Bitcoin Forum

First my greetings to the forum on bitcoins because I am interested in currency, including already have registered my blockchain with only $ 4 ...

However, what is the safest way to store them? Is there a way to deliver them in paper money, or some kind of title? I am the IT area, and I think it will be a lot of work having to do several portfolios. And I have no other internet without computer or a printer, to remember.


I appreciate everyone's attention,
Lanpenn

for small money as 4 dollars online wallets are ok as it wouldnt be too big of a loss, though the safest free way of keeping it is creating a paper wallet offline

4 USD is really a small amount , people won't even bother them selfs to try to hack you or anything , Blockchain.info should be fine with such a small amounts , for what comes to Bitcoin you can print them as Paper Using Bitadress.org however never show it to anyone because the private key is printed there and with private key people could do anything with your money , keep it somewhere safe .

Except that if I want to save a considerable amount of money, but in bitcoins.

Then print a paper wallet, put it into a safe place and move your bitcoins there.

there are hardware wallets you should check them as they are the safest

 for me you should earn more bitcoin... and then invest it in a gambling site.
it is the wisest way. but watch out for scammers... so its all up to you..
goodluck... lets meet to the moon.. :P

Paper wallets are by far the safest.

Use a reputable service like BitAddress.org

1. Use an incognito/private window to visit the site.
2. Unplug your internet connection
3. Generate Bitcoin addresses
4. Print out
5. Send funds
6. Store paper wallet somewhere safe

Don't just use 1 wallet, use at least 3 wallets or just use multisig adresses wallet. :)

Make sure you set up 2-factor on your blockchain.info account. You can also back them up or send them to a paper wallet I believe directly on the site.


Not true. If he gets malware it will take whatever coins he has whether its a satoshi or 1000btc.

i guess you are right though 4 dollars are not worth the effort creating the wallets i guess

Depend on the amount involved and whether you are willing to spend money on security. Will also depend on whether you plan to access the funds on a frequent basis and or whether you plan on putting it away for a longer period.

If you do not want to spend anything and you are saving it for the long run then paper wallets are the way to go. Make sure you follow the instructions on doing this right, just search the forum for details.

If you do not want to spend anything but want to have access to the funds then install Electrum, Multibit or similar and make sure that you make a proper backup of the seed while setting it up. Keep this backup offline i.e. write it down and put it in a safe, do not email it to yourself and or keep it on your computer.

You can up the security by making sure you use a secure password and you can also enable 2 factor authentication. Make sure your computer is not compromised by running something like MalwareBytes and make sure your anti-virus is up to date. Added to this do not do anything that will compromise your computer.


If you are willing to spend some money then look at one of the hardware wallets like Ledger, Trezor etc.. There is a thread with reviews on most of these. Prices range from around $15 to $200.

Earlier I used to store my coins in Blockchain.info wallets. But decided against it, when I noticed a number of posts here in Bitcointalk, claiming of wallet hacks occurring in that site. Now I am storing my coins in paper wallets and USBs. I have a total of 6 wallets, and each of these wallets are having four backup files (kept at different places).

the best is only one for newbie, not paper wallet or trezor or fancy stuff, but a simple used laptop(if you don't want to spend much) which is completely dedicated to you bitcoin client and nothing else, you treat it as it is your bank account

with this way you can spend easily your bitcoin, while remaining 100% secure, no hacker can hack a computer if you don't download crap rndom things and browse internet at all

Safe, Simple, Usable - seems to sum up what you are looking for.

Go open up an account with Coinbase.com or Circle.com.   Think of these as the Future of Banking and offer the following in regards to your concerns.....

SAFE: These banks are funded and run by some of the same people that run the current financial systems.  Circle has huge investments from Goldman Sachs and is run by a former JP Morgan Exec.  Coinbase is similar plus has the distinction of having millions of customers.  As far back as 2013 they had reportedly over 650,000.  So they have experience, a track record, funding, proven stable leaders.  Coinbase also offers "Cold Storage".  Both offer 2 factor security.  They also offer INSURANCE for your deposits.  It isn't Govt nsurance like FDIC, but they do maintain private policies protecting against any loss of your Bitcoins based on security flaws on their end.

