Tag: Best NEO wallets

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Cryptocurrencies

NEO GUI wallet Review: How Safe Is This Full-Stack Desktop Client?

NEO GUI is the Neo blockchain’s official desktop client and was developed by the Neo network developers. It is a full-stack client, implying that you will need to download the Neo blockchain into your computer. It works by synchronizing the desktop client functions with those of the Neo MainNet in real-time. Unlike desktop apps and light node desktop clients connected to the blockchain node via remote nodes, NEO GUI connects to the Neo network’s graphical user interface directly.

Best NEO GUI Wallet

NEO GUI is the Neo blockchain’s official desktop client and was developed by the Neo network developers. It is a full-stack client, implying that you will need to download the Neo blockchain into your computer. It works by synchronizing the desktop client functions with those of the Neo MainNet in real-time. Unlike desktop apps and light node desktop clients connected to the blockchain node via remote nodes, NEO GUI connects to the Neo network’s graphical user interface directly.

NEO GUI is the Neo blockchain’s official desktop client and was developed by the Neo network developers. It is a full-stack client, implying that you will need to download the Neo blockchain into your computer. It works by synchronizing the desktop client functions with those of the Neo MainNet in real-time. Unlike desktop apps and light node desktop clients connected to the blockchain node via remote nodes, NEO GUI connects to the Neo network’s graphical user interface directly.

On their GitHub download page, Neo GUI is said to support all the Neo network’s basic functions that include providing professional interaction between wallet and blockchain and maintaining high security for the wallet. But are these claims true? Is the wallet as intuitive and secure as advertised? We answer these questions and tell you everything else you need to know about the Neo GUI wallet in this review:

We start by looking at the basic features:

Neo GUI key features

Full-stack node: NEO GUI is a full-stack desktop wallet that requires you to download the Neo blockchain into your computer.

Synchronize with Neo blockchain: One of the critical factors that distinguish Neo GUI from other GUI desktop wallets is its synchronization with the Neo Network. While most other wallets use remote nodes to connect to the Neo blockchain, NEO GUI directly links to the NEO Mainnet’s user interface. It synchronizes with the network to ensure that transactions initiated on the wallet are recorded on the Neo blockchain in real-time.

OS-compatible: NEO GUI desktop client is also pretty versatile and compatible with Windows and macOS operating systems.

NEO GUI Security features

Password encryption: During the NEO GUI installation process and when creating the user account, you will be asked to secure the wallet by creating a password. Note that this not only serves as protection for the desktop wallet but also acts as an encryption tool.

Open source: Neo GUI wallet is built on an open-sourced blockchain technology and is open to scrutiny and critique by the crypto community. Therefore, anyone can access the Neo GUI source code from either the wallet’s official website or their GitHub page to view and audit its effectiveness and commitment to security.

Community-led development: NEO GUI is a community-led crypto project with no central governing body. Instead, updates and upgrades to the wallet emanate from the Neon Blockchain community’s suggestions and are led by blockchain technology experts elected by the community.

Anonymous trading: NEO GUI is committed to promoting user anonymity. To this end, the wallet allows for anonymous use of the platform since it doesn’t ask for your personal information when creating a user account, and neither will the blockchain collect and store information that is personally identifiable to you.

Non-custodial: Though the NEO GUI wallet can synchronize with the NEO MainNet and technically offloads most of its critical services to the Neo blockchain, it doesn’t store private keys on your behalf. Rather, it encrypts them and saves them on your computer.

Offline backup: Like most other full-stack desktop wallets, NEO GUI doesn’t provide you with a recovery seed. It nonetheless provides you with two ways of backing up your data and private keys. For starters, you can download the decrypted version of the synchronized blockchain and save it offline or simply copy your wallet credentials on a piece of paper and save them offline.

How to set and activate the NEO GUI wallet

Step 1: Start by downloading the desktop client to your computer. You can download the updated version of this client from the NEO.org website or their GitHub page.

Step 2: The wallet is downloaded as a zip version. Once complete, unzip this file, and start installing it.

Step 3: The wallet will display the user dashboard once complete. Proceed to create a new wallet by clicking on the “wallet” tab and selecting “New wallet address.”

Step 4: The wallet will now require you to choose the database or folder in which you would like to save the file

Step 5: You also need to create a user name and a unique password.

Step 6: Your NEO GUI wallet is now active and ready for use

How to add/receive crypto into your NEO GUI wallet

Step 1: Log in to your NEO-GUI wallet and access the user dashboard

Step 2: Your public wallet address is visible here. Copy it and send it to the party, sending you Neo coins

Step 3: Wait for your coins to reflect in your wallet.

