Cold Storage

Cold storage means keeping the private keys to a crypto wallet completely offline, disconnected from the internet, so they can't be reached by remote hackers. Common methods include hardware wallets (small dedicated devices), paper wallets, or even air-gapped computers that never connect to a network. It is the recommended way to hold larger amounts of crypto for the long term, since it removes the biggest attack surface that hot wallets face. The trade-off is convenience: moving funds out of cold storage takes a few extra deliberate steps, which is exactly the point.