SIMPLE:  It's basically about the same as a Paypal account.  Basically the same general process, series of steps to setup.  Very simple and easy to use Wallets.  Also, Bitcoin in the US is treated basically the same as Gold/Silver from a taxable standpoint.  They do all the work and issue you a Profit/Loss Tax Statement at end of year.  If you are a business entity that will be using your bitcoin for business purposes, this also helps you to maintain an expense record verifiable enough for tax writeoff purposes.

USABLE: Use an App on Mobile, or use your laptop.  Their online interface wallets are about as simple as it gets.  Not sure about Coinbase, but Circle will soon be releasing the ability to hold actual Dollars also.  It really will be acting as a bank then.  With that will come the ability to have a linked debit card that you can spend your Bitcoins with.  RIGHT NOW - a 2nd part of the step might be for you to look into a 3rd Party Wallet like Xapo.com.  They offer what is basically a "Debit Card".  For example, you buy your bitcoins and store them in Coinbase or Circle - then once your Xapo Wallet is set up, in a matter of seconds you can send to Xapo and have it available for use through a Debit Card.  The card operates through a Visa plaform, so it is accepted pretty much everywhere.  A little known fact about the Board of Directors of Xapo is that it includes Larry Summers (former Federal Reserve Chief), the founder of VISA, and a former Citibank CEO.  And they offer Cold Storage in an underground Swiss Bunker, and have mirror sites across the globe.  But in the near future I think a company like Circle will offer you a one source for this as well - but for right now a 2-Party Solution like Circle-Xapo really does make your life as simple, safe, and useable in the real world as anything out there, more actually.

SIDE COMMENTS:  Exchanges Like Circle and Coinbase are basically the New Internet Banks that deal in Bitcoin, but also allow you to transfer money easily to and from from your existing Bank.  Funded and run by the same people that run the existing banking system - they are the most stable way to get into Bitcoin.  Also, in the event of a catastrophic Global Finanacial meltdown in which people may run to Bitcoin as a safe haven, you can bet that these big players won't be leaving anything to chance that THEIR money/bitcoin won't be protected, and if your is sitting next to theirs - then you get the same protection.

DOWNSIDE NOTES:  These types of Exchange Accounts have a paper trail.  They are subject to Gov't Audit just like a regular bank account.  So if you are an entity that deals in "Quiet Cash", then this probably isn't for you.  That includes terrorists, drug money launderers, arms dealers, child traffickers, and the rest of the various scum on the planet.  If that defines you - then you need to go get a dark wallet or something more anonymous.  Or if you want to evade your share of taxes - then also this isn't for you.  However, if the price goes down, this way you can write it off as a loss.  

PERSONAL COMMENT/OPINION: I would and have followed my own advice.  But I'd also squirrel some Bitcoin away in a Paper Wallet or in a Dark Wallet.   I have no plans for doing anything illegal or for evading taxes, BUT it is never a good thing to place all your trust into the governments and corporations of the world.  They are utterly evil in my opinion, and it is only a matter of time in which I expect to see even average citizens wishing to partake in "underground" activities (probably best to hold a bit of physical gold/silver also).  But for the next few years at least - best to just survive normally, safely, simply - hidden in the giant mass of sheep that is humanity.  

Everyone should have at least one bitcoin in an exchange account.  And you should tell anyone you love this fact also.  Strange days ahead.  Things are going to change faster than event the last 7 years.  Get a jump on the change and you will find you are much better prepared to survive in the new financial world.

Maybe if you have like under 100 coins then TREZOR should work fine ,
other than that if you are holding more than that then go for hardware wallet.

Hello to the OP, welcome to the Bitcoin community. If I was you, I would not use Coinbase or Circle or any other online wallet. With these services, you will never be in a sole possession of your private keys and that's a whole point of the Bitcoin, to be your own bank. Don't trust other people with your money when you can do it yourself. You never know what future brings, look at the Greece and capital controls. Who guarantees you that Circle or Coinbase won't do that in the future!

As for the advice, follow the instructions of the user RustyNomad above. He has given you perfect advices!

Good luck!

My guess is this fellow giving you advice - also has a bank account, where he has no physical possession of his money.  Be careful of idealistic hypocrites on this board.  Every last one of them either has a normal bank account, or they are living in mommies basement with no job and a lot of time to post theoretical philosophy on chatroom boards.  And yet, they are screaming in panic about you putting your bitcoin into a similar "bank account".

