As cryptocurrencies become more mainstream, the security of digital assets is becoming increasingly important. One crucial aspect of securing your cryptocurrency is choosing the right type of wallet. In this article, we'll explore the differences between hot and cold wallets and why the Ballet wallet is the best choice for long-term cold storage of your crypto.
In many areas of our lives, cold is still preferred over hot. For some people, cold water is much enjoyed over hot water. Cold pizza over hot pizza. Even colder weather is preferred over hot weather. In a study by a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley, research shows that hot weather makes us unhappy as compared to cold weather based on sentiment analysis. Research has also shown that cold showers actually better prepare you for the day because of their similarities to the benefits of cold therapy, which is used amongst all athletes in professional sports.
Cold can also be said to be the preferred way of storing cryptocurrencies and bitcoin.
There are a variety of wallet types that span the hot and cold spectrum available for users of cryptocurrencies, but there are key differences between each. We will go over these differences and give a conclusion as to why the Ballet wallet is the best overall for crypto users in 2023. We’ll also use this piece to reiterate the importance of what it means to truly store your crypto offline in cold storage.
To briefly recap, a cold storage wallet means that the wallet is offline, and not actively connected to the internet. Non-electronic means that the wallet uses no electronic components. Something could be offline, but still electronic, like a computer being shut off. Being non-electronic and not actively connected to the internet is the true essence of cold storage.
Firstly, let’s do a brief recap on the types of crypto wallets that are currently available amongst crypto users.
Some of the major risks and issues that users have experienced and described, specific to each wallet type, are the following;
Simply put, there are far too many risks and barriers to entry associated with older wallet storage forms. For the average cryptocurrency user, these risks are just needless and easily avoidable by just using the Ballet wallet. The Ballet wallet has essentially provided a true form of cold storage with a compatible crypto asset management app that can interact with the physical Ballet wallet.
Below is a side by side comparison between the Ballet wallet and its popular “hot wallet” competitors.
Although there is no gold standard of crypto wallet security, each type does come with its own advantages and disadvantages. Wallet diversification should be top of mind when managing your own crypto assets. Having hot and cold wallets should not be mutually exclusive but the Ballet wallet should be considered your primary choice for true long term cold storage of your crypto.
As in the words of Katy Perry:
’Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right’
Don’t complicate both spectrums of having your crypto all in hot or cold, or some in between convoluted state. Manage both accordingly to your crypto needs and investment goals.
Ballet is a U.S. company that provides simple and secure cryptocurrency storage solutions for the global mainstream market. Ballet is the team behind the world’s first multi-currency, non-electronic, physical crypto wallet. The company was founded in 2019 by Bobby Lee and an international team of cryptocurrency industry veterans.
Ballet is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States, and has an office in Shanghai, China.
Ballet is the world’s first multi-currency, non-electronic, air-gapped, physical crypto wallet.
In terms of security, the non-electronic two-factor private keys employed by Ballet wallets keep user funds safe from electronic hacking, reduce the risk of user error, and are ultimately more durable and reliable than devices with electronic components. Ballet gives users peace of mind that their funds are safe and accessible at all times because the users have full and exclusive control of their cryptocurrency private keys.
Ballet is a U.S. company that makes easy, safe, reliable cryptocurrency storage products.
Ballet’s flagship product is the REAL Series cryptocurrency wallet - the world’s first multi-currency, non-electronic cryptocurrency wallet.The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Layer 1 consists of the technological and physical components that combines to form the actual physical Ballet wallet. It is these components that are crucial in bringing the digital into the physical realm. This is the root basis that gives way to the important differentiating fundamental of making the Ballet wallet easy to use.
At its raw core, the physical Ballet wallet uses the BIP38 private key generation scheme, which is pivotal for the security of the Ballet wallet. This open source standard, written in 2012, is the basis for Ballet’s patent pending Two Factor Key Generation process (2FKG). The BIP38 standard is open source and free to use by anyone with current tools including a JavaScript and Python implementation, as well as open source tool, BalletCrypto.org.
The Two Factor Key Generation process then gives way to the production phase of the wallet. Made from 304 stainless steel, all of physical Ballet wallets utilize the BIP38 standard and are given an extra layer of security through the usage of tamper evident QR code stickers.
The Ballet Crypto app currently supports over 100+ cryptocurrencies which includes the popular mainstream currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Filecoin, and Dogecoin.
