Each Tangem card holds a secure chip that allows you to store and carry digital assets. The private key is generated by and permanently stored within the chip. Nobody has access to it either during or after the manufacturing process. This means that nobody can input, export, or make a copy of this key.
Cryptocurrency is in the blockchain physically. While the Tangem card stores private keys to access addresses on the blockchain.
Since Tangem Note cards don’t have a backup option and can be compared to fiat money, you can manage the cryptocurrency while you own the card. But if the card is lost, it will be impossible to manage the funds.
As Tangem Wallet includes a set of 2 or 3 cards, when activating a card, you can make a backup of the key on the other card(s) which will help you to manage your money even if you lose one of the cards.
Tangem Wallet is the safest and most reliable crypto wallet in the world. The chip in your card is a microcomputer that generates the private key that never leaves the card. We have gone the extra mile to prove it externally:
— The highest certification level among direct competitors that ensures no back doors — EAL6+ by Common Criteria. The same level of chip protection is used in passports.
— The firmware is audited by the world’s top laboratory — Kudelski Security.
— The only hardware wallet with the highest possible protection rate against environmental conditions is IP68. It is completely safe from dust, water, and hacking attempts.
— The card is durable enough to perform from -25℃ (-13℉) to +50℃ (122℉). You can even put it in the snow without repercussions.
— The chip is designed to sign an infinite number of transactions with a life expectancy beyond 25 years.
— The chip is further protected against EMP (electromagnetic pulse), ESD (electrostatic discharge), and X-rays in compliance with ISO 7816–1 standard.
The previously installed app on your device will be available if the ability to download from the App Store/Google Play suddenly disappears. The app works independently of Tangem’s servers and will continue to work even if the company shuts everything down. Tangem solution is fully open source and available on GitHub, so a replacement app can be created by anyone and used to power the card.
In such a case, you don’t lose access to your assets. Using your cards, you can access your wallet via any other mobile device. The phone itself doesn’t store any assets; it only acts the role of the display by visualizing specific data for a user via its screen. Your Tangem card performs storage of private keys and signing of your transactions.
1. Tangem doesn’t know anything about its users. There is no registration or verification; we do not know your geo-reference, your citizenship, etc. All we can hypothetically know is your IP address. But VPN solves this problem completely.
2. The Tangem app is open source, and you can find it on GitHub. This means you have an open-source app, the code of which you can verify and even assemble (with little skill) and use on your own.
3. Tangem doesn’t have its servers that are associated with blockchains. That is, the app on the phone directly communicates with the blockchain. The Tangem philosophy is that our goal is to provide you with a technological solution and eliminate as much as possible. As a result, we get the following link: Card <-> App <-> Blockchain.
4. The card works on the Open Crypto NFC standard. This means that in the worst-case scenario, it is possible to force the card to sign the transaction you need. But the previous points are already convincing enough that this will not happen.
The Tangem card doesn’t have a private key initially. The key is generated when the wallet is created, and the card is attached to the mobile device. Moreover, public and private keys will be regenerated if you reset the card to factory settings and recreate the wallet.
To restore the access code:
1. Open the Tangem app and scan the card you want to reset the password.
2. On the access code entry screen, click "Forgot your code?".
3. On the next screen, enter your new access code twice.
4. Click "Continue" and scan the card on which you want to reset the access code. Wait 15 seconds for the countdown to finish.
5. Click "Continue" and attach a backup card (second or third from the set). Wait 15 seconds for the countdown to finish.
6. Scan the card you want to recover again.
1. Tangem card cannot be physically modified, as there is a monolithic chip inside the card.
2. Tangem card cannot be modified in terms of software.
3. The official app can accurately check the following:
— That the card is produced by Tangem.
— That the card is flashed with Tangem software.
It is impossible to hack and somehow replace. It is safe to buy even in the underpass, thanks to end-to-end certification. Most importantly, note that:
1. You have installed the official Tangem app.
2. Cards should prompt you to create a wallet. If not, reset the cards to factory settings.
When activated, the cards should prompt you to create a wallet. If not, reset the cards to factory settings and create a wallet. This will generate new public and private keys.
Tangem does not monitor incoming or outgoing transactions. We never gather wallet addresses, personal data of users, or any other kind of information which can identify users or users’ phones.
The Tangem app is a blockchain display tool that allows you to see and manage your funds with the help of a card. The card is the key to your funds. The application doesn’t store personal data and other data about the user.
To mitigate the risk of losing your Tangem card, we recommend using Tangem products with backup features and setting up a backup before loading funds. If somebody steals your cards, you have another card as your backup. Enabling access codes will prevent a wrongdoer from transferring your funds.
As with traditional banknotes, Tangem Note cards must be kept physically secure. The whole cryptocurrency value is always solely represented by the chip inside, hence cannot be accessed without the Card. If you lose a Tangem Note, you lose the assets.
Tangem card technology dictates a "security through obscurity" approach. Disclosure of the source code within secure elements would render hardware wallets vulnerable. To prove that Tangem firmware has no backdoors or bugs that would lead to loss of funds, Tangem has employed a renowned independent security auditor, Kudelski Security. The results of the audit are here.
For user safety, the card is flashed once and is not updated again. This eliminates the risk of counterfeit firmware and possible theft of funds. The ability to update the software of a hardware wallet means that you should trust the wallet manufacturer and hope that, at some point, you will not receive an update that compromises your keys. In the case of Tangem, the card is flashed only once, and the firmware has been audited by the independent Swiss company Kudelski Security. Moreover, the card can prove that it has precisely the firmware that was audited. This is one of the wallet's unique features that makes Tangem the most secure and trusted wallet in the world.
Even though we have no intention of going out of business any time soon (running smoothly since 2017), in case something terrible happens, Tangem cards will continue to be valid. Tangem app use only one company’s server - for card authentication. The server is used only for additional card verification and confirms that Tangem issues this card. Therefore, you can still use Tangem cards even if the server is unavailable.