How I Think About Wallets (And What I’d Tell a Friend)

A simple, cautious approach—no technical experience needed.

When we removed the wallet feature from the Feral File app, it wasn’t because wallets don’t matter—it was simply to allow our small team to focus on the problems we feel uniquely equipped to solve.

But I realized I never really shared what I personally recommend when friends ask:

“Hey, I’m starting to collect digital art. What’s the best way to set this up?”

So this is my attempt to fix that.
This isn’t a technical guide. It’s more like what I’d say over coffee.

Step 1: Use Different Wallets for Different Purposes

Over time, I’ve settled on a straightforward setup that keeps things clear and secure:

1. Wallet for Buying (Hot Wallet):
   This is the wallet I use for purchasing. It’s browser-based—something like MetaMask (for Ethereum) or Temple (for Tezos). Yes, it’s connected to the internet, making it convenient but also potentially vulnerable, so I don’t store anything valuable here.

2. Wallet for Holding (Cold Wallet):
   This is for long-term storage. It’s offline—often a hardware wallet like Ledger, or something similarly isolated. I only access it when absolutely necessary.

3. Wallet for Selling (Optional):
   If you’re actively selling, you might want a third wallet. It keeps your listing activity separate from your vault.

The key idea here is isolation. No single mistake puts everything at risk.

Step 2: Make a Recovery Plan You Can Actually Rely On

Most people know they should “back up their seed phrase,” but I don’t think that’s enough. If you’re collecting digital art in any meaningful way, your wallet is more than just an access key—it’s the vault, the ledger, and the archive.

Here’s how I approach recovery planning:

Split Your Recovery Info

You can split your seed phrase into multiple parts using a standard called SSKR (Sharded Secret Key Reconstruction). This allows you to create something like a "2 of 3" backup—you only need two pieces to recover your wallet, even if one gets lost. You can do this easily with a dedicated tool (I personally use Gordian Seed Tool, because it's reliable, open-source, well-audited, and free to download.)

Store Shares in Separate Places

Give shares to people you trust in different locations. Don’t tell them who else has a share—just ask them to treat it like a private document (think of a sealed letter or medical record). That’s all.

Keep One Map (But Not the Keys)

Somewhere—perhaps with your estate documents or a trusted family member—store a simple set of instructions:

• Who to contact

• What kind of document to look for

• How to bring these documents together

This doesn’t need sensitive information—just clear guidance.

Create Safely

When you first create your seed phrase or set up your cold-storage wallet, consider using a dedicated device that's not connected to the internet (an old phone or computer works fine). Print your recovery phrase on rip-proof, waterproof paper. Avoid cloud backups, emails, or shared drives. You don’t have to be paranoid—just thoughtful.

Step 3: Start Simple, Improve Over Time

If you’re new to this:

• Start by separating your Buy and Hold wallets.

• Write down your recovery phrase and put it somewhere safe.

• Avoid storing private keys in Google Docs, iCloud Notes, or similar services.

As you gain confidence, refine your setup. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s resilience.

A Quick Note on Simplicity (and Why I Stick to It)

There are impressive new wallet technologies emerging—things like Gnosis Safe, account abstraction, and others. I follow these developments closely. Some ideas are genuinely exciting: smarter recovery, gasless transactions, delegated permissions.

But smart contracts aren’t the same as traditional encryption. They're pieces of software running on the blockchain, and software can contain bugs or unexpected vulnerabilities. When it comes to protecting valuable assets for the long-term, I prefer not to rely heavily on complicated, evolving software that hasn't yet stood the test of time.

Each time I explore the latest wallets or recovery protocols built around smart contracts, they still feel experimental. Not battle-tested. Not quite ready for what I want: quiet, boring reliability.

That’s why I keep returning to a setup that’s:

• Simple enough to explain clearly in under an hour,

• Robust enough to span multiple chains,

• Flexible enough to suit different comfort levels and technical skills.

It’s not cutting-edge. But it works. And when it comes to collecting art, reliability is what matters to me.

Why I’m Sharing This Now

We didn’t remove wallets from the Feral File app because wallets stopped mattering. We did it because wallets are getting better, safer, and easier to use, and there are already incredibly capable teams working hard on those challenges.

We don’t need to compete there. But I do feel compelled to share what I personally recommend today, in 2025, when friends ask:

“How should I set up my wallets?”

This post is my answer.

It’s based on what I actually do. It’s simple. It’s cautious. It works across chains. And it doesn’t require anyone to become a cryptography expert.

At Feral File, we’re here to help people live with art.
This is how I try to live with the responsibility that comes with collecting it.