Hardware Wallets Fact-checked 2026-08-14
Tangem logo

Tangem

Established 2017

A bank-card-shaped cold wallet you tap against your phone — the most portable hardware wallet there is.

Tangem packs a certified secure chip (EAL6+) into a credit-card form factor: tap it on your phone via NFC to sign transactions. Cards come in packs of two or three so you can split backups across locations, and the app supports thousands of assets plus staking.

Quick facts

Founded

2017

Category

Hardware Wallets

Platforms

iOS, Android

Key facts

Card form factor, NFC

Pros

  • Incredibly portable — lives in your actual wallet
  • Seedless setup option removes seed-phrase risk
  • Multi-card backup system is genuinely clever

Cons

  • Card durability over years is less proven than device wallets
  • Seedless mode means cards ARE your backup — don't lose them
  • Small screen means verification happens on your phone

Best for

Portability and giftable, low-friction cold storage

Fees

Cards from ~US$54 for a 2-pack; no ongoing fees.

Security notes

EAL6+ chip, NFC-only communication. In seedless mode your backup cards are the recovery — store them somewhere physically safe.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Tangem?
Tangem is A bank-card-shaped cold wallet you tap against your phone — the most portable hardware wallet there is. Tangem packs a certified secure chip (EAL6+) into a credit-card form factor: tap it on your phone via NFC to sign transactions. Cards come in packs of two or three so you can split backups across locations, and the app supports thousands of assets plus staking.
Is Tangem safe to use?
EAL6+ chip, NFC-only communication. In seedless mode your backup cards are the recovery — store them somewhere physically safe. As always, verify details on the official site before trusting funds to any service.
How much does Tangem cost?
Cards from ~US$54 for a 2-pack; no ongoing fees. Figures change — confirm current pricing on the official site before deciding.

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