Is a hardware wallet worth it?

A hardware wallet keeps the private key on a device that never connects to the internet. Transactions are signed on the device, so a compromised computer can propose a transaction but cannot sign one.

What it protects against

• Malware reading keys from your machine.
• Clipboard hijacking, because the device shows the real destination on its own screen.
• Phishing pages that capture whatever you type.

What it does not

• Approving a bad transaction yourself. The device shows you what you are signing; reading it is your job.
• Losing the seed phrase. The device is replaceable, the words are not.
• Buying a tampered device. Buy from the manufacturer, never from a marketplace reseller.

When to get one

When the amount would genuinely hurt to lose. Below that, a reputable software wallet with the seed written down offline is proportionate.