Bitkey Hardware Wallets
Bitkey is the Bitcoin wallet system from Block, Inc. Its current device, Bitkey ($250), has a touchscreen and fingerprint sensor and uses 2-of-3 multisig without a seed phrase: keys sit in the app, the device and a Block server, and Block alone cannot move funds.
Bitkey Wallet Models
Explore the complete range of Bitkey hardware wallets designed for different needs and budgets.
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Pros & Cons of Bitkey Wallets
Pros
- No seed phrase to write down or protect
- Block holds one of three keys and cannot move funds alone; the Emergency Exit Kit works without Block
- Firmware, app and server code are published under the MIT licence
- NFC is the only data link; there is no Bluetooth, and USB-C is for charging only
Cons
- Recovery and inheritance rely on Block's server key, and the App Key backup sits in one iCloud or Google Drive account
- Analytics are always on in customer app builds and cannot be turned off
- English only, on-chain bitcoin only, with no Lightning and no desktop app
- Outside parties cannot yet reproduce the firmware builds
Bitkey Rating Summary
How We Rate Bitkey Wallets
Every rating is based on 40 measurable parameters with a fully transparent, open formula. No pay-to-play, no hidden criteria.
Ready to Choose Your Bitkey Wallet?
Based on our analysis, the Bitkey is the top-rated model with a score of 40/100.
Who Is Bitkey Best For?
Bitkey wallets are designed for specific types of users and use cases.
Self-custody without a seed phrase
New Bitcoin owners can set up a wallet without writing down a recovery phrase; the phone and the device approve transactions together.
Learn more →Phone-based Bitcoin
The Bitkey app for iOS and Android talks to the device over NFC when it is held against the phone. There is no desktop app.
Learn more →Inheritance planning
Inheritance is built into the app: the owner names a beneficiary, and Block's server key co-signs the transfer, so it depends on Block's service.
Learn more →Bitkey vs Other Wallets
See how Bitkey compares to other leading hardware wallet brands.
Bitkey vs Tangem
Tangem's card wallets (from $54) also talk to the phone only over NFC and support many networks, while Bitkey ($250) is Bitcoin-only and adds a screen and a co-signing key held by Block.
Bitkey vs Trezor
The Trezor Safe 7 ($249) also has a touchscreen but uses a recovery phrase and connects by USB-C and Bluetooth, while Bitkey replaces the phrase with 2-of-3 multisig over NFC.
Bitkey vs Foundation
The Foundation Passport Prime ($349) is also Bitcoin-only but keeps a user-held seed with Shamir backup and signs over QR or microSD, while Bitkey has no seed and relies on Block's server for key recovery.
About Bitkey
Bitkey is a product of Block, Inc. The original screenless Bitkey launched in 2024 at $150 and still receives firmware updates. The current model, with an OLED touchscreen and a fingerprint sensor, was announced on 27 April 2026 at $250. It ships from the US and is not sold in New York State.
There is no seed phrase. Each wallet is a fixed 2-of-3 multisig: an App Key on the phone, a Hardware Key on the device and a Server Key held by Block. Any two keys can sign, and Block states that it cannot move funds without a customer key. Recovery uses an encrypted cloud backup, Delay & Notify, Recovery Contacts and an Emergency Exit Kit.
The device connects to the phone only over NFC. Firmware, app and server code are published under the MIT licence, but outside parties cannot yet reproduce the firmware builds. The app is in English only, supports on-chain bitcoin only and keeps analytics on in customer builds.
Backup & Recovery
No seed phrase to store: recovery combines an encrypted cloud backup, Delay & Notify, Recovery Contacts and an Emergency Exit Kit.
Security
The phone, the fingerprint-locked device and Block's server each hold one of three keys, so no single key can move funds.
Ease of Use
The touchscreen shows details taken from the transaction itself, not from the app, and a fingerprint replaces the PIN.
FAQ About Bitkey Hardware Wallets
Who makes Bitkey?
Bitkey is made by Block, Inc. The first, screenless Bitkey launched in 2024 at $150 and still receives firmware updates, but Block now promotes only the screen model announced on 27 April 2026 at $250. Block keeps a public log of fixed security bugs and reports that no customer funds were affected.
How does Bitkey work without a seed phrase?
Each wallet is a fixed 2-of-3 multisig. The App Key lives on the phone, the Hardware Key is generated on the device and never exported, and Block manages the Server Key. Any two keys can sign a transaction. According to Block, it cannot move funds without a customer key. The wallet descriptor can be exported from the app.
What happens if I lose my phone or my Bitkey?
The encrypted App Key backup in iCloud or Google Drive can be decrypted with the hardware or with help from up to three Recovery Contacts. If a key is lost, Block's server co-signs a recovery to a new set of keys after a Delay & Notify waiting period. If Block is unavailable, the Emergency Exit Kit is designed to move funds without it.
Is Bitkey open source and private?
The firmware, app and server code are published under the MIT licence, but outside parties cannot yet reproduce the firmware builds. Setup requires an email address, and customer builds of the app send analytics that cannot be turned off. Users can connect their own Electrum server.
Explore Bitkey
Read our Bitkey review for its 2-of-3 key model, recovery options and trade-offs.
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