Quick Facts
Cold Card Products
- MK4
- Q
Company Vitals
Founders: Rodolfo Novak and Peter Gray
Year Created: 2018
Headquartered: Toronto, Canada
Parent Company: Coinkite
Company Overview
The Coldcard by Coinkite is a bitcoin-only hardware wallet designed with a focus on security and ease of use. The Coldcard wallet was launched in 2018 by Coinkite, a company known for its commitment to user security and privacy. The wallet is designed to let users perform tasks such as importing existing wallets and managing their funds securely. It was developed by Coinkite CEO Rodolfo Novak, who wanted a cold wallet that had a dedicated crypto security chip and was open source
The Coldcard Mk4, the latest model, features several improvements over its predecessor, the Mk3. Released in 2022, the Mk4 offers USB-C connectors, an NFC chip, and expanded memory, among other updates. It retains the calculator design of previous models but introduces significant enhancements under the hood. The Mk4 is a bitcoin-only hardware wallet, which means it is designed for Bitcoin users exclusively.
One of the key features of the Coldcard is its air-gapped operation, which allows the wallet to function without being connected to a computer, enhancing security. This feature is enabled by using a ColdPower Adapter and a 9V battery to power the device. Despite its advanced security features, the Coldcard is known for its ease of use, with a straightforward setup process and user-friendly interface.
Security Incidents
- Coinkite’s Coldcard Mk4 has been the subject of recent security discussions due to an attack demonstrated by Ledger’s Donjon Lab, which showed the breaking of both secure elements and their implementation on the Coldcard Mk4. However, it’s important to note that the attack scenario was quite specific and involved sophisticated attackers with access to expensive equipment, mitigating the risk for most users, especially those using the Coldcard in a multisig setup. The Coinkite team argued the seed phrase wasn’t fully compromised.
Big Brother Government Influence
Nothing notable.