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Ether has hugely outperformed bitcoin since both cryptocurrencies formed a bottom in June 2022. Ether’s superior gains have come as investors anticipate a major upgrade to the ethereum blockchain called “the merge.”

Yuriko Nakao | Getty Images

If all of the recent upheaval in the crypto space has you on the verge of selling, there’s another option worth exploring. Cold storage can protect your digital assets by taking them offline and harboring your crypto in a digital wallet. Since these digital wallets aren’t connected to the internet, they’re less susceptible to hacks.

The recent downfall of FTX is a great example of why it pays to hold some, or all of your cryptocurrency in cold storage. When your crypto is on an exchange, like FTX, you can only access those assets if the exchange is able to distribute your funds to you. If that exchange gets hacked or is mismanaging funds, your money might be gone.

The downside of cold storage is that your assets are less liquid and harder to trade quickly, since you have to go through various protective steps to access your funds.

If you’re interested in moving your crypto into cold storage, here’s how to get started.

Types of cold storage wallets

There are a number of cold storage wallets you can buy to get started. Not all cold storage wallets support every token. Here are some of the most popular options.

Ledger

Leger has two cold storage wallets on the market: the Ledger Nano S Plus which costs $79 and the more expensive Ledger Nano X.

Depending on which model you get, these devices can either be connected to your computer with a USB cable and an iOS or Android enabled mobile device, or with Bluetooth capability.

It supports over 5,500 types of cryptocurrency. It is worth noting that Ledger experienced a hack in 2020, in which 1 million email addresses were leaked, but no crypto assets were stolen.

Trezor

Trezor has an entry-level model that costs $72, as well as the Model T which costs $213.

The $213 cold storage wallet is similar to the Ledger Nano X, except it doesn’t have Bluetooth capability. This is intentional, since some are concerned Bluetooth can be susceptible to hacks. It’s also compatible with a web browser, desktop OS, and it’s supported by Android. However, there’s no support for iOS.

Ellipal

Instead of using USB or Bluetooth connections, Ellipal’s Titan wallet uses QR codes and starts at $119.

This device supports over 10,000 types of tokens.

How to move your cryptocurrency to cold storage

It’s important to buy your cold storage wallet directly from the manufacturer. The last thing you’d want to do is end up with a device that has been set up with a known password, designed to defraud you.

1. Plug your cold storage device into your computer.

2. Download the software provided with your cold storage wallet.

3. You’ll be given a seed phrase or backup code. It’s best to keep this code offline and safe, somewhere where it won’t be lost or accessible by others. Write it down on a piece of paper and put it in a safe.

4. Each type of cryptocurrency (such as bitcoin, ethereum, or tether) needs its own wallet. Follow the instructions to create a new wallet for each type of crypto you are trying to store.

5. To access your device, you’ll have to set up a pin.

6. Once you have a pin, you’ll be able to add your crypto to your cold storage wallet by clicking receive, which will show you your cold storage wallet’s address.

7. To take your cryptocurrency off of an exchange, log on to the exchange and send the digital assets to the address of your cold storage wallet.

Keep your cold storage somewhere safe and remember, if you lose it along with your seed phrase, your money can’t be recovered. If you lose your hardware wallet, but still have your seed phrase, you can buy another hardware wallet and access your assets.

It’s a little risky knowing that if you misplace this device along with the seed phrase, there’s nothing you can do, but at least you have full custody of your assets, unlike when your digital assets are tied to an exchange.

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De minimis trade loophole that boosted Chinese online retailers to end May 2

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De minimis trade loophole that boosted Chinese online retailers to end May 2

A driver for an independent contractor to FedEx delivers packages on Cyber Monday in New York, US, on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.

Stephanie Keith | Bloomberg | Getty Images

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order shutting the de minimis trade loophole, effective May 2.

Trump in February abruptly ended the de minimis trade exemption, which allows shipments worth less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. The order overwhelmed U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees and caused the U.S. Postal Service to temporarily halt packages from China and Hong Kong. Within days of its announcement, Trump reversed course and delayed the cancellation of the provision.

Wednesday’s announcement, which came alongside a set of sweeping new tariffs, gives customs officials, retailers and logistics companies more time to prepare. Goods that qualify under the de minimis exemption will be subject to a duty of either 30% of their value, or $25 per item. That rate will increase to $50 per item on June 1, the White House said.

Use of the de minimis provision has exploded in recent years as shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce companies Temu and Shein, which offer ultra-low cost apparel, electronics and other items. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has said it processed more than 1.3 billion de minimis shipments in 2024, up from over 1 billion shipments in 2023.

