comparison · Privacy wallets
Cake Wallet vs Coldcard
Both are listed in Privacy wallets. The table below pulls directly from each service’s data sheet; see each entry for sourcing.
| Field | Cake Wallet | Coldcard |
|---|---|---|
| KYC | no KYC | optional KYC |
| Category | Privacy wallets | Privacy wallets |
| Jurisdiction | United States (operator-disclosed) | Canada (operator-disclosed) |
| Payment methods | crypto, card (via partners) | crypto, card (KYC) |
| Fiat on-ramp | yes | no |
| Custodial | no | no |
| Open source | yes | yes |
| Founded | 2018 | 2018 |
| Last verified | Jan 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Cake Wallet — summary
Cake Wallet is the most-recommended mobile XMR wallet for users new to Monero and one of the few cross-coin wallets with serious Monero integration.
- + First-class Monero support alongside BTC, LTC, ETH, BCH, NANO, and others.
- + Built-in privacy-respecting swaps via SideShift / Trocador.
- + Tor proxy supported for node connections.
- − Operator is U.S.-based; treat the in-app fiat purchase flow as KYC-bound.
- − Mobile app uses platform crash reporters by default — review settings on install.
- − Facts need re-verification by operator (last seeded 2026-01).
Coldcard — summary
Coldcard is the air-gapped Bitcoin-only hardware wallet.
- + Air-gapped signing — the device never connects to a computer, only via microSD card or QR codes.
- + Bitcoin-only firmware reduces attack surface compared to multi-coin hardware wallets.
- + Manufacturer accepts crypto payment and ships pseudonymously.
- − Shipping address binds the device to a physical location; using a forwarding address or PO box is the standard pattern.
- − The Coinkite operator is Canadian; legal jurisdiction matters for the corporate, not for the device.
- − Bitcoin-only — not appropriate as a multi-coin hardware wallet.
When to choose which
Treat this section as heuristic. Privacy properties depend on how you use the service, not just which one you pick.
- Choose Cake Wallet if first-class monero support alongside btc, ltc, eth, bch, nano, and others..
- Choose Coldcard if air-gapped signing — the device never connects to a computer, only via microsd card or qr codes..
- Either way, re-check the entry’s last verified date — the Privacy wallets category churns.
Mentioned in (combined)
Pages on the site that reference Cake Wallet, Coldcard, or both.
Guides
Compared as of .