Where to keep your crypto when a bot or agent trades for you
Keep three things apart: a vault the bot never touches, a trading float the bot can use, and a sweep path that moves profits back to the vault. Below, hardware wallets for the vault are scored from sourced facts, as of 2026-11-05.
1. Vault
Hardware wallet or multisig. Never connected to a bot, an API key or an agent wallet. Most of your money lives here. Set it up step by step.
2. Trading float
Only what the bot needs: an exchange balance behind an API key with withdrawals off, or an agent wallet with spending limits and an allowlist.
3. Sweep path
Profits go back to the vault on a schedule, only to an allowlisted vault address. The bot can send there and nowhere else.
Hardware wallets for the vault, scored
| # | Hardware wallet | Custody score | Weakest point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OneKey Pro | 94% | After CryptoBilis, OneKey stopped adding resellers, is re-vetting every one, and says it will publish the full list when done. |
| 2 | BitBox02 Nova | 89% | Aug 17, 2026: firmware 9.26.5 fixed flaws BitBox called severe; no exploitation or losses reported. |
| 3 | Blockstream Jade Plus | 79% | No tamper-evidence feature found in Blockstream's documentation. |
| 4 | Trezor Safe 5 | 78% | Aug 2026: shipping data leaked via fulfilment partner ShipMonk; Sep 2026: 347,149 marketing contacts exported at newsletter provider Brevo and used for phishing. |
| 5 | CoolWallet Pro | 72% | No genuine-device check found in CoolWallet's documentation. |
| 6 | Foundation Passport Prime | 66% | Oct 2026: 23,000+ phishing emails sent from Foundation's own domains used customer data left in its old store database. |
| 7 | Tangem Wallet | 66% | No screen: you review the transaction in the phone app, then tap the card. |
| 8 | Keystone 3 Pro | 54% | The website check used to confirm a device is genuine relied on a key stolen on October 20, 2026; Keystone says it can't fully rule out fakes received after that date. Shipping suspended |
| 9 | Coldcard Q | 49% | July 30, 2026: seeds made on firmware 4.0.1–4.1.9 had weak randomness; about 1,816 BTC (over $112M) was drained from 5,200+ addresses. Patched in 4.2.0; affected seeds stay weak. User losses in the last 12 months: capped at 49% |
| 10 | Ledger Flex | 49% | Oct 2026: devices sold through authorized reseller CryptoBilis carried implants that stole recovery phrases; press and on-chain estimates of losses run from about $72M to $100M. User losses in the last 12 months: capped at 49% |
Is this seller authorized?
Every maker's own list
- OneKey: list being re-vetted
- BitBox (Shift Crypto): official list (61 shops, copied 2026-11-05)
- Blockstream: no published list found
- Trezor (SatoshiLabs): official list (86 shops, copied 2026-11-05)
- CoolBitX: official list (72 shops, copied 2026-11-05)
- Foundation Devices: no published list found
- Tangem: official list
- Keystone: no published list found
- Coinkite: sold direct only
- Ledger: official list (133 shops, copied 2026-11-05)
The trading float
For an agent, use a smart or server wallet with limits, scored with the same Safety method as the rest of the directory:
- Coinbase AgentKit
- Coinbase CDP Server Wallets
- Crossmint Agent Wallets
- Privy server wallets
- Safe Smart Account
- Turnkey
- ZeroDev
Software wallets: for spending and the trading float
Phone and browser wallets keep keys on a device that's online. That's fine for spending money and for a trading float, not for the vault. They aren't given a custody score: there's no supply chain or secure chip to rate, and the risks are the phone or computer they run on, fake copies, and what you sign. Many of them can pair with a hardware wallet, so the keys stay on the device.
