Cryptocurrency may be virtual, but your wallet doesn’t have to be. In fact, you can carry your bitcoin around with you right in your pocket, thanks to this bitcoin wallet (or, cryptocurrency hardware wallet) that looks suspiciously like a USB flash drive. The Ledger Nano S is designed for “storing cryptographic assets and securing digital payments,” which if you ask us means it is just a secure and safe way to bring your cryptocurrency with you.
It connects via OTG kit to the USB-C port on your computer or your Android phone, and lets you securely store your Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum or Altcoins securely offline; there’s no way to remotely hack a device that is not connected to the internet. It supports universal second-factor authentication such as FIDO U2F, and can be locked with a PIN code. Plug it in and you can send and receive payments, and every transaction is verified using the OLED display on the front of the device, so you can physically see your money moving in and out. Accounts are all backed up on a recovery sheet and can be restored in case anything should happen.
There’s a whole bunch of technical terms we don’t quite understand, but we do know this: your cryptocurrency is a lot safer on a Ledger Nano S and stashed safely in your pocket, than floating around the internet. It’s a good way to get started, just remember to never order a bitcoin wallet via Ebay – where it’s easy to tamper with the hardware and scam you out of your money.