Recently, NFT support has been enabled but only limited to ERC721 NFT standards.
Layer 2 allows anyone to receive, hold, and send their crypto assets on their physical Ballet wallet with the Ballet Crypto App allowing accessible interaction with the crypto held on the wallet.
The Ballet Crypto app has expanded its crypto offering by enabling the Buy Crypto and Exchange Crypto functionality through the app. These functions give our users the functionality of a regular exchange without ever having to give up their private keys.
On the Buy Crypto side, Ballet has partnered up with MoonPay, Simplex, and Wyre to allow users to convert their fiat into crypto seamlessly.
On the Exchange Crypto side, Ballet has partnered with SWFT, ChangeNOW, and Changelly to offer quick and transparent token to token exchanges.
If you want to buy cryptocurrency with the lowest fees, without overpayment, then the ideal tool is the Onramper widget. It compares all the offers of leading Fiat-to-Crypto gateways (Wyre, MoonPay, Coinify, BTCdirect, Mercuryo, Indacoin, Utorg, Xanpool) in real time and offers the best option. Try it now.
The Ballet REAL Series wallet is a physical cryptocurrency wallet that gives you full and exclusive control of your digital assets. A two-factor cryptographic private key is securely concealed on the physical wallet itself, which allows the wallet to function as a bearer asset like cash or gold.
The prominent feature on the front side is a QR code of the wallet’s cryptocurrency deposit address. This allows you to immediately deposit funds to the wallet without needing to set up or configure anything.
Ballet Crypto is an app that acts as a companion to your Ballet product, allowing you to manage your cryptocurrencies, check their market value and add additional ones to your wallet.
Ballet Crypto is a companion app that serves as a digital interface for physical Ballet products. The app provides all the essential functions of a cryptocurrency wallet while allowing private keys to remain securely offline.
Download Ballet Crypto, scan the QR code of the deposit address (see figure 1.) on the REAL Series wallet, you can create your virtual wallet in the app. Ballet Crypto can help you send, buy, exchange cryptocurrency, check their market value and many other functions.
The Ballet Crypto app is a companion app to your Ballet wallet. When using the app, your assets are kept completely offline on your wallet. The app does not store the credentials of your wallet and cannot access your private key. Your assets are kept offline and no one can hack or otherwise gain access to your funds through the app.
Please note that all cryptocurrency purchase services in the Ballet Crypto app are handled by third parties. Ballet does not sell or transmit cryptocurrency in any form. By using these third party-services you agree to be bound by their terms and conditions and any applicable laws or regulations.
● The Ballet Crypto app does not actually store cryptocurrency or private keys on your device.
● Both REAL Series private key components (see figure 2. & 3.) are contained on the physical wallet, so please be sure to keep your REAL Series wallet safe.
● Do NOT peel off the QR code sticker or remove the scratch-off until you are ready to send crypto out from your wallet.
Scan the QR code on your Ballet product to start using the app. There is no need to register an account.
The app allows Ballet wallet customers to check the market value of their assets in real time.
The app does not store your wallet’s private keys. It also does not track, store or transmit your personal or financial data outside the app.
Ballet wallets and the Ballet Crypto app use the open-source BIP38 protocol.
Ballet REAL Series | Exchanges |
Ballet gives users full and exclusive control of their private keys; the security risks faced by crypto exchanges do not apply to any Ballet products. | Attackers can gain unauthorized access to users’ accounts and withdraw coins to their own wallet. |
REAL wallets were made with decentralization in mind, so only the end users have FULL and EXCLUSIVE control of their private keys, giving them full and unfettered access to their digital assets. | Governments can compel exchanges to freeze users’ accounts and confiscate assets for arbitrary reasons, and users have no recourse. |
Ballet REAL Series | Software Wallets |
REAL Series wallets have no electronic components and cannot be connected to the internet, so the threat of hacking is eliminated. | An internet connection is a potential attack vector that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to a user’s device and the crypto wallet apps installed on it. |
REAL Series wallets never need updates or maintenance. Since the private key is in physical form, not digital, there is no risk of accidental data deletion or corruption. | Electronic hardware wallets have fragile electronic components that can deteriorate over time, or become technologically obsolete in just a few years. |
REAL Series wallets are designed to be simple and intuitive so that Self-inflicted user error is nearly impossible. | Software wallets are more complex than REAL Series wallets, which increases their risk of user error. |
Ballet REAL Series | Electronic Hardware Wallets |
REAL Series wallets require no computer setup. | Electronic hardware wallets have a tedious setup process that must be done on a secure offline computer. |
REAL Series wallets are constructed of stainless steel to provide excellent durability. | Electronic hardware wallets have fragile electronic components that can deteriorate over time, or become technologically obsolete in just a few years. |
REAL Series wallets never require updates or maintenance. | Electronic hardware wallets often require firmware updates. When done improperly, a firmware update can potentially damage a working device. |
REAL Series wallets never need to be connected to a computer. | Electronic hardware wallets usually need to be connected to a computer in order to send a transaction, which is a potential attack vector. |
The PURE Series implements the BIP38 open-source industry standard for cryptocurrency storage. The crypto stored on each card is protected by a tamper-evident sticker and a strip of lottery-style scratch-off material. As long as the sticker and scratch-off are intact, you can be certain that your two private key components are safe and has never been seen by anyone.