How to send crypto from your NEO GUI wallet

Step 1: Login into your NEO GUI wallet and access the user dashboard

Step 2: Click on the “Transfer” tab, and the drop-down menu, select the “Transfer” option.

Step 3: If you do not have any saved addresses, click on the “+” button to add a recipient

Step 4: On the pop-up window, enter the recipient’s wallet address on the “Pay To” section and the number of coins you wish to send on the “Amount” section

Step 5: Confirm that these details are accurate and hit “OK.”

NEO GUI wallet ease of use

The processes of installing the NEO GUI wallet and creating a user account are quite straightforward. Its user dashboard is also easily navigable and quite beginner-friendly. Nevertheless, we must mention that synchronizing the desktop wallet with the Neo Network takes time and can be overwhelming for a novice crypto trader/investor. Plus, the wallet is only available in English and Chinese languages.

NEO GUI wallet supported currencies

NEO GUI wallet is Neo-Specific and will only support the blockchain’s native token or any other cryptocurrency built on the Neo Network.

Currently, the wallet only supports NEO coins, Gas, the NEP-5, and NEP-6 tokens.

NEO GUI wallet cost and fees

NEO GUI wallet is free to install and doesn’t charge you for storing private keys. However, you will be charged a network fee every time you send Neo coins from your wallet. The fee is highly variable and depends largely on the type and the amount of coin/token you wish to process.

What are the pros and cons of using the NEO GUI wallet:

Pros:

  • The wallet has transparent based on the fact that it is not only community-led but also open-sourced
  • It has an easily navigable and beginner-friendly user-interface
  • The desktop client can be considered safer than most other desktop wallet apps and web browsers.
  • NEO GUI makes it possible for you to backup your coins offline

Cons:

  • The desktop client is only available to Windows and macOS operating system users.
  • The wallet requires significant storage space and also eats into your computer’s memory.
  • Unlike in the case of wallet apps where processing speed is dependent on the speed of the servers, NEO GUI transaction confirmation speeds depend on your computer’s processing power.

Comparing NEO GUI wallet with other Neo blockchain wallets

NEO GUI wallet vs. Neon desktop wallet

NEO GUI and the Neon wallet are similar because they are both Neo-specific and are also desktop crypto vaults. They are both non-custodial and have put in place similar security features. However, while NEO GUI is a full-stack desktop client, Neon is a light node desktop wallet. Further, while NEO GUI links to the Neo network’s user interface directly, Neon uses remote nodes to access Neo blockchain servers.

Verdict: Is NEO GUI wallet safe?

Well, we recognize that the full stack desktop client has put in place several highly effective security measures aimed at guaranteeing the safety and anonymity of your private keys. These include allowing for the creation of offline backups, allowing anonymous transactions, storing private keys in the wallet owner’s computer, and securing and encrypting the wallet with a password. These, plus the wallet’s commitment to transparency, are all commendable. However, we must mention that it ignores critical security protocols like two-factor authorization to safeguard your wallet against remote hacks. 

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Cryptocurrencies

03 Wallet Review: Is It The Safest Neo Blockchain Wallet Yet?

203 crypto wallet launched in 2015 as a mobile crypto app before its developers – 03 Labs – introduced the desktop version in 2018. It is built for the Ontology Network – a Neo Blockchain fork – that was previously grouped alongside NEP-5 crypto projects. It is specially designed to provide Neo platform users with a safe and easy to use platform where they can store, exchange, and monitor their crypto portfolio.

203 crypto wallet launched in 2015 as a mobile crypto app before its developers – 03 Labs – introduced the desktop version in 2018. It is built for the Ontology Network – a Neo Blockchain fork – that was previously grouped alongside NEP-5 crypto projects. It is specially designed to provide Neo platform users with a safe and easy to use platform where they can store, exchange, and monitor their crypto portfolio.

203 crypto wallet launched in 2015 as a mobile crypto app before its developers – 03 Labs – introduced the desktop version in 2018. It is built for the Ontology Network – a Neo Blockchain fork – that was previously grouped alongside NEP-5 crypto projects. It is specially designed to provide Neo platform users with a safe and easy to use platform where they can store, exchange, and monitor their crypto portfolio.

The 03 network website describes the 03 crypto wallet app as a “gateway to the smart economy” where you can “manage, exchange, stake, and buy” different cryptocurrencies. But how convenient is the 03 Wallet? How safe is the 03 mobile wallet app? This wallet review seeks to explore and detail all the 03 Wallet features to help determine the wallet’s safety and security level.

