Tangem: Two-Thirds Of Crypto Users Support Self-Custody As Hardware Wallets Evolve Beyond Asset Protection
Swiss {hardware} pockets producer Tangem has launched an impartial analysis report analyzing the altering function of self-custody within the digital asset market. The examine, titled From Storage to Participation: The Rise of Active Self-Custody, was commissioned by Tangem and ready by impartial shopper analysis and strategic insights agency Protocol Theory. Based on responses from greater than 3,100 cryptocurrency customers within the United States, the report explores how traders are more and more utilizing self-custody merchandise past their conventional perform as safe storage.
According to the report, the idea of Active Self-Custody displays a shift in how digital property are managed. Rather than counting on {hardware} wallets solely for long-term storage, customers are more and more using them to retailer, switch, spend and handle cryptocurrencies whereas sustaining management over their non-public keys. The analysis means that self-custody wallets are evolving right into a central entry level for decentralized finance, blockchain purposes and digital funds with out requiring customers to switch asset possession to 3rd events.
Tangem additionally highlighted its personal enterprise efficiency as an indicator of this pattern. The firm reported income of $61.3 million in 2025, representing year-over-year development of 102%, whereas month-to-month energetic customers elevated by 50%, pushed by higher engagement with in-app companies. According to the corporate, these figures replicate rising demand for self-custody merchandise that assist energetic participation within the digital asset ecosystem.
Research Points to Growing Role of Self-Custody
The findings problem the notion that {hardware} wallets are used primarily by long-term holders. According to the report, solely 9% of chilly pockets customers recognized themselves as passive traders, in contrast with 25% of customers who hold property on centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Active merchants have been additionally discovered to be 1.8 instances extra doubtless to make use of chilly wallets than passive traders, suggesting that self-custody has change into more and more built-in into energetic funding methods.
The analysis discovered that 77% of chilly pockets customers purchase, promote or maintain digital property immediately via their wallets, whereas 46% actively handle stablecoins. In addition, 43% reported managing property throughout a number of wallets and blockchain networks, 41% frequently use cryptocurrencies for funds, and 30% join their wallets to Web3 purposes. The report concludes that {hardware} wallets are more and more serving as operational instruments for managing on-chain exercise somewhat than functioning solely as safe storage units.
“For years, the business handled self-custody because the place the place property have been moved as soon as customers have been executed utilizing them. That mannequin not displays actuality. Today’s pockets is changing into the interface the place customers can securely handle, deploy, and develop their property with out ever giving up possession,” stated Darya Karpukova, CCO of Tangem in a written assertion. “Active Self-Custody bridges safety and on a regular basis utility, and this report confirms what our personal knowledge has been telling us for a while,” she added.
The report additionally recognized a major hole between the perceived significance of self-custody and its precise adoption. While 66% of surveyed cryptocurrency customers stated self-custody is essential, solely 15% at the moment use chilly wallets. According to the findings, 88% proceed to retailer digital property on centralized exchanges regardless of 46% expressing considerations about main change safety breaches.
Researchers discovered that the commonest obstacles to adopting chilly wallets have been the idea that they’re pointless or meant just for massive portfolios and long-term traders, adopted by considerations over complexity and price. The report additionally indicated that adoption rises considerably as customers change into extra aware of self-custody expertise, with consciousness of chilly wallets remaining considerably decrease than familiarity with centralized exchanges and software program wallets.
“What the information exhibits is a persistent hole between how self-custody is perceived by non-users and the way it’s utilized in follow,” stated Jonathan Inglis, Founder & CEO of Protocol Theory in a written assertion. “Cold wallets are nonetheless broadly related to passive storage, at the same time as their function more and more extends throughout storing, rising, and spending. That hole in understanding is limiting perceived relevance and slowing broader adoption,” he added.
The analysis additional means that customers with direct expertise of self-custody typically maintain extra favorable views of the expertise than these relying solely on centralized exchanges. Experienced customers have been extra more likely to take into account self-custody safe, versatile and suitable with decentralized purposes. They have been additionally extra more likely to imagine it might be adopted progressively with out abandoning centralized platforms or exposing massive quantities of capital to threat.
According to the report, these findings point out that the first problem for wider self-custody adoption is not usability however person confidence and schooling. The examine concludes that higher familiarity with self-custody instruments might assist broader adoption as digital asset administration platforms proceed to evolve.
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