a minimum of 2000 AVAX in your wallet. Staking AVAX from your wallet will earn you approximately 7.5%. You can check out Avalanche staking stats here - e.g. the percentage of AVAX currently staked, the staking market cap and the reward rate, etc.
Wallets worth considering include Avalanche wallet, a non-custodial in-browser wallet. It has the ability to create, mint and store NFTs in the wallet, plus it’s quick to install, allows hardware wallet integration and direct staking. There’s also Core, a browser extension for Chrome and suitable for mobile (Android) with a ‘Metamask’ look but tailor-made for Avalanche. The wallet has great functionality, though, unfortunately, it doesn’t allow direct staking from the wallet.
This blockchain can close a transaction in 3 seconds which is pretty good if you’re keen to get something done fast.
There aren’t a lot of digital wallets specifically for Avalanche; however, there are many excellent multi-chain wallets that offer good security, easy connection to Avalanche apps and good NFT functionality. To mint an asset on Avalanche costs 0.001 AVAX.
Avalanche offers an open, programmable smart contract platform which allows for the easy creation of NFTs. Try NFT Studio on Avalanche wallet for a seamless experience.
Ripple’s goal is to facilitate fast, cost-effective cross border payments on the blockchain. Sadly, you can’t stake XRP to earn rewards as it uses a consensus protocol to verify transactions. Only a few validator nodes, which are run by banks, are needed to run the network. This does raise the question of whether Ripple is in fact a distributed network.
Probably the most popular wallet on the XRP ledger is Xumm, a non-custodial wallet available for mobile (iOS and Android). This wallet supports more than 8,000 tokens on the XRP ledger. The security for the wallet is very good allowing for two levels: ‘standard’ (FaceID / Passcode) and ‘extra’ (password to sign transactions). On the downside, it’s a bit of a hassle to set up a Xumm wallet and you will need to deposit 10 XRP into the wallet to activate the account. The tokens are used for fees. (All XRP wallets require an initial deposit.)
GateHub, a web browser wallet, is also worth checking out - it’s both an XRP wallet and an exchange. Unfortunately, the wallet doesn’t include a capacity for displaying NFTs and you need to do a KYC (Know Your Customer) process to set up the wallet.
On the plus side, transactions from your Ripple wallet will be energy efficient, speedy (confirmation only takes a few seconds), and cost very little.
Mobile XRP wallets are functional and easy to use. Most Ripple wallets allow for hardware wallet integration and are quick and relatively easy to install. XRP’s average transaction fee remains under $0.01.
The Ripple blockchain supports a new standard called XLS-20, which permits increased functionality like leveraged auctions, efficient storage mechanisms, co-owning NFTs, direct cuts to secondary sales, etc.
HashPack is the leading HBAR, the token on Hedera, digital wallet. It’s very simple to install with only an email sign-up required. It also has a feature, ‘Secure Trade’, for direct peer-to-peer trading and secondary sales of NFTs for both creators and collectors. However, the buyer will need to communicate directly with the seller to acquire a QR code for the transaction to go through. It’s easy to stake HBAR directly from the wallet to one of 26 consensus nodes run by the Hedera Governing Council, the governing body of the Hedera network which is made up of 39 members from various industries and regions around the world.
Blade wallet is an alternative to consider. This mobile and Chrome extension Web 3 wallet is 3rd party audited. It’s designed to be a simple and secure way to token swap, stake HBAR, view and buy NFTs, etc. You can also get an encrypted version of your seed phrase for enhanced security.
The network is very energy efficient and is, in fact, carbon negative. It can also achieve incredibly fast transactions with speeds up to 10,000 transactions per second with very low fees.
Some Hedera wallets may take some getting used to with additional security features - e.g. HashPack. However, the Hedera Hashgraph blockchain is ultra secure with its asynchronous byzantine fault-tolerant consensus algorithm. The Hedera fee schedule can be found here, with most transactions costing less than $0.05.
There is good growth in the NFT space on the Hedera blockchain and a number of wallets connect seamlessly with leading marketplaces.
To conclude, digital wallets play a vital role in managing digital transactions, allowing users access to dApps, managing cryptocurrencies, staking tokens and engaging with NFTs. In the end, the choice of a digital wallet depends on individual preferences, requirements, and the specific blockchain being used. It's crucial to prioritize security, usability, and compatibility to ensure a seamless and protected digital transaction experience.