Key features:

Cross-platform wallet: 03 is a cross-platform wallet implying that it is available as both a mobile wallet for Android and iOS smartphones and a desktop app compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can download the updated versions of either on the 03 network website or GitHub.

Voting and staking: By maintaining a significant number of Gas and NEO coins in your 03 Wallet, you can vote for the network delegates. Similarly, you can stake your coins held in the 03 Wallet and get to earn interest in the form of GAS tokens.

Multiple payments methods: 03 Wallet is also one of the few NEO and ONT network-linked wallets that allow for crypto purchases using credit cards. It is also one of the few wallets that allow you to buy Neo-affiliated tokens using such other cryptocurrencies as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.

Integrates a crypto marketplace: Though 03 Wallet does not have an inbuilt exchange, it integrates the Switcheo marketplace that allows for the exchange of cryptocoins and tokens at reasonable fees. The marketplace is highly intuitive and easy to use but requires you to transfer funds between the exchange and your wallet.

NEO newsfeed: The crypto wallet also integrates an updated NEO-blockchain news site. Here, you get the latest news and developments taking place within the Neo blockchain and ONT networks.

Portfolio monitoring: 03 further lets you partition your wallet and create hot and cold storage. This, plus the fact that you are able to monitor both wallet performances, plays a key role in helping you make sound financial decisions. It is also a security measure ensuring that even if a hacker were to gain access to your device, they cant breach your cold storage.

Security features:

Uses device password: Like most other app-based crypto vaults, 03 Wallet is secured with a password. But, unlike most other wallets, you don’t have to create a separate password for the wallet as it uses your device’s password.

Open source: 03 Wallet is created using open-source technology, which gives anybody a chance to view and audit its code. You can download this code on either the 03 network website or GitHub.

Hierarchically deterministic: The 03 Wallet app is also hierarchically deterministic and will auto-generate a new wallet address for every new transaction. This goes a long way in masking your real public address and throwing off would-be third-party crypto trackers.

Non-custodial: The 03 crypto wallet doesn’t store your private keys in the ONT or Neo network servers. Rather, it saves them within your device.

Guaranteed user anonymity: 03 Wallet guarantees the anonymity of their wallet users in the sense that it doesn’t ask for any of your personal information when creating a user account and neither does it collect and store any information that’s personally identifiable to you. Your crypto transactions are, therefore, wholly anonymous.

Military-grade encryption: All the data collected by the wallet, including your wallet address, private keys, and passwords, is also subjected to military-grade encryption. So are all wallet communications with third party systems like payment processors and exchanges.

How to set and activate the 03 Wallet

Step 1: Search for 03 Wallet on Google play store of Apple app store and download

Step 2: Install the wallet and, once complete, launch the app and select “Create a New Wallet.”

Step 3: Create a password for your wallet. This not only helps secure your app vault but also plays a key role in randomizing your private key.

Step 4: Click on the settings tab and proceed to backup your crypto wallet.

Step 5: Your 03 Wallet is now active and ready for use.

How to add/receive crypto into your 03 Wallet

Step 1: Log in to your 03 crypto wallet, and on the user dashboard, click on the “Receive” tab.

Step 2: The wallet will display both the public address and the QR code that you can copy and send to the individual sending you coins.

Step 3: Alternatively, use the “Buy” option and buy crypto from the integrated exchanges.

Step 4: Wait for your crypto to reflect on your wallet.

How to send crypto from your 03 Wallet

Step 1: Log in to your 03 crypto wallet app and on the user dashboard, click “send.”

Step 2: If you have multiple crypto coins held in here in different wallets, select the crypto you want to send

Step 3: On the transfer window, key in the recipient’s wallet address and the number of coins you wish to send 

Step 4: Confirm the accuracy of these details and hit send

03 Wallet ease of use

03 Wallet is very user friendly and easily navigable with all the important tabs carefully placed on the user dashboard. The wallet is designed to appeal to novice and experienced traders alike. The onboarding process is quick and straightforward, and so are the processes of sending and receiving crypto. 03 is also a light wallet that doesn’t eat into your phone’s storage or battery power while guaranteeing the fastest transaction processing speeds.

03 Wallet supported currencies

03 is a multi-currency asset, implying that it supports a wide variety of cryptocurrencies. Supported cryptos include Neo, Neo Gas, ONT, all NEP-5 tokens, and all ONT-G tokens.

03 Wallet cost and fees

Installing the 03 Wallet and storing your cryptocurrencies therein is free. You will, however, be charged a network fee for outbound transactions by the NEO and ONT networks.

