Tangem is a crypto wallet built around NFC cards or a ring and a mobile app. Tap a device to sign blockchain transactions while the app displays balances and prepares transfers. The app also offers a free Mobile Wallet that works without a Tangem device.
Choose the setup first: Tangem’s documented app flow does not let you create a Mobile Wallet after setting up a Hardware Wallet. Starting with the free Mobile Wallet and later adding hardware is a different path; upgrading existing keys and creating new hardware keys are separate choices.
Free base access: installing and using the software wallet does not require a subscription or a hardware purchase. Optional swaps, bridges, purchases and other services can charge separately. Sending funds can also require a blockchain network fee; a deposit does not remove the sender’s network or withdrawal costs.
Choose where your keys are stored
In a new hardware wallet created without a recovery phrase, Tangem says private keys are generated inside the device chip. Two or three cards or rings hold copies for the same wallet. Losing every device means losing access to a seedless wallet; Tangem cannot recreate its keys.
Current hardware wallets also allow a 12- or 24-word recovery phrase to be generated during setup, or an existing phrase to be imported. The Mobile Wallet instead stores encrypted keys on the smartphone and uses a recovery phrase for backup. Complete that backup before adding funds.
Actions and network boundaries
Beyond transfers, the app provides third-party routes for buying, selling and swapping supported crypto. Native staking is available for selected assets, with minimum amounts and withdrawal conditions that vary. WalletConnect connects to compatible dApps on Solana and supported EVM networks; this coverage is narrower than the wallet's full asset support.
The network labels on this listing need three qualifications: Avalanche support refers to C-Chain, Hyperliquid support to HyperEVM, and Polkadot support to Polkadot Asset Hub. They do not establish support for every environment in those ecosystems. NFT support also varies: sending Solana cNFTs, pNFTs and frozen NFTs is currently unavailable.
Phone requirements and practical fit
The card and ring have no screen or battery. Transaction details are displayed in the phone app, and hardware signing requires a compatible phone with full NFC support. The wallet app runs on iOS and Android. A desktop dApp can initiate a WalletConnect request, but the Tangem app remains on the phone.
Useful for: managing several supported networks from a phone, signing with a card or ring that needs no charging, or using a software wallet without purchasing hardware.
Less suited to: a workflow performed entirely on a computer, or checking transaction details on a separate hardware screen.
Account required: no registration or identity verification for the core wallet, according to Tangem. Optional providers can impose their own account, identity and location requirements.
Wallet required: create or import one within Tangem; an existing wallet is not needed to start.
The interface is fully available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Ukrainian, Brazilian Portuguese and Simplified Chinese. Italian and Traditional Chinese are partially translated.
Free software and paid hardware
The app and Mobile Wallet are free.
Hardware sets are one-time purchases, with prices varying by pack, region and offer.
Wallet use has no subscription or maintenance charge; shipping, taxes and duties can affect the hardware total.
Ordinary transfers incur blockchain network fees, without an additional Tangem transfer commission. Swaps and other integrated services can add provider fees. The optional Tangem Pay payment account has separate eligibility and identity checks; it is not required to use the wallet.