Critics of the provision say it provides an unfair advantage to Chinese e-commerce companies and creates an influx of packages that are “subject to minimal documentation and inspection,” raising concerns around counterfeit and unsafe goods.

The Trump administration has sought to close the loophole over concerns that it facilitates shipments of fentanyl and other illicit substances on the claims that the packages are less likely to be inspected by customs agents.

Temu and Shein have taken steps to grow their operations in the U.S. as the de minimis loophole has come under greater scrutiny. After onboarding sellers with inventory in U.S. warehouses, Temu recently began steering shoppers to those items on its website, allowing it to speed up deliveries. Shein opened distribution centers in states including Illinois and California in 2022, and a supply chain hub in Seattle last year.

WATCH: President Trump signs executive orders for reciprocal tariffs

Pres. Trump signs executive orders for reciprocal tariffs

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Apple leads a drop in tech stocks after Trump tariff announcement

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 Apple leads a drop in tech stocks after Trump tariff announcement

Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, watches during the inauguration ceremonies for President Donald Trump, right, and Vice President JD Vance, left, in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025.

Shawn Thew | Afp | Getty Images

Apple slid more than 6% in late trading Wednesday and led a broader decline in tech stocks after President Donald Trump announced new tariffs of between 10% and 49% on imported goods.

The majority of Apple’s revenue comes from devices manufactured primarily in China and a handful of other Asian countries. Nvidia, which manufactures new chips in Taiwan and assembles its artificial intelligence systems in Mexico and elsewhere, fell about 4%, while electric vehicle company Tesla dropped 4.5%.

Across the rest of the megacap universe, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta all dropped between 2.5% and 5%, and Microsoft was down by almost 2%.

If Apple’s postmarket loss is matched in regular trading Thursday, it would be the steepest decline for the stock since September 2020.

Trump on Wednesday afternoon said the new taxes on imported goods would be a “declaration of economic independence” for the country. He announced a 10% blanket tariff on all imports, and higher duties for specific countries, including 34% for China, 20% for European nations, and 24% for Japanese imports, based on what tariffs they charge on U.S. exports, Trump said.

“We will supercharge our domestic industrial base, we will pry open foreign markets and break down foreign trade barriers,” Trump said during his speech. “Ultimately, more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers.”

Stocks broadly got hit by Trump’s announcements. An exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P 500 slid 2.8%, while an ETF following the Nasdaq 100 lost more than 3%.

During his speech, Trump praised Apple, Meta, and Nvidia for spending money and investing in the United States.

“Apple is going to spend $500 billion, they never spent money like that here,” Trump said. “They’re going to build their plants here.”

The Nasdaq just wrapped up its worst quarter since 2022, dropping 10% in the first three months of the year, though the tech-heavy index rose in each of the first two days of the second quarter.

WATCH: President Trump signs executive orders for reciprocal tariffs

Pres. Trump signs executive orders for reciprocal tariffs

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Amazon submits bid for TikTok as ban deadline nears

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Amazon submits bid for TikTok as ban deadline nears

Guests including Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk attend the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. 

Julia Demaree Nikhinson | Getty Images

Amazon submitted a bid to the White House to purchase the social media app TikTok from its Chinese owners, CNBC has confirmed.

The company sent its proposal in a letter this week to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to a source familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the discussions are confidential. The parties aren’t treating the bid seriously, however, given that it was submitted just days before a deadline staving off a U.S. ban is set to expire, the person said.

Amazon declined to comment.

The e-commerce company’s offer, which was first reported by The New York Times, comes as TikTok’s fate in the U.S. is up in the air. The short-form video app faces another potential shutdown in the U.S. on April 5 if ByteDance, its parent company, can’t reach a deal to divest TikTok’s American operations. Lawmakers passed a bill last year setting a Jan. 19 deadline for the sale, but Trump signed an executive order granting a 75-day extension for a potential deal.

Trump could announce a decision on TikTok’s fate in the U.S. as soon as Wednesday, sources familiar with the situation told CNBC’s David Faber. Mobile technology company AppLovin has also made a bid for TikTok, Faber reported separately, citing sources familiar with the matter.

TikTok has emerged as a major hub for e-commerce as it has poured money into growing its online marketplace, called TikTok Shop. TikTok’s lucrative marketplace, coupled with the app’s more than 170 million users, could be an attractive asset for Amazon. Following TikTok’s success, Amazon launched and then shuttered a short-form video service of its own.

Last August, the two companies formed a partnership that allowed TikTok users to link their account with Amazon and make purchases from the site without leaving the app. The deal attracted scrutiny from lawmakers who were concerned about its potential national security risks.

WATCH: How TikTok Shop is beating Amazon and Temu in social shopping

How TikTok Shop Became The Fastest Growing Social Media Shopping Platform

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