Crypto wallet safety: 8 rules before you buy a ticket

Most crypto losses do not come from someone breaking the blockchain. They come from scams and simple mistakes. These eight habits protect you, whether you are buying a lottery ticket or anything else.

1. Never share your seed phrase

Your seed phrase (the 12 or 24 words) is your wallet. No real support team, website or app will ever ask for it. Anyone who has it can empty your wallet.

2. Write it down, offline

Keep the phrase on paper in a safe place. Do not store it in your notes app, email or cloud photos.

3. Check the address bar

Fake sites copy real ones. Type the address yourself or use a bookmark. Look for small spelling changes. Be careful with links in messages and ads.

4. Use a wallet you can trust

Download wallets only from the official site or your phone's app store. Fake wallet apps exist.

5. Send a small test first

The first time you use a new address or network, send a small amount and confirm it arrives before sending more.

6. Match the network

The same coin can exist on several blockchains. Money sent on the wrong network can be lost. Always check that the network in your wallet matches the network the payment page asks for.

7. Read what you approve

A wallet pop-up asks you to approve a payment or permission. Read it. Approve only the amount you intend to spend, and only for sites you trust. You can review and revoke old permissions in your wallet.

8. Keep a small "spending" wallet

Hold most of your savings in a separate wallet you rarely connect to websites. Use a small one for buying tickets and other activity.

If something looks too good to be true

Guaranteed winnings, "double your crypto", urgent messages from "support": these are the classic scams. Slow down. If it pressures you to act fast, walk away.