The Tangem Wallet is a cold, self-custodial hardware wallet that allows users to buy, sell, store, and swap thousands of cryptocurrencies. Tangem stores your private key and signs transactions offline like all cold wallets. This makes it impossible for hackers to access your private key and steal your assets.
As a non-custodial wallet, Tangem gives you full control over your private key, with no access for anyone, including Tangem. The wallet's unique features include easy setup and management, reliability, and excellent security, which we'll go over shortly. Before getting a Tangem Wallet, is there anything else you should be aware of?
Tangem Wallet has a mobile app
The Tangem app is a mobile application built as an interface for interacting with Tangem Wallet cards and wearables via NFC. The app serves as a display for the wallet — you can see and manage your assets, buy, sell, store, swap, and connect to dApps, DeFi, etc.
Tangem app's code is open source and has no backdoors — check it out on GitHub.
Here's how to download the Tangem app.
- Visit the App Store or Google Play Store
- Search for "Tangem"
- Select the Tangem app
- Download and install the app
- Open the Tangem app
- Follow setup instructions
Upon opening the app for the first time, you have to scan your Tangem card to set it up. You can order one via the app if you don't have a card.
Note: Any skilled individual can recreate the Tangem app during an apocalypse. Tangem doesn't collect personal data or run servers to conduct transactions on the blockchain.
Android and iOS requirements for using Tangem cards
You can use any mobile device running Android 6.0 or higher, or iOS 15.0 and higher, with full NFC support, except for iPhone 6/6s and iPhone SE (1st generation).
Certain phone models, including the iPhone 7/7 Plus and some Android devices, may not support full NFC functionality.
This means that the necessary information cannot be transferred during activation, and it is impossible to create a backup of a private key on such devices.
However, you can use a different phone, such as an iPhone 8 or a more recent model or an Android device running version 6.0 or higher with full NFC support, to create a backup and proceed to use your original device.
Tangem Wallet has a 2-card and 3-card set
Tangem Wallet is primarily a seedless wallet, eliminating the need for a seed phrase. Instead, users can secure their private keys across multiple devices using Tangem cards. The wallet is available in sets of two or three cards, each card serving as a backup for your private key.
Having two cards means having two copies of your key, while three cards provide three copies. Think of each card as a key to your door – the more keys you have, the more secure you are in case one is lost.
Opting for a 3-card set increases your chances of recovering access compared to a 2-card set. If one card is lost or stolen, the remaining card allows you to access your wallet.
If you lose one card and forget your access code, a third card becomes essential for resetting this access code. Therefore, we recommend choosing the 3-card set for enhanced security.
Tangem 1.0 vs Tangem 2.0
In September 2023, Tangem launched a new wallet dubbed Tangem 2.0. In this table, we outline its differences with the classic tangem cards (tangem 1.0)
| Tangem 1.0 | Tangem 2.0 |
|---|---|
| Doesn’t generate seed phrases | Supports seed phrase generation |
| Can’t disable access code recovery with multiple cards | Allows disabling access code recovery with multiple cards |
| Doesn’t support import wallet with a seed phrase | You can import a wallet with a seed phrase of 12, 18, or 24 words. Passphrase support is coming soon. |
| Includes co-branded wallets launched before September 2023 | Includes co-branded and limited-edition wallets launched after September 2023 |
You can buy a Tangem Wallet anywhere
Although we recommend getting your Tangem Wallet from our official website or our resellers and partners worldwide, Tangem's end-to-end certification means you can safely buy one anywhere and from anyone — even in a city underpass or flea market.
Critical step: Ensure the official Tangem app is installed. You should be able to create a wallet when you scan the cards. If not, try resetting them to factory settings.
At the same time, you receive your cards without a private key. You alone can generate a private key on the card's chip when creating a wallet.
The New Tangem Wallet has an optional seed phrase
The new Tangem Wallet has a new design and an extra feature that makes it universal for all crypto users — you can create a wallet using a 12-word seed phrase. You can import a wallet created with a seed phrase of 12, 16, 18, or 24 words. You can safely move your assets from other hardware wallets or hot wallets to Tangem. But there's a catch — Tangem doesn't support a passphrase yet. You'll have to move your coins and tokens manually.
Tangem supports 30+ blockchain networks and thousands of coins and tokens — only these assets will appear on the Tangem app if you import a wallet.
Tangem produces special co-branded wallets
You might've seen pictures of customized Tangem wallets floating around online; we're confirming that they're not fake or DIY. Tangem often collaborates with promising Web3 projects to design and produce co-branded multicurrency Tangem Wallets, like the Shiba x Tangem Wallet. We've also produced and sold Kaspa, TRON, BAD idea AI, and Trilliant-branded Tangem Wallets.
