1.

Why Choose a Hardware Wallet

Hardware wallets like Tangem are essential for anyone storing significant amounts of cryptocurrency. Even if your computer or phone is completely compromised with malware, your funds remain safe because the private keys are stored in the hardware wallet’s secure chip, which cannot be accessed by software.

The security model is simple: to spend your KAS, you need both the hardware wallet (the physical card) and knowledge of how to use it. Even if someone steals your phone, they can’t access your funds without the physical card. Even if someone steals the card, they can’t use it without knowing how it works and having access to your phone with the app installed.

Official Website: tangem.com

How Tangem Works

Tangem cards use NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to communicate with your smartphone. You simply tap the card to your phone to approve transactions, but your private keys never leave the secure chip inside the card.

When you want to receive KAS, you don’t need the card at all-you just need your public address, which you can view in the Tangem app. You can share this address with anyone who wants to send you KAS.

When you want to send KAS, the process requires multiple steps: you enter the transaction details in the app, then you must tap your Tangem card to your phone to physically approve the transaction. The card signs the transaction using its internal secure chip, and the private keys never leave the card. This physical confirmation step makes it nearly impossible for malware to steal your funds.

2.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Purchase from Official Source

Visit tangem.com and purchase your Tangem cards from the official website. Never buy used cards, as they might be compromised. Tangem cards typically come in packs of 2-3 cards, which allows you to create backup cards.

When you receive your cards, check that the packaging is sealed and hasn’t been tampered with. Each card comes with a unique identifier that you can verify. After setup, you can use the Tangem app to verify the authenticity of your cards.

Step 2: Download the Tangem App

Download the official Tangem app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). You can also download it from GitHub for additional verification. Alternatively, you can tap your Tangem card to your phone’s NFC module, which will prompt you to download the app from the appropriate store.

Make sure you’re downloading the official app from Tangem. Search for “Tangem” and verify the developer name matches Tangem. Only download from official app stores or GitHub-never download apps from random websites or links in emails.

Step 3: Initialize Your Card and Choose Wallet Type

Open the Tangem app and follow the setup wizard. You’ll be instructed to tap your card to your phone when prompted. During setup, you’ll need to make an important decision about how to create your wallet.

Option A: Create Wallet Without Seed Phrase (Recommended)

Tangem recommends creating a wallet without a seed phrase for maximum security. This method generates private keys directly on the card’s secure chip without creating a seed phrase:

1. Tap 'Scan' in the Tangem app
2. Scan your Tangem card by bringing it close to your phone's NFC module
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new wallet without a seed phrase
4. Your private keys are generated securely on the card's chip

Benefits of this method: Eliminates the risk of seed phrase theft or loss. Your keys exist only on the physical card(s) and cannot be exposed through seed phrase mishandling. However, you must back up your keys to additional Tangem cards to ensure recovery if the primary card is lost.

Option B: Create Wallet With Seed Phrase

If you prefer the traditional seed phrase approach or need compatibility with other wallets, you can create a wallet with a seed phrase:

1. Scan your Tangem card in the app
2. Select 'Other options' and then 'Generate seed phrase'
3. Choose between a 12-word or 24-word seed phrase
4. Write down your seed phrase immediately-it will only be displayed once
5. Follow the prompts to complete wallet creation

Step 4: Set Up Access Code

You’ll be prompted to set up an access code to protect your wallet. This code can be a word, phrase, or number of your choice. The access code protects the card from unauthorized use.

Choose a strong access code that you’ll remember but others can’t guess. This code is required every time you want to use the card to sign a transaction.

Step 5: Verify Card Authenticity

After initial setup, use the Tangem app to verify that your card was produced by Tangem and hasn’t been tampered with. This verification process helps ensure your card is genuine and secure. Follow the in-app instructions to complete the authenticity check.

Step 6: Create Backups

If you created a wallet without a seed phrase: You must back up your keys to additional Tangem cards. This is your only way to recover your wallet if you lose the primary card. Use all available backup cards and store them securely in different locations.

If you created a wallet with a seed phrase: You should still back up to additional Tangem cards for convenience, but you also have your seed phrase as a backup option. However, backing up to additional cards provides hardware-level redundancy and is still recommended.

Store your backup cards in secure, separate locations (e.g., home safe, bank deposit box, trusted family member). Never store all cards in the same location.

Step 7: Add Kaspa Wallet

Once your card is initialized, you can add a Kaspa wallet to it:

1. Select 'Add Wallet' or 'Manage tokens' in the Tangem app
2. Choose Kaspa from the list of supported cryptocurrencies
3. Follow the prompts to add Kaspa to your card
4. Your Kaspa wallet address will be generated

3.

