Using the IC

Internet Computer Wallets

Explore the different wallet options you have to store and stake your ICP and to participate in the governance of the Internet Computer.

IC Academy » Using the Internet Computer » Internet Computer Wallets

What’s an ICP Wallet?

Introduction to wallets

ICP wallets are your key to accessing the Internet Computer. Wallets allow you to manage your ICP tokens and give you access to applications running on the Internet Computer.

Ideally, you choose a wallet that does not have custody of your funds. In the following, we will guide you through the process of selecting a secure wallet provider.

Managing ICP

Your wallet allows you to receive, send, and store ICP tokens. It also shows your balances and transaction history.

Staking ICP

Some wallets allow you to stake your ICP so that you can earn rewards by staking your tokens in Neurons.

dApp Login

Some wallets provide the functionality of letting you connect to any decentralized application (dApp) running on the Internet Computer.

Governance

Participating in the Internet Computer’s governance is possible by staking ICP in Neurons.

ICP Wallet Options

Let’s have a look at the best Internet Computer wallets to safely store and manage your ICP

The following covers the different wallet options available for ICP. To learn how you can create an Internet Identity, which is necessary to access most of these wallets, see Create Internet Identity.

Three Types of Wallets

When storing your ICP, you can choose between three wallet types:

Hot Wallets

Cryptocurrency wallets that are always connected to the internet. These virtual currency wallets are accessible online

Cold Wallets

A concurrency wallet that is not connected to the internet. Such wallets can be hardware wallets or paper wallets

Exchange Wallets

Wallets that are hosted by exchanges or by crypto custody services. In general, you do not have access to the keys of your wallet

Let’s have a look at the different options you have for each wallet type.

Hot Wallets

ICP wallets that are accessible online

Network Nervous System (NNS) dApp & ICP Wallet Official dApp

The Network Nervous System (NNS) dApp is developed and maintained by Dfinity. It is a great way to safely and securely store and manage your ICP tokens. All you need is a computer/mobile browser and an Internet Identity to access the wallet. You can access the ICP wallet via: nns.ic0.app

The NNS dApp can be used for:

Managing ICP

Receiving, sending, and storing ICP tokens

Staking ICP in neurons

Earning rewards by staking your ICP in Neurons

Participating in governance

Staking ICP in Neurons allows you to participate in governance by voting on Network Nervous System (NNS) proposals.

Creating cycles by converting ICP tokens

By converting ICP tokens into cycles, you can power canisters (computational units, i.e. smart contracts)

The Network Nervous System (NNS) dApp is the go-to resource for managing your ICP on the Internet Computer.

The NNS Front-End dApp and the ICP wallet are built and maintained by Dfinity. The dApp allows you to do all the transactions required to participate in the network, ranging from managing your tokens to voting and governance proposals as well as staking and creating cycles.

Plug Wallet Browser extension

For anyone using Firefox or Google Chrome (or Chromium browsers like Brave and SR Ware), Plug Wallet is an alternative to the official NNS dApp. Other than the ICP wallet, Plug wallet also allows you to manage the tokens of other blockchains.

Plug Wallet’s functionality allows you to:

Manage all your assets (ICP, tokens, cycles, NFT's) from one wallet

Plug Wallet offers one main wallet (i.e. “Principal ID”) to manage all your assets and to log into any Internet Computer dApp

Log into any IC dApp

The wallet can be used to seamlessly log into dApps running on the Internet Computer

Manage, send and receive IC assets

One wallet for managing, sending, and receiving all your Internet Computer assets via one ID

Other hot wallets

There are other wallet options you can use to store your ICP. You can find these options in the following but please keep in mind that these are community-build wallets.

DFinance

Browser wallet for managing ICP and custom tokens. DFinance offers a wallet, token issuance app, and a decentralized exchange (DEX), learn more: app.dfinance.ai

Earth Wallet

Browser extension for storing digital assets and NFTs across blockchains, learn more: earthwallet.io

Stoic Wallet

Open-source wallet for the IC with various functions, such as creating accounts, managing neurons, and buying NFTs. Learn more: stoicwallet.com

Cold Wallets

Let’s have a look at hardware wallets that store your ICP tokens offline

Ledger Hardware wallet

The hardware wallets produced by Ledger are one of the world’s most popular solutions for safely storing crypto assets. The wallet gives users full control over their crypto assets, ensuring complete ownership of their crypto assets while providing a maximum level of security.

ICP is integrated with Ledger and can be used with its Nano S or Nano X.

Exchange Wallets

Wallets hosted by centralized exchanges or crypto custody services

ICP tokens are traded on a variety of different crypto exchanges and can be stored in the exchange’s wallets.

Storing ICP tokens on an exchange is not recommended as you do not have complete ownership over the tokens. You may lose your tokens should an exchange be hacked or shut down by regulators.

Exchanges Excerpt

What is the ICP token?

Internet Computer Protocol tokens (ICP tokens) are the native utility token of the Internet Computer. ICP can be used for governance, converted to cycles, or locked up.

Learn more about the ICP token

Get ICP Tokens

There are different ways to get your very first ICP tokens. Learn how you can buy ICP from centralized/decentralized exchanges or through other activites.