The co-branded Tangem Wallet uses Tangem's staple advanced security features like secure chip technology, PIN protection, anti-counterfeit measures, and a smart backup system. All co-branded wallets except SHIB X Tangem have the optional seed phrase functionality.
By customizing a Tangem Wallet, businesses can showcase their brand identity, prioritize user security, and build trust within their community.
Check out our latest collaborations with popular crypto communities.
1. Kaspa https://kaspa.tangem.com
2. Shiba https://shiba.tangem.com
3. Vechain https://vechain.tangem.com
4. Tron https://tron.tangem.com
5. Grim https://grim.tangem.com
6. New World Elite https://new-world-elite.tangem.com
7. Julien Roman https://julien-roman.tangem.com
8. COIN metrica https://coinmetrics.tangem.com
9. DAN https://dan.tangem.com/
Tangem Wallet features
Security features
- The CC EAL6+ certified Tangem chip was designed in collaboration with Samsung Semiconductors. The highest chip security standard.
- Access code & biometric protection.
- Protection against fakes: The app verifies the authenticity of both the card and its firmware.
- An open-source app code on GitHub
- Two independent firmware audits.
- There is no data collection or servers for transactions on the blockchain.
Durability and Compatibility
- NFC antenna
- No need to charge.
- Guaranteed for 25+ years.
- Full IP68 resistance to dust, water, and temperature extremes (–25° to 50°C).
- Resistant to X-rays, electromagnetic pulses, and electrostatic discharge.
- Available for iOS, Android, and Harmony OS.
Tangem Wallet connects to dApps and DeFi via WalletConnect
WalletConnect is a protocol that enables Tangem Wallet to connect with various dApps (decentralized applications). With WalletConnect, you can easily stake tokens, trade cryptocurrencies, add funds to liquidity pools, purchase or sell NFTs, and more.
Furthermore, WalletConnect is compatible with almost all popular EVM networks, such as Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Smart Chain, Avalanche C-Chain, RSK, Fantom Opera, Ethereum Classic, Arbitrum, Gnosis, Ethereum Fair, Ethereum PoW, Optimistic Ethereum, Kava EVM, and Cronos.
Unfortunately, WalletConnect is not yet available for the Solana blockchain yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guarantee that the Tangem doesn't know my private key?
When you receive your Tangem cards, they do not have a private key. The key is generated when you create a wallet. Both Kudelski Security and Riscure have independently audited the wallet's firmware, confirming that there are no other backdoors in the Tangem Wallet.
How do I see my private key?
Tangem cards contain an EAL6+ CC-certified chip that generates a private key during the wallet creation process using a true random number generator. The entropy for the random number is taken from the chip's physical sensors. The key never leaves the chip. No one can ever find out your private key — not even you.
What happens if I lose my Tangem Wallet?
Tangem Wallet comes in a set of 2 or 3 cards. When setting up the wallet, you can back up the private key to other cards. Multiple cards ensure you can manage your wallet even if one is lost.
How do I restore access if I lose all my backup cards?
Losing all backup cards means losing access to your funds. Only your cards can access the wallet, and the set's number (2 or 3) equals the copies of your private key. It's crucial to keep cards in different places. If one is lost or stolen, you can buy a new wallet and transfer funds to it.
If the Tangem Wallet card is stolen, can a third party gain access to the wallet?
Access code protection prevents third-party access, and it is only active when two or three cards are linked to one wallet. Make backups before funding your wallet to ensure the access code protects funds.
The access code also guards against brute-force attacks; after the sixth incorrect attempt, the delay for the next attempt increases by 1 second, up to a maximum of 45 seconds. The delay only resets after successfully entering the access code.
If my phone is lost/broken, will I lose access to my funds?
No, you won't lose access to your assets. Use your card on any mobile device to access your wallet; the phone is just a display. Your assets are stored on the card, and it handles private keys and transaction signing. Download the Tangem app on your new phone and scan the card.
How is Tangem Wallet a cold wallet?
A cold wallet stores private keys and signs transactions offline. On Tangem cards, the private key is generated when the wallet is created and then stored on the card, which is disconnected from the internet.
Can Tangem block access to the wallet?
Tangem doesn't process your transactions with servers; your phone app directly communicates with the blockchain. We focus on providing a simple solution for managing crypto securely, adhering to a philosophy of minimal intervention. The wallet protocol is card <-> application <-> blockchain.
We don't conduct user registration or verification and cannot identify and control access to your wallet. Even the hypothetical knowledge is limited to the user's IP address, which can be changed with a VPN. Our open-source app on GitHub allows anyone to study, ensure security, and compile the app with the necessary skills.