8. Storing Bitcoins with a Bitcoin Wallet

In the preceding chapter you learned how to purchase Bitcoin, and you might have already done so. Now, you can store your Bitcoin at the Bitcoin exchange you used, or you can store them elsewhere. Because you can’t store Bitcoin physically (it’s virtual currency, remember), you need some sort of digital wallet for your digital currency. There are Bitcoin wallets you can install on your personal computer or smartphone, as well as Internet-based wallets that exist in the cloud.

This chapter, then, is all about Bitcoin wallets—how they work, which kinds are available, and how to use them to store your precious Bitcoin.

Understanding Bitcoin Wallets

You need a place to store the Bitcoins you own. This ...

Get The Ultimate Guide to Bitcoin™ now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial