If you’ve decided to buy, sell and invest in bitcoin for the long run, it’s important to properly store your cryptocurrency to keep it safe. Here are some tips for safely storing your bitcoin over an extended period of time.

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Hardware Wallets
For long-term bitcoin storage, a hardware wallet is the most secure option. Hardware wallets like Trezor and Ledger store your private keys offline on a physical device. This means your funds are completely air-gapped from the internet and can’t be hacked remotely. Hardware wallets are very user-friendly and guide you through the setup process. I highly recommend getting a reputable hardware wallet like Trezor or Ledger and storing your bitcoin if you plan to hold it for many years.
Paper Wallets
Another good option for long-term storage is a paper wallet. You can generate a paper wallet by offline printing your public and private keys. Then store the paper wallet in a secure location like a safe deposit box. Paper wallets keep your funds completely offline but you’ll need to transfer your bitcoin back to an online wallet if you ever want to sell. Make sure to properly backup your paper wallet in case of loss or damage over many years.
Cold Storage
For a lower-cost offline option, you can store your Bitcoin keys on an offline computer or USB drive not connected to the internet (cold storage). Generate your keys offline, then store the device in a secure location. Like paper wallets, cold storage keeps your funds completely offline, but you’ll need to transfer them back to an online wallet to sell. Just be sure the offline storage medium remains securely backed up and accessible years later.
Test Transfers
No matter which storage method you choose, doing small test transfers before storing large sums for many years is a good idea. Make sure you fully understand the wallet and can successfully send and receive bitcoin. This helps avoid issues down the road when you need to access your funds after a long time.
Backup Multiple Copies
Properly backup your private keys, seed words or wallet files in multiple secure locations. Digital copies on encrypted USB drives or cloud services are acceptable as long as you have additional physical backups like on paper or etched metal. Carefully stored backups will help you recover your funds even decades later if the primary storage corrupts or is lost over time.

Bryan Lester a crypto blog author. He has been investing in Bitcoin since 2024, and have made a lot of money from it. His favorite things are reading books about the future, talking to people who want to know more about cryptocurrency, and just being around family.