Card-based crypto hardware wallet

As more people come to own Bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency, there is a growing need for easy-to-access, easy-to-use non-custodial wallets that give users ownership of their keys—as opposed to hosted wallets with which users entrust a third party for crypto exchanges.

IDEMIA’s B.CHAIN crypto hardware wallet is a card-based solution that provides a convenient alternative to existing non-custodial wallet devices which often come with tiny display and buttons. Backed by state-of-the art smart card security and biometrics, this solution allows smooth and secure interaction with a wallet provider mobile app through the phone’s NFC communication interface—instead of manually entering the key to sign transactions or just trusting the crypto wallet app to do it.

With B.CHAIN, crypto mobile wallet providers can now offer their customers the security of a hardware wallet without adding friction. Banks, FinTech, mobile operators and any other service provider may also use B.CHAIN to strengthen their customer relationships with a wallet to access Web3 Decentralized Applications (DApps) and the metaverse.

Based on IDEMIA’s biometric card technology, the B.CHAIN crypto hardware wallet solution provides users with a secure vault to protect their keys outside of their smartphone, in a familiar card form factor. This biometric card allows crypto users to securely derive keys from their crypto wallet seed, store them, and easily use them to sign a crypto transfer, giving users the ability to take custody of their keys and truly control their coins.

B.CHAIN crypto hardware wallet is very easy to set-up and convenient to use. Here is how it works:

• Load the keys: B.CHAIN manages a hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallet which needs to be initialized by loading the seed generated within the wallet provider mobile app using the BIP39 standard.
• Enroll fingerprints: The user will then need to enroll two fingers in their card, or create their card PIN code via the mobile app interface. The biometric data never leaves the card, be it during the enrollment or later when the user signs a transaction.
• Add new cryptos: At any time, the mobile app can be used to add new cryptos (e.g., BTC, ETH, etc.) to the HD wallet. The user can also add new accounts for each new crypto to enable maximum flexibility. B.CHAIN supports a number of cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ether, ERC-20 tokens, Litecoin, Ripple and Bitcoin Cash.
• Sign transactions: Transactions are driven by the mobile app. Users enter all data using the app interface, and when a crypto transfer is ready, users simply tap their B.CHAIN card on the back of their phone to generate a signature. They then authenticate the signature using their fingerprint on their card, or by entering the card PIN code in their mobile app.
• Restore a lost (or stolen) wallet: In case the B.CHAIN card gets lost or stolen, the user stays safe. Without proper authentication, the crypto wallet remains locked and the user can restore all their cryptos and accounts in a new card using their BIP39-compliant passphrase and the B.CHAIN quick restore mechanism.

Once protected within the secure element of the B.CHAIN crypto hardware wallet, the private keys always remain under the full control of the user. Every crypto transfer will require the B.CHAIN holder to authenticate with the fingerprint sensor embedded in the biometric card body or with a PIN code.

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