Other charges that you might incur when using 03 Wallet include the exchange fees accrued when you buy or sell crypto. This fee is fixed at 15% of the total value, but you enjoy a 50% discount if you use the exchange’s native token – SWTH.

What are the pros and cons of using the 03 Wallet

Pros:                                                                                                           

  • The wallet app is highly intuitive and beginner-friendly
  • 03 Wallet is quite versatile as its available on mobile and desktop
  • 03 integrates a crypto exchange and supports crypto purchases using a credit card
  • Wallet users also have access to a readily available customer support team via Telegram and twitter
  • The transaction processing fees are minimal and discounted – in the case of the Switcheo exchange

Cons:

  • When the wallet uses your device’s password, you risk losing private keys should you deactivate the password before backing up the vault
  • It is a hot wallet
  • It ignores key security features like the two-factor authentication

Comparing 03 Wallet with other Neo-blockchain crypto wallets

03 Wallet vs. Neo Web Wallet

03 Wallet and Neo web wallet are some of the most innovative and easy to use Neo-blockchain wallets. They are also Neo-specific, relatively safe, and promote anonymous crypto trading. They also encrypt your user data and store it in your device. However, while Neo is web-based, 03 Wallet is a desktop and mobile app.

While Neo Web wallet may be considered faster in transaction processing, 03 Wallet carries the day when it comes to the number of supported currencies, integration with crypto exchanges, and support of multiple payment processing service providers.

Verdict: Is 03 Wallet safe?

Well, the desktop and mobile wallet app has embraced key security and anonymity measures that guarantee the security and anonymity of your trades. It, for instance, is hierarchically deterministic in generating wallet addresses, it is open-sourced, and allows for anonymous trading. Moreover, it introduces the concept of partitioning your wallet to create hot and cold storage. However, we must mention that 03 is still a hot wallet and, therefore, exposed to the inherent threats dogging online wallets.

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

NEO Wallet Review: Is It The Safest Neo Blockchain Wallet Yet?

Neo wallet is a web-based crypto wallet developed for the Neo Blockchain by the Neo community. According to its developers, the wallet is specially designed and aimed at addressing the three key challenges facing most crypto wallets: ease of use, security, and transaction processing speeds. To achieve this, they ensured that the wallet is ultralight, integrated an easily navigable user interface, and embraced all the critical security and privacy measures.

Neo wallet is a web-based crypto wallet developed for the Neo Blockchain by the Neo community. According to its developers, the wallet is specially designed and aimed at addressing the three key challenges facing most crypto wallets: ease of use, security, and transaction processing speeds. To achieve this, they ensured that the wallet is ultralight, integrated an easily navigable user interface, and embraced all the critical security and privacy measures.

Neo wallet is a web-based crypto wallet developed for the Neo Blockchain by the Neo community. According to its developers, the wallet is specially designed and aimed at addressing the three key challenges facing most crypto wallets: ease of use, security, and transaction processing speeds. To achieve this, they ensured that the wallet is ultralight, integrated an easily navigable user interface, and embraced all the critical security and privacy measures.

But have these measures been effective in making Neo Wallet the most secure and easy to use a crypto vault? What other measures have the wallet embraced to boost its security and effectiveness? We answer these and more in this Neo Wallet review.

NEO Wallet key features

Web-wallet: Neo wallet is a web wallet and one of the few online-based Neo-specific crypto vaults. However, the wallet’s versatility is quite limited, as you can only access a NEO Wallet using Google Chrome or Microsoft’s Edge browser.

Community-led project: Neo Wallet is a highly transparent and community-led crypto project. It is developed by blockchain experts from within the Neo blockchain community, but it has been audited and received the necessary approval from the Neo Network administrators.

Transaction tracking: One of Neo Wallet’s key features is its crypto-tracking tool that allows you to monitor your crypto inflows and outflows. The tool helps you keep tabs on your crypto spending and budget.

Contact list: Another handy and unique feature from the Neo wallet is the contact list button on the user dashboard. Here you can save the wallet addresses for the parties (both individuals and exchanges) you regularly engage instead of manually keying in their public addresses every time you wish to send them Neo coins or GAS, simply select their address from your contact list.

Earn through stacking: Neo Wallet also makes it possible for you to earn through staking your NEO Coins. Staking here refers to committing a portion (or the entirety) of your NEO coins to the network in return for a share of the interest by the blockchain in GAS tokens.

Security features

Password encryption: The password is the primary security feature used by the Neo Web wallet in keeping your digital assets secure. And it also serves as an encryption tool for the password.

Wallet backup: Neo wallet simplifies the process of backing up your private keys and the entire wallet by providing you with a backup icon on the user dashboard. And there are two primary ways of backing up your wallet: First, you can save a copy on your computer or phone. Secondly, you can write down the wallet details, especially the private keys and public addresses, and save them offline on paper.