Look - there are NO guarantees of anything in this world.  Put your cash under your mattress, and your house may burn down and the cash with it.  Bury your gold and someone might find it, or even kidnap and torture its location out of you.  Buy bitcoin and put it in an Exchange, a dark wallet, or a paper wallet - and it could still go to Zero. ...or their could be a manipulative control grab hard fork that ended up with your bitcoin being unusable.  Keep it in a fiat bank and a "bank holiday" could freeze your monies, locked away while you helplessly watch it devalue.

As far as a Currency/Financial meltdown - I think that is actually a reason TO put your money in an established bitcoin exchange.  I AGREE that their may be runs on banks, fiat currency destruction, etc.  But people will be running FROM Fiat - and TO Bitcoin.  When this mass migration occurs - I assure you that a bunch of web based tech weenies thumping their chests on bitcointalk won't be the one's making the decisions.  BILLION$ of Dollars are going into the preparations for this financial shift. 

Unfortunately - Fiat runs the world.  That isn't going to change.  It'll just be Fiat Bitcoin, or Fiat Fedcoin, or something else.  But as I said.... diversify.  A little Gold, A little in Dark Wallets - but the bulk of your living expenses / operating Bitcoin - into a Bitcoin Bank - and those are exchanges like Coinbase and Circle.

This is so, so accurate. And for those that don't know, cash doesn't exist in its entirety. The entire U.S. (maybe world?) banking system works off around a 15% reserve (meaning 85% of the money we "have" is only available in digital form). So not only are you entrusting someone else to hold your money, but even the physical dollars you hold only have theoretical value.

the cheapest and the simplest way to keep your bitcoins safe is definitely a paper wallet, it is really easy to make it and its safe if you create it correctly

Look, you wrote much nonsense in your reply so I am not even gonna try and have a discussion with you. I mean just by giving advice to someone to store their coins on the Coinbase, an online wallet and the same Coinbase from which every serious bitcoiner runs away tells me everything.

P.S. Yes I have a bank account, just like you and even Satoshi, I am sure of it. If this makes me a hypocrite than ok. I am done here, I gave my opinion to the OP and that's it, you don't need to bother replying.

Sure, the paper wallet is the safest option, but how? For example, suppose I wanted to save a considerable amount of money in bitcoins (in my case I will take the example of R $ 100), so I have to let it all just in this paper wallet?

"Paper wallet" doesn't necessarily mean paper. Paper wallets also include "brain wallets," where you use a password nobody can guess/crack and use that anytime you need to generate the proper address. In this case, only you know the information, and you're not relying on paper. On top of this, you're remembering a password, rather than a long address.

And... exists actually some video teaching about how to make a paper wallet?

i had a couple of questions. say ive made my paper address from bitaddress.org and I,ve deposited 1btc into it. then i want to send the money to someone, how do i go about doing that.

i think "paper wallet" is easy to crack, if the password or phrase you're is so easy..
so you should be careful if you want to choose a word that is in use, should consist of some combination

You don't use a word, you use a phrase. Like "I'll bet you could never figure out why the zebra humps purple rhino xylophones" -- the chance of someone cracking that is almost nil.

Paper wallets are a great form of storing BTC. The main security risk here is when you are creating them. If you are creating them on your daily used computer, it have a high chance of getting hacked as malwares can get your private key when you print it. Many people say linux is a better choice however, I think even windows would work fine if it is a not pirated. Do wipe your computer first before creating.

Trezor/raspberry pi is definitely safer than paper wallets as you can create a transaction offline from the raspberry pi and broadcast it from another computer without much hassle. Trezor isn't much of a worry since it doesn't have any widespread virus yet.

Check this out:
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Paper_wallet

If you want to store your amount on paper wallet is not problem, paper wallet is secure and cheap for safe your bitcoin.

What is wrong with blockchain?

It's a "hot" wallet.  Cold wallets such as paper wallet are normally best security if done properly.

For safest I would pick cold wallet.  It might not be simplest though. Hardware wallet such as trezor is going to be more simple.

The safest and simplest way for me was to buy a ledger wallet, around 50 euro. I used a live disc of linux distro and set up the wallet cleanly now I feel very safe holding any amount and using the wallet on any computer including malware exposed :P If you have more than $4 I would go that route, if not I would not worry to much and carry on using web wallet for ease of use etc

So I can use the paper wallet that will be completely safe from hackers on the Internet, among others theft?

i was actually about to ask the same thing.

theres no actual legit videos on youtube providing you a step by step, and what not to do...

