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title: Wallets and Crypto Wallets

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# What Is a Crypto Wallet?

A crypto wallet is something that helps you store and use cryptocurrency. It’s not like a normal wallet where you keep physical cash. In crypto, the wallet stores your **private key**, which is the most important thing because it gives you access to your crypto.

The wallet doesn't actually store your coins. The coins are on the blockchain. What the wallet does is allow you to access and control those coins through your private key.

***There are two main types of wallets: cold wallets and hot wallets.***
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# **Cold wallets**

**Cold wallets** are offline wallets. They are not connected to the internet, so they are more secure. Examples include hardware wallets like Ledger and Trezor, or even paper wallets that have your private key written down or printed. Because they’re offline, hackers can’t easily get to them.

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# **Hot wallets**
**Hot wallets** are online wallets. They are connected to the internet and are easier to use. Examples include MetaMask, Trust Wallet, and Coinbase Wallet. These wallets can be used in your browser or as mobile apps. They are very fast and user-friendly, but they are more at risk of being hacked.
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### **Every wallet has a **private key** and a public key**.
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## The private key 

The private key is like your secret password. You must never share it with anyone.
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## The public key
The public key is used to create your wallet address. Your wallet address is what people can use to send you crypto.
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When you want to send crypto, your wallet uses your private key to sign the transaction. Then the transaction is sent to the blockchain for confirmation by miners or validators.

Most wallets today use something called a **seed phrase**. It is usually 12 or 24 random words. This seed phrase is a backup for your wallet. If you lose your device, you can use the seed phrase to restore your wallet and access your funds. But if you lose your seed phrase and your device, your crypto is gone and cannot be recovered.

Wallets that use seed phrases are called **HD wallets**. That means Hierarchical Deterministic wallets. It means that one seed phrase can be used to create many wallet addresses.

Crypto wallets are also used to connect to dApps (decentralized apps). With your wallet, you can do things like trade tokens on Uniswap, buy NFTs, play blockchain games, and more.

Some wallets are **smart contract wallets**, like Safe. These wallets run as smart contracts on the blockchain and offer extra features like social recovery, multi-signature, and better security options.

A wallet is not like a bank. There’s no support team to help you if you lose your keys. You are the only one in control. This is called self-custody. It gives you freedom but also responsibility.

Some common examples of wallets are:

* MetaMask
* Trust Wallet
* Ledger
* Trezor
* Coinbase Wallet
* Rainbow Wallet
* Safe (formerly Gnosis Safe)

In summary, a wallet lets you send, receive, and control your crypto. It keeps your private keys safe and helps you connect to the blockchain. There are different types of wallets, and it’s important to pick the one that works best for you.

That’s everything I’ve learned so far about crypto wallets and how they work.

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