Open source: The Neo web wallet is also built on an open-sourced technology that can be vetted and audited by virtually anyone. This code can be accessed on either the web wallet’s official website, Neo.org and GitHub.

Non-custodial: Though it is web-based and works by relaying your Neo activity to the Neo blockchain processors, Neo is a non-custodial wallet. This implies that it will only store your private keys on your device and not on the wallet or blockchain servers.

Anonymous trading: Neo web wallet promotes anonymous trading by limiting the amount of client personal data they collect or store. You will note that the wallet doesn’t collect any personal information, and any other data collected by the wallet is encrypted and saved in your device.

How to set and activate the NEO wallet

Step 1: Open the Neowallet.cn website to access the wallet registration page

Step 2: Click on the “Start” icon and select “Create a wallet.”

Step 3: Backup the wallet by clicking on “Backup your current wallet,” after which the auto-generates the wallet backup and saves it as a file in your computer

Step 4: Click on the “I have backed up my current wallet” icon to access your public address, QR code and to view your wallet’s private key

Step 5: Your account is now active and ready for use

How to add/receive crypto into your NEO wallet

Step 1: Log in to your Neo wallet and on the user dashboard, click “Receive.”

Step 2: Copy the public wallet address and forward it to the party sending you coins or have them scan the wallet WR code

Step 3: Wait for the funds to reflect on your wallet

How to send crypto from your NEO wallet

Step 1: Log in to your Neo web wallet account and click the “Home” icon the user dashboard to open the Transfer page

Step 2: Select the type of cryptocurrency you wish to send

Step 3: On the receiver tab, you can choose to enter the recipient’s wallet address or simply use the contacts button if you have their address saved in your wallet

Step 4: Enter the number of coins you wish to send on the ‘value’ tab

Step 5: Check that these details are accurate and click ‘Confirm Transfer.’

NEO wallet ease of use

Neo web wallet has one of the easiest to use user interface that is specially designed for both experienced and novice trader NEO traders. The contact list and wallet backup tabs are especially important as they eliminate errors when sending cryptos and simplify the wallet backup processes.

The fact that it is online-based also ensures that the wallet is ultra-light, meaning that it does not consume much of your computer space while maintaining faster transaction processing speeds.

Note, however, that the wallet is only available in two languages: English and Chinese.

NEO wallet supported currencies and countries

Neo web wallet is Neo-specific and will only host NEO coins – native to the blockchain – and Gas tokens.

NEO wallet cost and fees

Creating a user account and storing your Neo or Neo GAS on the Neo web wallet is free.

You will, however, be charged a small transaction fee every time you send Neo coins to another wallet. The transaction charge goes to the Neo Network and not Neo web wallet and is hugely dependent on the type and amount of crypto you want to send.

What are the pros and cons of using the NEO wallet?

Pros:

  • Web Wallet is online based and therefore available on the move, plus it doesn’t eat into your computer space
  • The online wallet allows you to easily backup your account vis the backup wallet icon the dashboard
  • Neo wallet is highly intuitive and easy to use for both novice and experienced traders
  • The transaction processing fees are relatively low
  • The Neo staking feature makes it possible for you to earn for holding a specific amount of Neo coins in your wallet
  • The wallet encourages anonymous trading as it doesn’t collect personally-identifiable client data

Cons:

  • The wallet ignores key security measures like two-factor authentication and HD wallet address generation
  • It is online-based and therefore immune to the inherent threats facing hot wallets
  • It can only support two cryptocurrencies

Comparing NEO wallet with other Neo blockchain wallets

NEO wallet vs. NEON Wallet

Neo wallet and Neon wallet’s primary difference is that Neo is a web-wallet while Neon is a lightweight desktop client. Otherwise, they are both neo-specific wallets built and managed by members of the Neo-blockchain community. They are also light and connect to the Neo mainnet via remote nodes.

Further, they are lightweight and specially designed to offer faster transaction processing speeds than their GUI counterparts. The Neo web wallet, however, carries the day when it comes to the number of integrated features, especially when you consider the contact list, Claim, and Backup wallet tabs on the user dashboard.

Verdict: Is the NEO wallet safe?

Neo web wallet has put in place several measures to guarantee the privacy and anonymity of the crypto wallet. It, for instance, does not collect any client data when you are creating a user account. It also encrypts all the data held in your wallet and stores it in your device. However, it doesn’t support the all-important two-factor authentication, and its online nature exposes it to numerous hot-wallet related threats.