Using Your Tangem Wallet

Receiving KAS

Receiving KAS with Tangem is straightforward:

1. Open the Tangem app on your phone
2. Select your Kaspa wallet
3. Tap 'Receive'
4. Your wallet address will be displayed along with a QR code
5. Share this address with anyone who wants to send you KAS
6. You don't need the physical card to receive funds

Your receiving address is safe to share publicly. People can only send funds to it, never take funds from it. Kaspa transactions are very fast-you’ll see the transaction appear in your wallet within 1 second, and it will be fully confirmed within about 10 seconds.

Sending KAS

Sending KAS with Tangem requires the physical card:

1. Open the Tangem app on your phone
2. Select your Kaspa wallet
3. Tap 'Send'
4. Enter the recipient's address (double-check carefully!)
5. Enter the amount you want to send
6. Review all transaction details
7. Tap your Tangem card to your phone when prompted
8. The card will display the transaction details (if it has a screen) or show them in the app
9. Confirm the transaction on the card
10. Wait for the transaction to be broadcast to the network

This physical confirmation requirement makes it nearly impossible for malware to steal your funds. Even if your phone is completely compromised, an attacker would need physical access to your Tangem card and your access code to complete a transaction.

4.

Security Best Practices for Tangem

Card Storage

Store your Tangem card securely:

• Keep the card in a secure location when not in use
• Don't store it with your phone or other frequently used items
• Consider using multiple cards (backup cards) stored in different locations
• Protect the card from physical damage (water, fire, bending)

Access Code Security

Your access code is critical for card security:

• Choose a strong, memorable access code
• Don't share your access code with anyone
• Don't write the access code on or near the card
• If you forget your access code, you can reset the card, but this will erase all wallets
• After reset, you can restore your wallet using your seed phrase (if you have one) or backup cards (if you created a wallet without a seed phrase)

Backup Security

Your backup strategy depends on which wallet creation method you chose:

If you created a wallet with a seed phrase:

• Write your seed phrase on paper when it's displayed (it's shown only once)
• Store multiple copies in different secure locations
• Consider metal backups for fire/water protection
• Never store digitally (no screenshots, no cloud, no email)
• Test your backup by trying to recover the wallet in another app (use a test wallet, not your main one)
• Also back up to additional Tangem cards for hardware redundancy

If you created a wallet without a seed phrase:

• Back up to ALL available Tangem cards (typically 2-3 cards total)
• Store backup cards in different secure locations
• Remember: backup cards are your only recovery method if you lose the primary card
• If you only add one backup initially, you cannot add additional backups later
• Test your backup by scanning a backup card to ensure it works

5.

Troubleshooting

Card Not Detected

If your phone can’t detect the Tangem card:

• Make sure NFC is enabled on your phone
• Try tapping the card in different positions
• Remove any phone case that might interfere with NFC
• Make sure the card is close enough to the phone
• Restart the Tangem app and try again

Forgotten Access Code

If you forget your access code, you can reset the card, but this will erase all wallets on the card:

• If you have a seed phrase: You can restore your wallet using your seed phrase after resetting
• If you don't have a seed phrase: You can use one of your backup cards to access your wallet
• After reset, you'll need to set up the card again and restore your wallets

Lost or Damaged Card

If you lose your Tangem card or it gets damaged, don’t panic. Recovery options depend on how you created your wallet:

If you created a wallet with a seed phrase:

1. Use your seed phrase to restore your wallet in any compatible wallet software (supports 12, 15, 18, 21, or 24-word seed phrases)
2. Tangem Wallet supports the default BIP-44 derivation path when importing
3. Transfer any funds to a new wallet if needed
4. Purchase a new Tangem card if you want to continue using hardware wallet storage

If you created a wallet without a seed phrase:

1. Use one of your backup Tangem cards to access your wallet
2. Scan the backup card in the Tangem app to restore access
3. If you don't have backup cards, your funds may be lost-this is why multiple backups are critical

6.

Next Steps

Now that your Tangem wallet is set up:

• Your Tangem card is initialized and secured
• You've chosen your wallet creation method (with or without seed phrase)
• You've backed up your wallet (to additional cards and/or seed phrase)
• Your card authenticity has been verified
• You know how to receive KAS (no card needed)
• You know how to send KAS (requires card tap)
• You understand hardware wallet security best practices

For more information on wallet security, seed phrase management, and general wallet best practices, see our comprehensive guide on Creating and Securing a Kaspa Wallet .