| Software wallet | Keys | Incidents in the last 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Backpack | You hold the keys | None found |
| Bitget Wallet | You hold the keys | 1, latest 2026-08-24 (all from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| Coinbase Wallet | You hold the keys | None found |
| Electrum | You hold the keys | 1, latest 2026-10-23 |
| Exodus | You hold the keys | None found |
| MetaMask | You hold the keys | 2, latest 2026-09-30 (1 from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| OKX Wallet | You hold the keys | 1, latest 2026-08-20 (all from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| Phantom | You hold the keys | 2, latest 2026-04-06 (1 from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| Rabby Wallet | You hold the keys | 1, latest 2026-08-20 (all from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| Rainbow Wallet | You hold the keys | None found |
| Solflare | You hold the keys | None found |
| Trust Wallet | You hold the keys | 2, latest 2025-12-26 (1 from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| Uniswap web app + Uniswap Wallet | You hold the keys | 1, latest 2026-05-25 (all from scammers or fake copies, not the wallet itself) |
| Zerion | You hold the keys | 1, latest 2026-04-14 |
For exchange bots, follow the API key safety guide for your exchange (trade-only keys, withdrawals off, IP allowlist), and put hard limits in front of the bot with TAS Guard. Check my setup scores the whole stack in one report.
The sweep path
- Add only your vault's address to the exchange withdrawal allowlist, and turn on the allowlist lock.
- Sweep on a fixed schedule or above a set balance, never on the bot's own judgment.
- The vault's recovery phrase never goes near the machine the bot runs on.
Questions
Which hardware wallet scores highest?
As of 2026-11-05, OneKey Pro (94%) and BitBox02 Nova (89%) score highest of the 10 we track. The score covers supply chain, key protection, signing, leaked customer data and incidents. Recovery options and agent fit aren't scored yet.
Should my trading bot or AI agent connect to my hardware wallet?
No. Keep the vault apart from anything a bot can reach. The bot gets a trading float: an exchange balance behind an API key with withdrawals off, or an agent wallet with spending limits. Profits sweep back to the vault, only to an allowlisted vault address.
Is it safe to buy a hardware wallet from a reseller or marketplace?
Buy from the maker's own store when you can. In October 2026, devices with implants that stole recovery phrases were sold through CryptoBilis, an authorized reseller, and Ledger, Trezor and OneKey then ended its authorization. On a marketplace, check that the seller is the maker's storefront or on its official list. Whoever you buy from, run the genuine-device check and reject a device that already has a PIN or recovery phrase set.
Why are some scores capped at 49%?
A loss of user funds in the last 12 months caps a wallet's score at 49%, whatever its other inputs. As of 2026-11-05 that applies to Coldcard Q, Ledger Flex.
Do affiliate deals change the score?
No. Some Visit links are labelled affiliate links, but the scoring code can't read affiliate data and a test checks that. We have no affiliate deal with Ledger or Trezor.
How the custody score works
Points from sourced facts, out of 85 in this first version, shown as a percentage. The weights follow where money was actually lost in 2026: supply chains, leaked customer data and signing, more than chip specs. Unknown or not found counts as zero, not as neutral. A loss of user funds in the last 12 months caps the score at 49%. Still to come: Recovery without lock-in (10), Agent fit (5).
| Group | Input | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Supply chain and authenticity | Genuine-device check | In the app 10, On the device 10, Manual 5, None found 0, Compromised 0 |
| Supply chain and authenticity | Official reseller list | Published 5, Sold direct only 5, Published, still names a reseller others cut off 2, Being re-vetted 2, Not confirmed 2, None found 0 |
| Supply chain and authenticity | Tamper evidence | Strong 5, Seal or resistance 3, None found 0 |
| Supply chain and authenticity | Response to reseller incidents | Fast 5, No incident 5, After losses 2, Slow 2 |
| Key protection | Secure element | Certified (EAL) 6, Uncertified chip 4, Virtual (server) 3, None found 0 |
| Key protection | Open firmware | Open, reproducible 9, Open source 7, Partly closed 4, Closed, audited 2, Closed 0 |
| Signing safety | Own screen to check what you sign | Yes 15, No screen 0 |
| Customer data exposure (36 months) | Customer data | None found 15, Partner breach 5, Own systems breached 0 |
| Incident record (24 months) | Security incidents | None found 15, Flaw, no losses 8, User losses 0 |