The exact USB port type is not confirmed by the official store (set to USB-C as a conservative default).
For this reason this service does not appear in our rankings, comparator or comparison pages: it will once its terms can be verified against a dated official document.
KeepKey
KeepKey LLC
Data verified on unchanged since the sources
Worth it if you want the cheapest hardware wallet (~€55) with open-source firmware and a large display to confirm transactions across 11 native chains plus EVM tokens.
Avoid it if you prioritise hardware security: it declares no dedicated secure element, relying on PIN/passphrase on the microcontroller, with a non air-gapped USB connection.
KeepKey, from KeepKey LLC (based in Denver, Colorado), is one of the cheapest hardware wallets on the market: about $60 (~€55). The firmware is open-source and the company emphasizes device auditability. Its large display shows every transaction for physical confirmation and the private key never leaves the device; backup uses the classic 12/24-word seed phrase (BIP-39). It is multichain: it claims 11 native chains plus all EVM tokens (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Solana, TON, TRON and thousands of assets). ⚠️ Unlike many rivals in the same price bracket, KeepKey has historically shipped without a dedicated secure element: protection relies on PIN and passphrase on a general-purpose microcontroller. We flag it as lacking a secure element unless proven otherwise by the datasheet; the USB port type is also unconfirmed on the store, so this card is marked partial.
Data & conditions
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
|---|---|
| Type | Hardware (cold storage) |
| Source code | Open-source |
| Recovery | Seed phrase 12/24 parole (BIP-39) |
| Bitcoin-only | No |
| Supported chains | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Solana, TRON |
| Price | €55 |
| Secure element | No |
| Air-gapped | No |
| Connectivity | USB-C |
| Built-in swap | No |
| Built-in staking | No |
| Segment | B2C |
| MiCA / License status | Nessuna (hardware wallet self-custody) |
Plans & pricing
Strengths
- Very low price (~€55); open-source firmware and hardware presented as auditable; large display for transaction confirmation; multichain (11 native chains + EVM tokens).
- Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet — the platform cannot touch them.
- No KYC: usable without identity verification.
- Open-source, verifiable code.
- Self-hostable: you can run your own instance or node.
Weaknesses
- No dedicated secure element declared: security relies on PIN/passphrase on the microcontroller, a lower level than rivals with a certified secure element; USB connection (not air-gapped); port type and some hardware details unconfirmed on the store.
- No notable sovereignty drawback documented.
Verdict
Score 3.9/5, solid profile. In its favour: very low price (~€55); open-source firmware and hardware presented as auditable; large display for transaction confirmation; multichain (11 native chains + EVM tokens). The trade-off to weigh: no dedicated secure element declared: security relies on PIN/passphrase on the microcontroller, a lower level than rivals with a certified secure element; USB connection (not air-gapped); port type and some hardware details unconfirmed on the store.
On the Sovereignty lens the score is 4.8/5 (outstanding): the strength is fund control (5.0/5), while privacy & anonymity (4.5/5) is the weak link.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
Reputation
What happened to people who used KeepKey, and what users say. External signals: they do not feed the promp.it rating.
Incidents & regulatory actions
Past incidents, resolvedDocumented and closed events. They stay on file: an operator’s past is data, not a verdict.
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Data breach Minor ✓ resolved
An attacker hijacked the founder's phone number and email and from there reached the sales channel, the shipping vendor and the email marketing account: customers' addresses, emails and phone numbers potentially stolen, funds on the devices never at risk
On Christmas Day 2016 an attacker activated a new phone number on the PIN-protected Verizon account of KeepKey founder Darin Stanchfield, and used that number to trigger his email account recovery. From there they began resetting the passwords of services linked to that mailbox, including the company's Twitter account, and reached a sales distribution channel, the services of the vendor used for shipping and logistics, and an email marketing account. The data potentially stolen is customer data: physical addresses, emails and phone numbers. The company disclosed the episode publicly on 2 January 2017. Two things the founder stated explicitly: "KeepKey computers, servers and network were never compromised" and funds stored on the hardware wallets "were never at risk" — the device holds keys offline and the company does not retain customer balances. The more unusual twist: the attacker phoned a company engineer offering, in exchange for 30 bitcoin, to explain how he got in, say what data he had taken, destroy it, return the accounts and keep the breach quiet. Stanchfield did the opposite — he made the episode public in a Reddit post and put up a 30 bitcoin bounty for the attacker's arrest. ⚠️ The entry is on the card because it remains the service's only documented and dated incident, not because it endangered any keys: it is ten years old, it concerns contact data rather than funds, and it is rated minor for exactly that reason. It does, however, show the kind of risk that never really closes in this sector: people who had bought a hardware wallet found their home address, paired with the fact that they hold crypto, potentially in a stranger's hands.
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FAQ
How much does a KeepKey cost?
KeepKey costs about $60 ($59.95 on the official store, ~€55), among the lowest prices in the category. Orders ship from the United States (Denver): any duties, VAT and clearance fees are the buyer's responsibility.
Does KeepKey have a secure element?
Historically no: KeepKey has shipped without a dedicated secure element and relies on PIN and passphrase on a general-purpose microcontroller. We classify it as lacking a secure element unless proven otherwise by the current datasheet. This is a meaningful difference from rivals with a certified secure element.
Which coins does KeepKey support?
It is multichain: it claims 11 native chains plus all EVM tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Solana, TON and TRON, for several thousand assets. Backup uses the standard 12/24-word seed phrase (BIP-39).
Sources
- Official service page Prezzo usd · Open source · Blockchain · Recovery · +1 Data verified on Aug 3, 2026