Just make sure you have a passphrase thats hard to remember, and then copy and paste on a note pad.

And the upload it on google docs and you should be fine if youre ever going to touch the bigger balance.

for me the safest and simplest method to store my bitcoins is a paperwallet.yes it is the best think when securing my funds i will always keep it safe and yes I can trust myself when the point is for the security

Brain wallets are even safer. Then you aren't even worried about people stealing the paper or finding it accidentally. The only way people can get the private key is by forcing you to tell them.

I agree that brain wallets are safer, only if you know the phrase to access the wallet. If your phrase is only made up of simple words that could be easily guessed by a computer, then you're doomed and your funds are doomed, too.

Actually I'm just using blockchain for my wallet. What's the example of brain wallet ? Is it easy to use ?

Online wallets are known to be less secure than those wallets who you actually have full control to--be it a SPV wallet or the Core wallet. Brainwallet is a concept in which a user remembers a certain string of randomized words which he/she will use as a passphrase. For more info, refer to this one: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Brainwallet

They removed the address I was using (https://brainwallet.github.io/) but what you did is input your passphrase and it would spit out:

Compressed key
Uncompressed key
Private key

And then you can even use that site to send out a transaction from it, by putting in your passphrase to get the private key, then signing the message there and having it pushed to Blockchain. It was an awesome site and had a clean interface. Sucks that it's gone now, :(.

Closed permanently, I've visited it just earlier to see if it still exists. :( And to those planning to create a brainwallet, don't use common words to create a passphrase. Humans have been proven to be not that good at randomization. Anyway, do you know any sites similar to brainwallet.github.io that can still be accessed?

I am using blockchain.info as my initial wallet, but since it is an online wallet I always try not to keep small amounts on it and move the rest to my offline electrum wallet which I made a while back.

I don't, and yeah, I used that site a few weeks ago. Surprised it's closed. It was sleek, powerful, and full-featured. It sucks that I don't know of anything even remotely comparable.

Note, though, that passphrases are easier to keep than most people realize. For example:

I ran the other way
I ran the other way!
I ran the other way?
I ran the other waY
I Ran the other way

All the above are different. Just by changing capitalization or adding a special character, you add a whole new level of security. The best idea is to pick 10 words that aren't necessarily related and use that. I.e., "dog couch door tomato rain pills bucket blanket wonderful whatever" -- add specific capitalization to make it even harder.

is brainwallet.org different or same with brainwallet.io??
for website brainwallet.org is closed permanently, but for brainwallet.io is still open and can be accessed.

They're different. Brainwallet.org was a much better site than any others I've found. That said, it looks like you can use Brainwallet.io to do generation as well if that's what you're after.

Been searching for a similar service, but cannot find one too. On the passphrases part, I see how altering even a single character/symbol on the phrase gives it a more complex security.

P.S., I like your example of a mnemonic. For a more complex security, you can also do this one (though it may be difficult to remember, oh well) dOg cOuCh doOr tOmatO rAIn pIlLs buckET blaNket wOnderFuL WHATEveR

brainwallet.org closed down after someone at defcon announced the release of a 'brainwallet cracker'. To me it's closing was symbolic though, such wallets are as seemingly as secure as they were before the release.

Paper or better trezor is the safest.

I prefer electrum though, since it's very secure and relatively easy to use.

also, ninkip2p is great too (mobile app, multi-sig and more)

I'd love to see how these are cracked. You can have one word or a hundred. There are millions of words. You can do it in English or another language. You can do it literally or phonetically. There are gazillions of possibilities. It should be harder to crack a brain wallet (that isn't obvious) than it is a 30-character password (that also isn't obvious).

I prefer using a brainwallet on your local language with different capitalization, symbols and other stuffs. To be able to produce a library of all the possibilities to crack a single brainwallet, you must have terrabytes of data, ranging from the English language to any other language possible. So the release of a brainwallet cracker shouldn't be that much of a problem, given that there are still a lot more ways to produce a genuin brainwallet passphrase without simply relying to the common English words/phrases.

You can also mix it up, using multiple languages, different capitalization, special chars, and both literal and phonetic words. It's impossible to crack. The only ones that would be are those that are obvious. Or the "Horse battery staple..." because that one's been shared for years.

Paper wallet is the best. Make sure it is generated using a offline computer. Do not use brainwallets (my personal suggestion).

for me as the worst keeper of wallets i do on line ones but never trust them soo for you i would trust a pen wallet multibit and paper wallet too.

