If you are planning to begin your journey as a crypto investor or trader, the primary tool that will be your long-term companion in this fierce battle is the cryptocurrency wallet. Consider it a digital safety box for storing all crypto assets at converged or multifarious locations. For the optimal level of protection, you have the private key pair, which is nothing but an encrypted series of random alphanumeric codes hidden from the external world. It will have another set of alphanumeric codes acting as the public address for accessibility and transaction destination.Â
Considering the dependency on this digital locker, getting your hands over the best crypto wallet in India is imperative. It’s not just about stashing the cryptocurrencies in a secure environment. Crypto wallets give you unhindered access to the currencies and tokens to be used in the marketplace at your convenience. Additionally, they will help you create a strong and formidable crypto portfolio in the decentralized economic world by defining the interaction methods with different dApps.Â
Different Types of Cryptocurrency Wallets
Before you start looking for the best crypto wallet in India, let’s briefly recap the software’s categories. It will help you determine which wallet type you want to go ahead with. In this below section, we have briefly explained the multifarious crypto wallet types currently being used in the DeFi ecosystem.Â
1. Hot crypto wallets: These are live, online wallets that need a continuous internet connection to be active. You can easily use these wallets to sell, trade, or buy crypto coins and tokens. However, since they remain connected to the internet, they are prone to cyberattacks, which is why they require strong encryption and security programs.Â
2. Cold crypto wallets: Just the opposite of hot wallets, these are offline wallets that do not need any internet connection to manage your crypto assets. These are hidden from the external world by a pretty wall with strong encryptions, thereby eliminating the vulnerabilities.Â
3. Custodial wallets: Another category of crypto wallet you should be aware of is the custodial wallet. Here, the key pair will be in control of a third-party entity, and they will have complete access to your crypto assets. You won’t have to worry about managing the tokens or building your crypto portfolio. However, you will have less control over the behaviors of the crypto assets and the wallet’s functionalities.Â
4. Non-custodial wallets: The best type of crypto wallet that can provide you complete control over your assets is the non-custodial wallet. Here, the private key will be hidden from the external world and completely within your jurisdiction. You will be solely responsible for the transactions initiated through the wallets, along with the maintenance of the crypto assets and your crypto profile.Â
Best Crypto Wallets in India for 2024
With countless options, finding the best crypto wallet in India can be overwhelming and cumbersome, especially if you don’t have any references beforehand. So, to give a boost to your search endeavor, we have explained some of the most popular crypto wallets in the Indian DeFi market.Â
Coinbase WalletÂ
Coinbase is one of the most renowned cryptocurrency marketplaces in the entire world, owing to which using its wallets is a good way to kickstart your journey. It offers three different types of crypto wallets, namely Coinbase Wallet Web3, Coinbase dApp wallet, and Coinbase Exchange wallet. The first, Coinbase Wallet Web3, is known to support multifarious crypto assets, almost over 1000. However, most of these assets are based on the bitcoin blockchain. Coinbase dApp wallet will give you direct access to different forms of decentralized applications where crypto assets can be used for any operation. The Coinbase Exchange wallet is integrated with the marketplace and allows users to trade, buy, or sell cryptocurrencies and crypto tokens with ease.Â
Crypto.com DeFi Wallet
Another option on our curated list is that of the decentralized finance wallet from Crypto.comhttps://crypto.com/defi-wallet. It is based on the financial inclusiveness principle, meaning you will be able to store Ethereum, Bitcoin, and USDC or USC stable coins under one roof without any cohesion. The wallet is compatible with over 800 crypto assets, including the top 20 cryptocurrencies based on market capitalization and the most popular stablecoins. Although it doesn’t support placing stakes with Ethereum coins, you can do so using Crypto.com’s native currency, namely Chronos (CRO) and Cosmos (ATOM). Thanks to the double-layered 2-factor authentication system of biometric identification and password encryption, this decentralized wallet is highly secured and protected against vulnerable attacks.Â
MetaMask Wallet
One of the best hot crypto wallets that you can use is the MetaMask wallet. It was first developed and deployed in 2016 under the supervision of Dan Finlay and Aaron Davis. The wallet will give you direct permission to send or receive ETH 20 and Ethereum without having to download the entire Ethereum blockchain. Once accessed, it will connect to the concerned blockchain directly from a web browser as it acts as a browser extension. Hence, you do not need to have a complete node of the Ethereum blockchain, thereby saving a lot of device memory and CPU utilization.
