How Long Does Physical BTC Wallets last?

[ridery99]

I have few USB flash drives which have 'died'. Is there any estimation how long those current hardware wallets on the market, for example trezor or ledger nano, will last?

[Nagadota]

It's hard to tell how long they'll keep working for, but it doesn't matter.  You get a seed which you can use to recover your Bitcoin on another TREZOR or on any compatible wallet (including Electrum for example), so hardware failure shouldn't be a problem.

Even if the TREZOR broke once a year, $100 in Bitcoin per year wouldn't be a problem.

[ridery99]

It's hard to tell how long they'll keep working for, but it doesn't matter.  You get a seed which you can use to recover your Bitcoin on another TREZOR or on any compatible wallet (including Electrum for example), so hardware failure shouldn't be a problem.

Even if the TREZOR broke once a year, $100 in Bitcoin per year wouldn't be a problem.

Ok, so I can't really lose my coins if I use hardware wallets.

[Nagadota]

It's hard to tell how long they'll keep working for, but it doesn't matter.  You get a seed which you can use to recover your Bitcoin on another TREZOR or on any compatible wallet (including Electrum for example), so hardware failure shouldn't be a problem.

Even if the TREZOR broke once a year, $100 in Bitcoin per year wouldn't be a problem.

Ok, so I can't really lose my coins if I use hardware wallets.

Obviously it's a new technology and there might be unknown ways of getting around their security (plus if someone steals your seed they have your coins, unless you use a passphrase). 

As long as you don't ignore any other privacy measures after getting one, you're pretty safe.

[DoublerHunter]

They will last for a long time as long as you are taking care of them and you are treating them right. If you have physical bitcoin wallets like trezor, ledger and keep key or anything kind of physical wallet then you just need to keep them in a safe place that is away from dangerous elements like water and fire that can break them.

[GXHPP]

I've been using a ledger S for a while now (around a year or so) and I don't think it's close to dying anytime soon, on the other hand even good quality USB's last longer so the issue with your USB's is mostly the brand and poor manufacturing or poor storage conditions.

[Pursuer]

when it comes to storing your bitcoins it is not a matter of how some type of storage will typically last. it is the question of how good can YOU protect it. I have 2 USB disks (USB 2.0) that are about 11 years old and they both work fine and I have my wallet on one of them without any problems.

also on top of that there is always the option of taking a backup. many wallets these days are HD wallets meaning they have a seed phrase which you can simply write down on piece of paper and store in a safe place, a safety deposit box in a bank for instance, and recover your bitcoins in case of losing the wallet.

[Gumpfire]

I have few USB flash drives which have 'died'. Is there any estimation how long those current hardware wallets on the market, for example trezor or ledger nano, will last?

Currently there's none since it's very  encrypted. You just need to protect your private key so that you are not able to losse your balance in your hardware wallet.

[franklin9]

Generally as good as the hardware it is made from, I guess 4-5 years should be the number for a high-quality trezor... Even with hardware wallets, keeping private keys in an absolutely safe area (even if hard to reach) a must, to avoid hardware failure causing loss of BTC's.

[Zadicar]

I have few USB flash drives which have 'died'. Is there any estimation how long those current hardware wallets on the market, for example trezor or ledger nano, will last?

We cant say and no one knows on how far or long those physical wallets would last but same as mentioned above it doesnt really matter at all as long you do have the seed and the keys which are important if theres something happen to those bitcoin stored on those wallet and buying a wallet isnt too expensive considering on the amount you are storing for sure

[Kprawn]

Flash drives can last up to 10 years, flash memory doesn't usually degrade because of its age, but rather because of the number of write cycles,

which means the more you delete and write new information, the more quickly the memory in the device will start to degrade. As someone has

mentioned, the seed that are provided with each Trezor will enable you to "restore" the wallet, if something goes wrong with the physical

device. 

[infer]

I have few USB flash drives which have 'died'. Is there any estimation how long those current hardware wallets on the market, for example trezor or ledger nano, will last?

well, I think it is about 5 to 10 years if you are a good person who know how to keep every safe and sound. YOu can renew if you want

[stompix]

If you're talking about "physical' then you shouldn't mention usb stick.
But this kind of wallet:

http://cryptosteel.com/
or
https://bitkee.com/

will probably outlive you .

[Frank Alister]

I have few USB flash drives which have 'died'. Is there any estimation how long those current hardware wallets on the market, for example trezor or ledger nano, will last?

If you can keep it safe from fire and water (moisture), it can last for many years. I have a trezor wallet for over a year now and nothing happened to it because I keep it safe from bumps
In addition having the seed stored away helps me sleep tight at night

[JGoRed]

A good hardware wallet should last a long time assuming it doesn’t get abused in any way, so if you’re considering purchasing one then it’s lifetime shouldn’t be a concern.

Also, as it’s been pointed out several times, you’ll get a seed; so in the case that it did break or get lost you won’t actually lose you BTC, you’ll just need to replace the wallet.

[TryNinja]

If you're talking about "physical' then you shouldn't mention usb stick.
But this kind of wallet:

http://cryptosteel.com/
or
https://bitkee.com/

will probably outlive you .

But how would you be sure they don't save your private key/seed before sending you this kind of product?
I think you should never use a wallet which key wasn't generated by you alone. It's the same as using a online vanity address generator.

You can never be sure about the safety of you coins.

IMO that's why a hardware wallet like Trezor and Ledger are still the best options to store BTC in a long-term, since you have exclusive access to your keys.

Edit: I see that with CryptoSteel you are the one inserting all the wallet info with your own hands. So this is another valid option to keep your Bitcoins safe.

[European Central Bank]

a friend of mine has an archive of ancient usb drives that he hands over when he wants films transferred. some of them are less than 200mb so they must be well over ten years old. they all work perfectly even though they're useless.

[Superzpay]

It is like another wallets. It will be with you till last until you recover your bitcoin from them and still you will be able to use it again and again. So it never expire. But in that case you have to take care that you are using the wallet from a better company.

[richardsNY]

I own a Trezor hardware wallet myself, and even though it feels quite durable, there is no way to find out how long it will last up front. If you set up your device, you are being shown a recovery seed that contains 24 words. It's extremely important that you correctly write them on a piece of paper. It will allow you to import it into a new device in case your old device is broken or stolen. From there you should worry more about the recovery seed than the piece of hardware itself. Hardware is replaceable in case you lose it, the recovery seed is not.

[smartbitcoininvestor]

If you're talking about "physical' then you shouldn't mention usb stick.
But this kind of wallet:

http://cryptosteel.com/
or
https://bitkee.com/

will probably outlive you .

If you're thinking looooooooooooong term then the cryptosteel is a pretty good bet.