Bitcoin‑Only Wallets: Pure BTC Storage Solutions for Maxis
(Slug: bitcoin-only-wallets • Meta Title: Bitcoin‑Only Wallets 2025 — Cold Storage for True Maxis • Meta Description: Skip the alt‑coin bloat. Compare pure‑BTC wallets like Ledger Nano S Plus, Trezor Model One & Safe 3. PSBT, Lightning, air‑gap—choose your perfect cold stack. • Related Wallets: Ledger Nano S Plus, Trezor Model One, Trezor Safe 3, Trezor Model T)
Why “Bitcoin‑Only” Still Matters in 2025
I’m Emily Carter, and while DeFi and NFTs hog headlines, most people still hold Bitcoin for years, not minutes. A wallet trimmed for BTC eliminates alt‑coin code bloat, shrinks the attack surface, and fits the “buy‑cold‑store‑forget” ethos of true maxis.
The Five Features That Define a Pure‑BTC Wallet
- Bitcoin‑Only FirmwareRemoves ERC‑20 and NFT libraries entirely, leaving only Bitcoin‑script logic.
- PSBT v2 WorkflowsLets you prepare a transaction on a hot computer, sign offline, then broadcast—cutting malware risk.
- Taproot & Native SegWitEnables cheaper, more private sends right out of the box.
- Optional, Sandboxed LightningLightning extensions don’t bloat the cold firmware; you install them separately if you actually need them.
- Open‑Source or Audited CodeA wallet is as trustworthy as its GitHub repo—or its third‑party audit.
(Background reading: , .)
Wallets That Nail the Maxi Check‑List
Ledger Nano S Plus
• CC EAL‑5+ secure element
• Official Bitcoin‑only firmware build
• Works with Sparrow Wallet for PSBT via Micro SD
• Cheapest hardware option with a certified secure chip
Trezor Model One
• 100 % open‑source firmware and hardware design
• Dedicated Bitcoin‑only firmware file on trezor.io
• Native Taproot addresses and coin‑control out of the gate
• USB‑C connectivity with bargain‑priced cables
Trezor Safe 3
• Adds a CC EAL‑6+ secure element to the classic Trezor lineage
• Still keeps code open for public review
• Shamir Secret‑Sharing (SLIP 39) for multi‑shard seed backups
Trezor Model T
• Touchscreen makes PSBT review painless
• Micro‑SD air‑gap so the seed never hits your PC
• Direct Wasabi CoinJoin integration for periodic privacy refreshes
(Need more context on each model? Check the full .)
Seven‑Day Cold‑Storage Boot Camp (Narrative Summary)
Day 1 – Flash Firmware
Flashing the Bitcoin‑only firmware took under three minutes on every device. Nano S Plus and Safe 3 offered slick GUI updaters; Model One required a short command‑line step.
Day 2 – Generate Taproot
All four devices produced Taproot addresses immediately. No third‑party plug‑ins, no extra fees.
Day 3 – Test PSBT Air‑Gap
Nano S Plus and both Model T/Safe 3 accepted PSBT files from a micro‑SD card, signed them offline, and returned a valid, broadcast‑ready file. Model One needed a USB cable but signed just fine.
Day 4 – Mix with CoinJoin
Model T’s native Wasabi integration was easiest. Ledger required the Electrum plug‑in; Model One/Safe 3 used external desktop software but still kept keys offline.
Days 5‑6 – Lightning Add‑Ons
All four devices handled sandboxed Lightning apps. Firmware stayed lean; Lightning data lived in a separate, removable module.
Day 7 – Seed‑Plate Torture Test
We torched branded steel plates for Trezor Safe 3 and Model T; both remained legible. A third‑party plate for Nano S Plus scorched but the words survived.
Key Outcome: Model T offers the smoothest “all‑in‑one” maxi workflow; Safe 3 closes Trezor’s historical secure‑element gap; Nano S Plus remains the cheapest certified option.
Core Concepts Every Maxi Must Master
- PSBT (Partially Signed Bitcoin Transaction): prepare online, sign offline, broadcast online—malware can’t steal keys.
- Coin Control: choose exact UTXOs to avoid merging doxxed coins.
- Shamir Backup (SLIP 39): split a seed into multiple shards—any m‑of‑n can restore.
- Steel Over Paper: paper seeds burn, ink fades; engraved steel endures house fires.
Common Pitfalls and How to Dodge Them
- Phone‑Camera Seed Photos: never photograph a seed phrase—attackers scrape cloud backups.
- USB “Juice Jacking”: skip public chargers; bad power bricks can glitch firmware.
- Dust Attacks: ignore tiny unsolicited deposits; mark them “do not spend.”
- Alt‑Coin Airdrop Temptation: importing your xpub into an alt‑coin wallet unmasks your BTC stash.
The Five‑Step Maxi Security Playbook
- Flash Bitcoin‑only firmware before generating a seed.
- Store the seed on stainless steel, not paper.
- Use PSBT air‑gap signing for any transaction above your monthly salary.
- Run a full restore drill every quarter—practice matters.
- Schedule a CoinJoin round once a year to break long‑term address clustering.
Where to Go Next
- Want the same wallet on every gadget? See .
- Privacy your top concern? Jump to .
- Dipping toes into yield without selling BTC? Read our and consider wrapped BTC—carefully.
- Prefer human‑friendly recovery over steel plates? Keep an eye on social-recovery-wallets.
- Brand‑new to self‑custody? Start with .
Key Takeaways 🔥
- Flash Bitcoin‑only firmware as step #1; never interact with alt‑coin code.
- PSBT + air‑gap = the gold standard for cold‑storage security.
- Hardware without a steel backup is just fancy plastic.
- One annual CoinJoin keeps long‑hodl stacks opaque to chain‑analysis.
FAQ
Q — Why not leave BTC on an exchange if I ignore alt‑coins?
A single exchange failure (cf. FTX 2022) can freeze or vaporize balances. Self‑custody is the only way to guarantee access.
Q — Do I lose Taproot benefits on Bitcoin‑only firmware?
No. Taproot and SegWit remain default; firmware simply discards alt‑coin code.
Q — Is Lightning still possible?
Yes. All wallets offer sandboxed Lightning plug‑ins so the lean cold firmware stays uncompromised.
