# Cold Storage

*Crypto & Digital Assets — Finicade finance glossary*

Cold storage keeps private keys on a device that never touches the internet, so remote attackers have nothing to reach. Hardware wallets sign transactions internally and export only the signature. The threat model shifts rather than disappears: physical theft, a compromised device bought secondhand, and losing the backup all become the primary risks instead of hacking.

**Also known as:** hardware wallet, cold wallet, air-gapped storage

**Related terms:** [Hot Wallet](https://finicade.com/glossary/hot-wallet), [Private Key](https://finicade.com/glossary/private-key), [Seed Phrase](https://finicade.com/glossary/seed-phrase), [Custodial vs Non-Custodial Wallet](https://finicade.com/glossary/custodial-vs-non-custodial-wallet), [Crypto Exchange](https://finicade.com/glossary/crypto-exchange)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/cold-storage