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Investing Glossary

Crypto Wallet

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A crypto wallet is an application that functions as a wallet for your cryptocurrency. It is called a wallet because it is used similarly to a wallet you put cash and cards in. Instead of holding these physical items, it stores the passkeys you use to sign for your cryptocurrency transactions and provides the interface that lets you access your crypto. Crypto wallets store your private keys, keeping your crypto safe and accessible. They also allow you to send, receive, and spend cryptocurrencies. Modern cryptocurrency wallets make the blockchain accessible to everyone. When cryptocurrency was first introduced, sending cryptocurrency was a manual task that required entering long keys. Today, the software does most of it for you. The first wallet was that of Bitcoin’s developer, Satoshi Nakamoto. The second wallet belonged to Hal Finney, who corresponded with Nakamoto and reportedly was the first to run the Bitcoin client software wallet. Wallets contain a public key (the wallet address) and your private keys needed to sign cryptocurrency transactions. Anyone who knows the private key can control the coins associated with that address. There are several different types of wallets, each with its own features and levels of security. Many cryptocurrency wallets can be used to store key for different cryptocurrencies. They use an internet connection to access the blockchain network for the cryptocurrency you’re using.

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