Tangem.
Cold storage made simple.
Buying crypto is the easy part. Protecting it properly is where things get more serious. Tangem is a hardware wallet that lets you take your crypto off an exchange and hold the keys yourself — without turning the process into a computer science project.
What does “cold storage” actually mean?
You don't actually store Bitcoin, Ethereum or Solana inside the card. Your crypto remains on its blockchain. The wallet protects the private keys that give you control over those assets.
Coinbase holds the keys.
When your crypto sits on a centralized exchange such as Coinbase, the exchange generally controls the private keys associated with those funds.
You log into an account and the exchange allows you to access your assets.
Convenient? Absolutely.Full self-custody? No.
You hold the keys.
With Tangem, the private key is secured by the hardware wallet. Transactions require interaction with your Tangem card using NFC.
Your phone becomes the interface — not the vault.
That's what people mean by“self-custody.”
Why Tangem is interesting for beginners.
Traditional hardware wallets can feel intimidating. Tangem takes a different approach: your wallet looks like a bank card and communicates with your phone using NFC.
Tap your phone
No USB cables or tiny hardware screens. Open the Tangem app and tap your card against your NFC-enabled smartphone.
Your keys stay offline
The private key can be generated and stored inside the secure chip rather than sitting on your phone or computer.
Backup cards
A Tangem set can contain multiple cards providing access to the same wallet, giving you physical backups.
No charging
The card doesn't use a traditional battery. It receives power through NFC when communicating with your phone.
Use another phone
Lose your phone? Your crypto isn't stored on the phone. Install Tangem on another compatible phone and authenticate using your card.
Physical confirmation
Sending crypto requires you to authenticate the transaction using your physical Tangem wallet.
Setting up your Tangem wallet.
Tangem walks you through the process inside the app. The basic seedless setup looks roughly like this.
Download the official Tangem app
Get the Tangem Wallet app directly through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Avoid downloading wallet software from links sent to you through messages, email or social media.
Scan your first card
Open the app, choose Scan Card and tap your Tangem card against the NFC area of your phone.
Create the wallet
Choose Create Wallet. With Tangem's seedless setup, the private key is generated within the secure hardware rather than being handed to you as a recovery phrase.
Add your backup cards
This part matters. Follow the app instructions and scan your second card — and your third card if you're using a 3-card set.
Create your access code
Choose a strong access code that protects your Tangem wallet if someone obtains one of your cards.
Scan each card to finalize setup
Tangem will ask you to authenticate each card as the backup process is completed.
Store the cards separately
Don't keep all three backup cards together. That defeats much of the point of having backups.
to authenticate.
One decision you'll see during setup.
Tangem supports both a seedless setup and an optional traditional recovery seed phrase.
Option 1 — Seedless
Tangem's default approach uses your Tangem cards as physical backups.
- Your wallet generates its private key.
- Your backup Tangem cards are linked during setup.
- You store those cards in separate secure locations.
- You don't have a traditional recovery phrase sitting on paper.
Option 2 — Seed Phrase
Advanced users can choose to create or import a traditional recovery phrase.
- The phrase can recover your wallet.
- Anyone who obtains the phrase can potentially control your crypto.
- Never photograph it.
- Never store it in email, Notes, Google Drive or iCloud.
Coinbase → Tangem.
This is the part that makes new users nervous. The trick is not to rush.
Get your Tangem address
- Open Tangem.
- Select the cryptocurrency you want to receive.
- Tap Receive.
- Tangem will display your receiving address.
- Copy the address.
Withdraw from the exchange
- Open Coinbase or your exchange.
- Select the same cryptocurrency.
- Choose Send / Withdraw.
- Paste your Tangem receiving address.
- Make sure you are using the correct blockchain network.
- Send a small test transaction first.
If I'm moving a meaningful amount of crypto, I prefer sending a small test transaction first. Once it arrives safely, I send the remainder. Crypto transfers generally cannot simply be reversed because you entered the wrong address or selected the wrong network.
The coin AND the network need to match.
This is one of the most important things to understand before moving crypto.
For example, if you're sending SOL, make sure you're receiving SOL on the Solana network. If you're transferring a token that exists on multiple networks, confirm the exact network on both sides before approving the transaction.
If you're unsure which network to select, stop and verify it first. Five extra minutes is better than sending thousands of dollars into cyberspace.
Tattoo these into your brain.
Self-custody gives you control. It also gives you responsibility.
Crypto support will not randomly DM you.
The second you start talking publicly about wallets, exchanges or transferring crypto, scammers appear.
Someone may pretend to be Tangem support, Coinbase support, an administrator or even someone you've been following online.
Never give anyone your access code, private keys or recovery seed phrase. Never connect your wallet to a website just because someone sends you a link.
When should you consider cold storage?
There's no magic dollar amount.
But as your crypto portfolio grows, there eventually comes a point where leaving everything sitting on an exchange simply because it's convenient doesn't make much sense.
For me, the big advantage of Tangem is that it makes self-custody feel approachable. You don't need to be a programmer. You don't need to plug a strange device into your computer every time you want to use it.
Phone. Card. Tap. Done.
Ready to learn more?
Read about the wallet directly from Tangem before deciding whether cold storage is right for you.