The PURE Series is offline cold storage at its best. Crypto is stored on the card in a completely non-electronic way, so the threat of loss from electronic hacking is eliminated.
PURE Bitcoin Signature Set is elegant in appearance and constructed of high quality materials for excellent durability. Exquisite silver and gold-plated PURE Bitcoin will be treasured additions to any physical cryptocurrency enthusiast’s collection.
PURE Bitcoin is an easy, safe, reliable method of offline cold storage that is suitable for Bitcoin Investors.They are elegant in appearance and constructed of high quality materials for excellent durability.
PURE Series (Low Denomination) is the perfect way to share crypto with your friends and family.
The PRO Series cryptocurrency wallet is a simple yet powerful cold storage solution. It is a non-electronic BIP38 wallet with an encrypted private key that can only be decrypted by a passphrase created by you. PRO Series wallets provide the ideal balance of security and convenience - a cold storage solution that you can have cryptographically-guaranteed confidence in.
The new PRO Series is designed to meet the requirements of security experts and high-value investors, but it is simple enough for anyone who has experience using a cryptocurrency software or hardware wallet.
Users jointly participate with Ballet in the two-factor private key generation process through the open-source BIP38 standard. This method enables to produce a customized wallet that can only be decrypted by a passphrase that you create, without your passphrase ever leaving the computer you used to generate the intermediate code.
Each PRO Series package contains three identical wallets, so you can store physical backups in multiple locations. The physical wallets are constructed of high-quality materials for exceptional durability and long-term storage.
Yes. Ballet REAL Series wallets require no computer setup and are ready to use right out of the box. To the best of our knowledge, no other cryptocurrency wallet on the market can currently make this claim.
The Ballet Crypto mobile app works in conjunction with the non-electronic Ballet wallet to provide an incredibly simple user experience, all while your private keys remain securely offline. There is no need to register an account, create a password, or write down a recovery seed phrase.
Yes. Ballet wallets were designed for long-term cryptocurrency cold storage, so we took great care to make sure that they are very durable. They are constructed of high-quality materials so that if you store your wallet in a normal environment, you can have full confidence that it will last for generations. It will last much longer than any device with electronic components. The encrypted private key is printed on a two-layer, tamper-evident stick that is sealed in a waterproof plastic coating, and the wallet passphrase is laser-etched onto the stainless steel card. But please be aware that they are not fireproof or resistant to corrosive chemicals.
You can see this list here.
1 | Trezor hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
2 | Ledger hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
3 | KeepKey hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
4 | BitBox02 hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
5 | CoolWallet hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
6 | ELLIPAL hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
7 | D'CENT hardware wallet, the official online store. | ||
8 | SafePal hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
9 | SecuX hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
10 | BC Vault hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
11 | BitLox hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
12 | Keystone hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
13 | ProKey hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
14 | NGRAVE hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
15 | Keevo hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
16 | GridPlus hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
17 | Ballet hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
18 | OPOLO hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
19 | Foundation (Passport) hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
20 | ImKey hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
21 | Tangem hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
22 | HashWallet hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
23 | Material Bitcoin hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
24 | ShieldFolio hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
25 | OneKey hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
26 | Blockstream Jade hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
27 | Cypherock hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
28 | Keepser hardware wallet, the official online store | ||
29 | NEXA hardware wallet, the official online store |