Back when the 'horse battery staple...' phrase was known, many people are using brainwallets as their main wallets. It is a very good and secure wallet, if you can memorize your phrase and you're sure that the 'randomness' in that wallet cannot be cracked by computers.

easiest way for a secure brainwallet is download electrum and let it create seed words. those are not crackable, at least not for now.

Those are MORE crackable than creating your own. Theirs come from a select database. When you do it yourself, the possibilities are endless.

I disagree. I don't think you know how the words are created. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=153990.msg1632127#msg1632127

much more secure than anything a human can come up with by default

I don't agree with you either. This is programed in a way that you get a good password entropy each time. I think this is above 128 bits normally. When you create your own password, you must create a very strong password and the problem is that people are terrible password makers.

So if a person is not sure what's doing, is better just to trust a program and its creators.

for me the safest and simplest method to store my bitcoins is a paper wallet but if you want more safe buy hardware wallets

if I create a paper wallet and move my bitcoin there then how can I send bitcoin to someone if I need to? what do I do to use it?

Google for paper wallet generator. There are many tools that will let you sign and push a transaction with your private key.

I use my trezor and I like it much better than storing my bitcoins on paper. :)  It's easy to use and it's a great device to have, $120 isn't that much to pay for a safe!

P.S. if you are considering to purchase the trezor wallet, I would wait until black Friday to check out their sale.

Make sure when you make a paper wallet it's on a computer that seems to be clean.  If you can do a fresh install OS and install updates, and anti-virus then do this is best.

I would not use normal internet surfing computer to do this.  Or one that is a public computer.   I guess kinda common sense stuff on some of it.

I think save on something that usually said as cold wallet is more savety for big amount, but for dailiy and personal transaction you can you android wallet application, because i think it more savety than browser wallet

I guess the simplest and safest way to keep your bitcoin would be with Blockchain.info. Depending on what you want to do with your bitcoin, this web-based wallet is probably the safest and simplest. You can also take a look at the Ninki wallet

the easiest way for everyone to make a bitcoin wallet is to use an online wallet like blockchain.info but this way is the least secure way of keeping your coins.
since you don't have any other pc, you can turn off your router and use a live linux on a CD to boot up and there you can have an offline OS which is secure and then make a paper wallet that way.

While your tips were good, you forgot a big part. DO NOT take that computer online! Preferably ever. That means keep it off the network, as well. You don't know what malware could be lurking still.

it's not the safest, i would avoid any online wallet, usually because safety come first than simplicity

i would point my attention on local wallet only and cold stuff, the rest is not secure at all

well so you only have $4?
as far as i know that simplest and safest way to keep your bitcoin is paper wallet,just use reputable service like bitaddress.org print out it and keep away the private key from anybody,
because showing your private key its like giving your money from them"
good luck

Places like Coinbase are insured, though, so if they're hacked, you're protected. Doesn't protect your password, but it's a good way to hold a hot wallet and make it easily accessible.

install bitcoin core and safe your wallet.dat :)

That's not alone enough to secure your bitcoins.
Because unencrypted wallets are always vulnerable to hack at any mode of hacking, like your neighbor also can steal your bitcoins in the moment you leave off your laptop.
So, strong password is the correct solution.

yes, these are the safest and simplest. not the cheapest though. the cheapest is paper wallets, but keep in mind your printer will keep the files in it and this can be hacked. there are steps to making paper wallets hacker-proof, but it is a bit of work and knowledge needed. since you are IT you will be able to figure it out.

i am assuming English is not your native tongue. i am sure you can find the information to create safest paper wallets in your language, possibly in the non-english parts of this forum.

if you do plan to collect a large amount of btc, I would invest in a hardware wallet. there are good ones as cheap as 35$ USD, they are simple to set up and use and you need not worry about collecting a large amount of paper, plus you can spend and save with it just like any other wallet, without the risk of being hacked. I use a ledger wallet and I am very happy with its ease and security.

welcome and good luck

Hi, you can backup your wallet using cold storage and it can protect you against computer failures and many human mistakes. It can also allow you to recover your wallet after your mobile or computer was stolen if you keep your wallet encrypted. just my 2 cent bro have a good day I hope it can help you a lot.

