Hardware Wallet
A dedicated offline device that stores a wallet's private keys and signs transactions on-device, so the keys never touch an internet-connected computer.
Published on May 22, 2026By Namefi Team
- glossary
A hardware wallet is a small dedicated device — typically with a screen and one or two buttons — that stores a wallet's private keys offline and signs transactions on the device itself, so the keys never touch an internet-connected computer. Common examples include Ledger, Trezor, GridPlus Lattice, and Keystone. Because the signing operation happens inside the device's secure element, malware on a connected laptop cannot extract the key; the worst it can do is trick the user into approving a malicious transaction on the device screen — which is why "verify on device" matters.
Related keywords
- hardware wallet
- cold wallet
- Ledger
- Trezor
- GridPlus
- Keystone
- secure element
- self-custody