I'm considering investing in some non-popular altcoins (for example, Bitshares), but I didn't want to store them in exchanges
like Poloniex. Some questions:
1. The hardware wallets don't support these coins, so is my safest option a paper wallet?
"Paper wallet" (not necessarily paper, just have to be a "cold wallet") with a proper backup is the safest way to store coins anyway.
2. Would I have to create a paper wallet for each altcoin?
Yes, if each altcoin use its own address and secure key. You can store all the addresses in one place, if you want, but put secret keys separately.
3. Is the process of transferring Bitshares from Poloniex to my paper wallet the same as transferring Bitcoin to a paper wallet?
Thanks!
Not exactly. You shall use bridges to move assets in and out of the network. You can learn more and get a list of such bridges here:
https://bitshares.org/deposit/
