wallet
Software or hardware that stores your cryptographic keys, allowing you to send and receive Bitcoin. Your coins stay on the blockchain — the wallet holds the keys to access them.
A Bitcoin wallet does not store your Bitcoin directly. It stores the private keys that prove your ownership and allow you to authorize transactions. Think of it as a keychain, not a safe.
Wallets come in several forms. Software wallets run on your phone or computer and are convenient for everyday use. Hardware wallets are physical devices (like Ledger or Trezor) that keep your keys offline and away from internet-connected threats — the gold standard for security. Paper wallets are printed private keys, an older method now largely replaced by hardware wallets.
The fundamental rule of Bitcoin custody: whoever controls the private keys controls the Bitcoin. If your coins are on an exchange, you do not hold the keys — the exchange does. Not your keys, not your coins is the principle every Bitcoin holder should understand.