Wallet

What Is a Cryptocurrency Wallet?

A cryptocurrency 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.

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. Nakamoto sent him 10 bitcoin as a test, and the cryptocurrency craze began.

Understanding Cryptocurrency Wallets

Cryptocurrency wallets are software applications on computers or mobile devices such as phones or tablets. They use an internet connection to access the blockchain network for the cryptocurrency you're using.

Cryptocurrencies are not "stored" anywhere—they are bits of data stored in a database. These bits of data are scattered all over the database; the wallet finds all of the bits associated with your public address and sums up the amount for you in the app's interface.

Sending and receiving cryptocurrency is very easy using these applications. You can send or receive cryptocurrency from your wallet using various methods. Typically, you enter the recipient's wallet address, choose an amount to send, sign the transaction using your private key, add an amount to pay the transaction fee, and send it.