Exodus Crypto Wallet
The Exodus crypto wallet supports more than 225 different types of crypto assets, allowing users to deal with multifarious currencies and stablecoins without relying on any third-party entity. Thanks to the built-in exchange platform, Exodus, allows users to access the stored crypto assets and trade or invest with them directly at any marketplace. Since it operates on the principle of decentralization exchange, you won’t need too many credentials or identity verification techniques to start staking or trading with crypto assets. It can be further integrated with Trezor, thereby making a highly secured cold wallet option available for crypto traders and investors.Â
WazirX Crypto Wallet
If you are looking for a Bitcoin-based hot wallet, WazirX is your ultimate destination. Although it was primarily designed to allow users to stake crypto assets based on Bitcoin, it now supports transactions made using Litecoin, Ethereum, and Ripple without any cohesion. Rather than sending the cryptocurrencies directly to the destination wallet, WazirX utilizes the wallet’s address for identity and transaction validity, ensuring better performance and higher security.Â
Tips to Choose the Best Crypto Wallet in India
Now that we have introduced you to the best five crypto wallets in India, you do have a direction. But choosing the best crypto wallet in India amongst these or any other options you have included in the filtered list won’t be easy. So, to help you out of this dilemma, we have curated a list of factors to consider to make an accurate selection.Â
Compatibility with Crypto Assets
The first determinant is the wallet’s compatibility with different forms of crypto assets. Check if the wallet supports trades and stakes with crypto assets you have in possession or plan to have in the future. If there isn’t a match, you would have to go through the unnecessary hassles of crypto conversions.Â
Price and Fee Structure
Most crypto wallets charge a nominal amount as a part of the access and maintenance fee. Even some wallets offer a premium version to their users with more advanced features but at a higher cost. So, before choosing any wallet blindly, you should consider if the pricing and fee structure are amicable with your budget plan or not.Â
Security and Privacy
When you opt for a hot crypto wallet, checking the underlying security and encryption protocols is imperative. For example, most wallets nowadays implement a 2-factor authentication system using password encryption and biometric validation. Such applications are more secure and promising in keeping your crypto assets safe from manipulation or other threats.Â
On/Off Ramp Integration
You need to fund your crypto wallet at the beginning, meaning converting your fiat currencies into crypto assets of the same valuation. Traditional wallets require users to go through a complicated procedure for this. However, if you choose a wallet with an on/off ramp integration, the conversion of fiat currencies into crypto coins or tokens will be much easier.
Multi-Chain Compatibility
You should also check if the concerned crypto wallet is compatible with multiple blockchains or not. For example, a few wallets will allow you to access both Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains, while some are restricted to a single sledger only. Choosing the former wallet type will allow you to trade with multiple crypto assets without having to convert them from one form to another based on the compatible blockchain.Â
Automated Operations
Another important factor you have to consider when choosing the best crypto wallet in India is the availability of automated features. For example, a smart wallet will help you program the functions and automate the scheduled transfers, recurring payments, and several other operations with ease. Hence, you won’t have to intervene manually every time you want to initiate a transaction using the concerned crypto wallet.
ConclusionÂ
In this discussion, we have illustrated everything you need to know to select the best crypto wallet in India. So, now you should focus on exploring the options in hand and find the best one that caters to all your requirements. After all, crypto wallets play a crucial role in managing and building your profile in the decentralized ecosystem. And if you want to build a crypto wallet with custom features, we at Web 3.0 India will help you transform your dream into reality.