Tangem
Launched 2017 · Hardware Wallet (NFC Card)
The simplest hardware wallet — a credit-card-sized NFC card that secures your crypto with a tap.
Quick Overview
What is Tangem?
Tangem is a Swiss-made hardware wallet that looks like a regular credit card. Founded in 2017 in Zug, Switzerland, it takes a radically different approach to crypto security: instead of a USB device with screens and buttons, it's a slim NFC card that you tap against your phone.
The most revolutionary aspect of Tangem is that there is no seed phrase. Traditional hardware wallets generate a 24-word recovery phrase that you must write down and protect — the #1 point of failure for new users. Tangem eliminates this entirely: the private key is generated inside the card's Samsung Secure Element chip and can never be extracted — not even by Tangem themselves.
Instead of a seed phrase, you use multiple cards as backups. Buy a 2 or 3-card set, and each card holds the same key. Store your backup cards in different locations. If you lose one, the others still work.
The Tangem App for iOS and Android is your management interface. It's clean and beginner-friendly — you can send, receive, swap, and stake crypto. To approve any transaction, you simply tap your card against your phone. It's as easy as making a contactless payment.
Important tradeoff: Because there's no seed phrase, if you lose ALL your cards, your funds are gone forever. There's no way to recover. This is why buying a 2 or 3-card set and storing backups in separate locations is essential. The card itself is waterproof, dustproof, and has a 25-year chip lifespan with no battery needed.
Tangem Highlights
What makes this wallet stand out from the crowd.
2-Card Set — $54.90
Two identical Tangem cards — one to use daily, one as a secure backup stored elsewhere.
Best value for getting started with Tangem.
3-Card Set — $69.90
Three cards for maximum redundancy. Store backups in different physical locations for ultimate safety.
Recommended for long-term holders.
No Seed Phrase!
Unlike every other hardware wallet, there's no seed phrase to protect. The card IS the key. Much simpler for beginners.
Eliminates the #1 risk vector for new users.
Tap to Transact
Just open the app, prepare your transaction, and tap your card. Approval in 1-2 seconds.
As easy as Apple Pay for crypto.
Key Features
Everything Tangem offers to keep your crypto safe and accessible.
Credit Card Form Factor
Looks and feels like a regular card. Fits in your wallet. No batteries, no cables, no charging.
Tap to Sign
Just tap your card to your phone's NFC reader to approve transactions. As simple as contactless payment.
No Seed Phrase
The private key exists only on the card. No 24 words to write down, memorize, or risk losing.
Multi-Card Backup
Buy a 2 or 3-card set. Each card is an exact backup. Lose one? Your other cards still work.
Tangem App
Clean mobile app for managing, sending, receiving, staking, and swapping crypto. Beginner-friendly.
Built-in DEX
Swap tokens directly in the app through integrated decentralized exchange aggregators.
Staking
Stake SOL, ETH, TRX, MATIC and more directly through the app. Earn rewards securely.
WalletConnect Support
Connect to dApps and DeFi protocols via WalletConnect. Use Web3 with hardware security.
No Battery Needed
The card is powered by your phone's NFC field. No charging, no dying batteries, ever.
Tangem Specs & Pricing
2-Card Set
$54.90
One for daily use, one backup
3-Card Set
$69.90
Maximum redundancy — recommended
Security Level
EAL6+
Highest certification available
Supported Coins
6,000+
Across 30+ blockchains
Battery
None
Powered by phone NFC — lasts 25+ years
Tangem App
Free
iOS & Android companion app
Security & Safety
Tangem cards contain a Samsung S3D350A Secure Element chip (CC EAL6+) — an even higher certification level than most traditional hardware wallets. The private key is generated on the card during first setup, never leaves the chip, and cannot be extracted even by Tangem. There is no seed phrase — the cards themselves ARE the backup.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Incredibly simple — no seed phrase, no USB cables, just tap
- + CC EAL6+ security — highest certification of any crypto wallet
- + Credit card size — fits in your actual wallet
- + No battery, no charging, 25-year lifespan
- + Multi-card backup — lose a card, funds still safe
- + Very affordable ($54.90–$69.90 for a set)
- + Waterproof, dustproof, temperature resistant
- + Open-source firmware
- + Great mobile app with swap, stake, and WalletConnect
Cons
- − No seed phrase = if both/all cards are lost, funds are gone forever
- − Requires NFC-capable phone (most modern phones support this)
- − No desktop app — mobile only
- − Smaller ecosystem than Ledger/Trezor
- − No screen on the card — must trust the phone app display
- − Newer brand — less years of community trust compared to Ledger/Trezor
- − Not ideal for users who want seed phrase backup flexibility
Tangem Timeline
Tangem AG founded in Switzerland. Began developing NFC-based hardware wallet concept.
First Tangem cards released. Novel approach: credit-card form factor with no seed phrase.
Expanded to support Ethereum, Solana, and multiple blockchains. Growing user base.
Major app redesign. Added swap functionality and staking. WalletConnect integration.
Viral growth on social media. 500K+ cards sold. Open-sourced the firmware.
Reached 1M+ cards sold. Added support for 6,000+ tokens across 30+ chains.
One of the fastest-growing wallet brands. Beloved by beginners for its extreme simplicity.
Our Verdict
Tangem is the most beginner-friendly hardware wallet in existence. No seed phrase, no cables, no batteries — just tap your card and you're done. The CC EAL6+ security is actually higher than Ledger's EAL5+, and the credit card form factor is genuinely brilliant. At $54.90 for a 2-card set, it's the cheapest way to get hardware-level security. The tradeoff is real though: if you lose all your cards, there's no seed phrase to recover from. For beginners who find seed phrases intimidating, Tangem removes the biggest barrier to self-custody.