The thing is if you are compromised likely you create it when offline... so ok safe.  But if you go back online with same computer depending on what you have on virus/malware it might just send that new wallet.   

So cold storage is a good way to do it.  This may seem like overkill but if it's a paper wallet you will be using for decent amount of money I would whipe computer, and reinstall OS after.  Then you pretty much are in clear if you store it safely.

1) Create a bitcoin private key by rolling dice
2) transform into an address
3) write down the private key into a piece of paper
4) put the paper in a box
5) bary the box in your garden
6) only take it out when you need it.

It's been said that you can implant virii in the BIOS, though, so that if the system ever goes online in the future (even after a wipe), it could still be compromised. It's a tricky thing.

Paper wallet is safe but is not as user friendly as offline computer. Mycelium has a feature which allows you to spend money from your paper wallet by scanning a Qr code. However, it would not exactly qualify as safe if you were to use your phone which you use daily as it would be exposed to the internet. Buying an android phone isn't viable as purchasing a raspberry pi and install electrum on it.

The more I hear ideas, the more I get pushed to the idea that hardware wallets are the way to go (like Trezor). Even the pi can be exploited.

Only if you do something wrong with the PI.  Such as searching online with it and using it as not a cold storage device.   If you use a pi as storage chances are it should be offline.

I suppose it's possible a computer on network is infected and it get's to pi when it's plugged in temporary. But will not happen to often on this.

As far as cold wallets paper still beats pi on security.  You can not hack a paper (as long as it's done right).

regarding step 1: what exactly do you mean with 'create a bitcoin private key by rolling dice' ? i have never heard of anything like that when creating a private key.

You have to own your personal wallet with the private key and keep it , that's the safest method to keep your bitcoins as safe as possible

Paper wallet or a hardware wallet like a trezor or similar.

I also do not know how to create a bitcoin address using the rolling dice.
Burying in garden may result in destroying the private key which may lead to burn off your hard earned bitcoin.
Encrypt your wallet with a strong address. That's enough to keep your private keys safe.

What he said doesn't really make sense. Bitcoin private keys have to be created a certain way, not by simply throwing down random letters/numbers.

Some people discussing about burying the private key in garden. Must be a joke.
Simplest way must be a password protection. The most secure way may be the hardware wallet.

Actually, hiding the private key in the garden is not a bad idea, as long as it's stored correctly.  People are crazy about their bitcoins
Simplest way to keep bitcoins SAFE is to generate and print a paper wallet offline, or keep the bitcoins on an offline computer. 

I think outdoors idea is not the greatest idea.  I think something a little secure like a safe or bank security box beats the heck out of outside.  If one person saw you get the can or whatever it is out of side it is compromised.  And you might not even know they saw you.

Only way it is really safe is lets say you store a USB drive that is encrypted very well, then put it outside.  The layer of encryption makes it where even if someone found it at least they don't get the contents assuming you did encryption right.

Simplest way to keep SAFE is actually not printing a paper wallet -- it's coming up with your own long pass code. Something like "When I was nine, I fell off my bike on the way home from school" -- things like this are almost guaranteed not to get cracked. And then you need no paper wallet because you just input your code when you need to send funds.

On paper wallet I highly suggest if someone uses them to get rid of some of the nicer designs.  Just keep what you need (just cut with scissors) don't have bitcoin written all over it as I still don't think standard thief will know bitcoin QR code.  Could even put something to mislead them like "Family Pictures" with the QR, etc needed.  Chances are they could care less on family pictures if that's what they think it is.

Also you could use a usb stick with paper wallet stored on it.  Put encryption with passphrase like  Ranlo mentioned.  He is very right a passphrase is very very hard to a bad guy to brute force compared to password just a LOT more possibilities.

With my method, you have no trace. You don't need paper, a USB stick, or even a PC. You simply use the passphrase to sign transactions when needed. Nobody can steal what they can't see, even if you're robbed.

To simply put, a brainwallet. It works great if the passphrase you've chosen is really random and can't be guessed or isn't contained in some libraries. :)

Rolling dice can also be done in a pattern, so you're still not achieving much. There's no *true* way to create a random number. Everything has some bias.

Yea but a roll dice is atleast unknown.

Weak RNG doesnt mean it doesnt generate random number, it means it generates random number based on a patter that a hacker can exploit.

Good RNG is generated with no pattern.

