Crypto Investigator: Separate iPhone Is Better Than Crypto Hardware Wallets

• ZachXBT claimed that it’s better to use a separate iPhone for crypto transactions and self-custody than dedicated hardware wallets, such as Ledger.

The recent comment of ZachXBT, a prominent investigator in the crypto scene, is making its rounds on X, colloquially known as Crypto Twitter (CT). His thoughts on managing funds in a hardware wallet are generating a mixed response from the crypto community.

ZachXBT Recommends Using a Separate iPhone as a Hardware Wallet

The crypto sleuth recommended using a separate iPhone for such activities rather than a dedicated hardware wallet. Meanwhile, he specifically called out Ledger and Ledger Live for their tendency to break simple actions due to their incessant and buggy UI (user interface) updates.

ADVERTISEMENT“Only do this if you are not low IQ,” said ZachXBT.

Why Choose iPhone

Besides his reasoning about Ledger, ZachXBT didn’t explain in the post why he turned against hardware wallets in general. However, recent supply chain attacks and quality issues linked to hardware wallets have likely driven his frustrations.

On the other hand, the crypto investigator preferred an iPhone for its tougher security and privacy controls. In this context, the product features a sandbox architecture that isolates third-party apps from each other and from the device’s system files.

ADVERTISEMENTEach app on an iOS smart device has its siloed home directory for files. Apps cannot access or modify other directories without the user’s explicit approval.

Additionally, an iPhone offers a Secure Enclave, a dedicated subsystem since the iPhone 5s, that provides an extra layer of security for sensitive user data. It has a dedicated hardware co-processor independent from the processor, which separately stores biometric data, cryptographic keys, and other personal information.

Why Not iPhone

However, some people raised the inherent downsides to ZachXBT’s suggestion. The most obvious problem is that a new iPhone is very expensive, which usually starts at $599 and goes over $1,199 for the latest models.

Buying a secondhand model could be risky, especially from dealers outside Apple, as previous users may have spiked it with malware, usually spyware. The company’s products are notably highly resistant to such problems, unless jailbroken, but it’s always safer to err on the side of caution.

Furthermore, the user must ensure that the iPhone dedicated to crypto self-custody is air-gapped to prevent remote exploits. So, even when using it for transactions, one must always maintain the air gap through cumbersome methods.

ADVERTISEMENT