Keystone, launched in 2020, is a fully air-gapped hardware wallet that transfers signed transactions only via QR code — it has no USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi data connection at all, which removes an entire class of remote-attack surface that USB/Bluetooth hardware wallets must otherwise mitigate. Its firmware is open-source. It is self-custody, cold storage, typically paired with a software wallet like MetaMask or Rabby for the interface. We have not completed a hands-on test and publish no current price until confirmed on Keystone's own site.
Fully air-gapped, QR-only signing
Keystone's core design decision is to have no data connection whatsoever — no USB data lines, no Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi. An unsigned transaction is shown to the device as a QR code (scanned via the device's own camera), signed inside the device using its secure-element chip, and the signed result is displayed back as a QR code for the companion software to scan. This is a meaningfully different threat model from USB/Bluetooth hardware wallets, which — however well secured — do maintain some data-connection surface.
Open-source firmware and pairing
Keystone's firmware is open-source, allowing independent audit, and the device is designed to pair with existing software wallets — MetaMask and Rabby among them — via QR code rather than shipping its own dApp browser or desktop suite. That means Keystone supplies the air-gapped signing layer while your chosen software wallet supplies the everyday interface, a genuinely different usage pattern from an all-in-one device like a Ledger.
Backup and everyday use
The standard backup is a 24-word recovery phrase, with Shamir Secret Sharing supported on some models for splitting the recovery secret. Staking is available only via whichever companion or third-party app you pair Keystone with, not natively on the device. We publish no current price; check Keystone's own site for the live figure.
Strengths & limitations
Strengths
- Fully air-gapped — no USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi data connection at all, only QR-code transfer.
- Open-source firmware, independently auditable.
- Pairs with existing software wallets (MetaMask, Rabby) via QR code rather than locking you into a proprietary interface.
Limitations
- No native dApp browser or desktop suite of its own — you must pair it with a separate software wallet for everyday use.
- QR-code-only signing is a different (and to some users less familiar) workflow than tapping a USB-connected device.
- We have not completed a hands-on test and publish no current price.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'fully air-gapped' mean for Keystone?
Keystone has no USB, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi data connection at all — unsigned and signed transactions are transferred exclusively via QR code between the device and your paired software wallet.
Do I still need MetaMask or another wallet with Keystone?
Yes — Keystone provides the air-gapped signing hardware, but pairs with a software wallet like MetaMask or Rabby via QR code for the everyday dApp interface.
Is Keystone's firmware open-source?
Yes, Keystone's firmware is open-source and independently auditable.