The only way to store bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies is to have their corresponding wallets. I would recommend as a wallet for bitcoin coinbase. It is an very good wallet, very credible, very secure and for more pay them all the fees that must be paid when is the need to send bitcoin to someone or to buy something. Or anyway to move bitcoin from your wallet. I am not sure about this but this option is offered only by this wallet.

I recently got myself a trezor so i am hoping this would help that small bit for security

There is also xapo which is a great wallet not to mention that u can also have a debit card associated with your wallet although charges may apply when using it as well ans an annual fee

IMO storing your bitcoins in an online site specially in those you wont have control over your private keys is very risky. it is better to use blockchain.info instead of xapo if you dont own a desktop computer or maybe use mycelium if you have mobile so you have full control over your private keys

Blockchain.info is bad to store bitcoins, the best + secure way, is running mycelium on android or electrum in your pc.

What? You recommended bitcoin wallet with 3rd-party who have controlled your private key, they have lack security to store bitcoin for long term: https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet look at coinbase part on web tab, they only have 'Basic Privacy' security features.

Coinbase is insured, though, which means if something happens, funds should be reimbursed. I'd think that trumps the privacy concerns.

Paper wallet in a well respected trezor :P

But you relay in coinbase, what happens if they close your account or they have a downtime and you want to use the bitcoins? That is not a smart way.

They do not close accounts for no reason. They have to remain legal so they are not considered a money laundering service, they have spent tons to stay legal or become legal.   

Most of the closed accounts I think I've read about (and its been a while since one I saw) were people who bought BTC then went straight to localbitcoins trying to sell it for higher, and repeating this action over and over... many times.   

As far as downtime you would be able to do nothing.  But you will not find a lot of downtime.  I remain with my statment it's a good service for a non-technical person.   If someone is not capable of safely storing private key then it's a good option.

Obviously some users are much more experienced, and can handle having private key.

The safest and simplest way to store and keep your bitcoins? I can only  recommend not to store it on any online and web based wallets. Just store it on a desktop bitcoin wallet or maybe on a hardware wallet if possible

I also want to point out that Coinbase is backed by tens of millions in investment dollars. I'm sure their investors wouldn't like it if they started arbitrarily screwing over their members. The investment is a long-term play, not a short one. And they're one of the few that are fully licensed for LEGAL transacting.

As far as us it's pretty safe to say they are the number one exchange at the current time.   And you are right they are backed by big money.  You could argue they have done the most to be legal as far as US exchanges.  Yes it changes on what country you are in which works best for you.

But I suggest everyone read their insurance.  It is pretty impressive on the amount it covers.  Make sure to use 2FA. But if you have to keep a hot wallet it is not bad.

Not sure if it's the same now as I haven't had an issue, but wondering if they still have the massive delay on some transactions. I sent one in 2013 that took almost 48 hours to finally hit the network.

Keeping bitcoin within your control is the safe way. Other people gain access of your bitcoin by stealing private keys. So password protection is mandatory.

Anymore I do a lot more mining then buying.  But I did not have problems with them that I remember.  

Only thing I remember being a pain was gaining levels there.  For activity and money the more the higher the level.  At one point you can get instant for a certain amount.   Others you wait days which is no fun but understandable.

There are stock brokers that will allow you to purchase instantly, and I'd think that's along the lines of Bitcoin (i.e., once they have the stocks, they can't necessarily liquidate them at the cost they bought them for). Circle allows instant purchases, I believe.

I dont know exactly but you could use a combo of hardware and software wallet.

Keep 30% on hot wallets ready to spend and the rest of them in cold storage safely, probably on hardware wallet that you trust.

Use the paper wallet.
It is secured.

I agree that paper wallet is the safest, I don't know if it is most simple. From the physical aspect paper alone could be dangerous. It needs to be covered in plastic to avoid damage.

Yup, lamination can help. But, you need to keep multiple backups for redundancy.

A safe and cost effective wallet is a paper wallet but you need a clean android phone to scan qr code and spend it. If you want cheap but very secure storage, get raspberry pi and install electrum on it. Download raw transaction on online computer and sign it on the offline raspberry pi.

I usually stored bitcoin on a cold wallet when taking care of large sum of it , specifically I used paper wallet and store it where it can be safe.

I myself use electrum and I think that this is the safest and simplest. No worries about big blockchain data, 2FA to secured your account and more important it's on your PC ;D so I trust this guy

I'm not very familiar with other wallet types but I use blockchain too. IP restriction, strong pass and cold wallet is enough, I guess?

