💼 Wallet Security Guide

Your mnemonic seed phrase (12, 24, or 25 words depending on the wallet) is the master backup of your cryptocurrency. Anyone with this phrase can reconstruct your wallet and access all funds. Write it on paper or stamp it into metal for fire resistance — never store it digitally (no photos, no text files, no cloud storage). Store copies in two separate, physically secure locations. Verify your seed backup works by restoring it on a different device before depositing significant funds.

A hardware wallet (Ledger Nano, Trezor) stores your private keys on a secure element chip that never exposes them to your computer. Even if your PC is infected with malware, the hardware wallet requires physical button confirmation for each transaction. Use hardware wallets for long-term storage of larger amounts. For active market trading, transfer only the needed amount to a hot wallet on Tails. Always purchase hardware wallets directly from the manufacturer — never from resellers.

Implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy for your cryptocurrency: three copies of your seed phrase, on two different media types (paper and metal), with one copy stored off-site. For hot wallets used on Tails, back up the wallet file to the Persistent Storage and a separate encrypted USB. Test your backups periodically by restoring them. Keep a record of which wallet addresses belong to which purpose, but store this mapping separately from your seed phrases.