For me blockchain.info is the safest, though I guess is not.

windows wallet :)

You have to download your desktop wallet and keep safe the signature key and then it's safe because you can keep your coins for long time as known. Try also to don't invest in the HYIP or the ponzi schemes to don't lose your coins

download your owned wallet and don't use the public or exchange services as wallet that's the safest way to keep bitcoins

I think blockchain

BTC Trezor wallet would be the best option, but with 4 USD I think Blockchain will be enough good. BTC Trezor hardware wallet is as far as I know the safest BTC wallet  ;)

I agree BTC Trezor is one of the best option but it still depends on how much do you need to store

i believe that the safest way and really simple is to print several copies of a paper wallet and keep it in your safe or something like that in this way you can create a safe cold storage

Sign up an account with coinbase and xapo.  They are great online wallets and there is not much to worry about with them.  You can download a wallet directly to your computer to be more safe, but if your computer is remotely accessed, anyone who is able to get on it will have access to your wallet. 

Keep in mind that BTC could go up in value, and having that secured is still of importance. Not to mention if you plan to get more deeply invested later, it's better to secure everything now, rather than later.

The simplest way to keep your bitcoin is by using paper wallet.
Many of the bitcoin users tried to used this.
It is proven safe.

Once again, the most proven way to keep your bitcoin safe is a paper wallet. The only issue you need to be worried about is the condition of the paper wallet and the safe storage of it. There isn't any vulnerable computer environment to be worried of, malicious hackers or even malware. It is just keeping safe storage of your paper wallet.

it's paper so I expect to see it fades or not really properly insert somewhere or got lost ;D

But it's not the only safe !

Well, you could laminate the paper or using different material such a metal or something :)

someone today told me that holytransaction is safest, is it ?

i hold it in my paper wallet

Download a desktop wallet (like electrum for example) and then try to hold some amount of your coins because you can make profit when the price increase, and it's expected that it will increase soon as known

Just don't invest in the gambling and ponzi sites and then you can keep your bitcoins safe

Look into cold wallets. Cold wallets are still much better.  But I guess it all depends on how much you are storing.


Gambling really is just a horrible idea on making money.  Overall most lose it's just a fact.  And ponzi if anyone promises a huge return in little time.. avoid it.  Ponzi's look amazing till you get the facts.

Not only blockchain We have coinbase and many more But the thing is How we maintaning with safety and secure to our wallet thats only matters. We have secure with two factor authentication for wallet and keep it safe. else others way is save in paper wallet dude.

Hello :-)

The safest way to keep bitcoins is paper wallets. You can have multiple copies in multiple location with no threat from hackers.

Cheers

what i do is I keep my bitcoins on my cold storage wallet for long term investment :)

but that may be not what the OP want. cold storage for long term how about short term? Electrum would be suitable

i strongly believe that the safest way to keep your coins is cold storage

paper wallets offline......

www.bitaddress.org

There is a threat. Currently, there is no easy way to spend it without risk of getting it compromised. Mycelium does have a cold storage feature but the coins might be hacked during the spending process. If you are going to use an old computer or raspberry pi, you are better off getting an Electrum client and operate it both offline and online. Just copy the seed multiple times and you would have redundancy.

blockchain.info very safe, during this time I have never lost despite their problems quite well in keeping our balance :)

you can add 2FA to be a safer :)

during this time i always keeping my bitcoin in the blockchain wallet and my local exchange for me this is the safest way because i had never any problem from this also never got hacked

who knows what will happen to those exchange??? you can take mtgox for an example ;D everything can happen and we just need to be cautious

IMO the safest way to keep bitcoins is multiple paper wallets stored in safe locations like multiple bank vaults, the possibility of your funds being compromised is minimal since even if a bank is robbed the possibility of your codes being used before you use another copy to load them and send them away is relatively small, Hardware wallets are very expensive IMO and have the same vulnerabilities as saving your BTC in a computer.

Hardware is pretty hard to beat as far as safe storage that you can really access.  Paper wallet is a good option aswell if done right.

One thing I would do is not have a paperwallet with bitcoin all over it.  I would photoshop it or edit it somehow and put something like 'Link to family vacation 2014".... something a thief would care less about. 

Keep some in hot storage in case you need it.  But by far make sure majority is in cold wallet or hardware wallet.