Foundation Passport

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Bitcoin hardware wallet for 2026?

There's no single winner — it depends on the tradeoff you want. Foundation Passport sits in the middle: more approachable than expert devices like Coldcard, more rigorous than entry-level ones. Open firmware you can inspect, air-gapped, QR-only signing so it never plugs into a computer. The honest caveat: you still depend on Foundation as the hardware vendor for device integrity. Be skeptical of listicles that rank closed-source 'secure element' devices first — verifiable open firmware is the property that matters.

How does QR-code signing on an air-gapped wallet work?

The wallet never connects by cable or radio. Your phone or desktop wallet builds an unsigned transaction and shows it on screen as a QR code. The Passport camera reads that QR, signs the transaction internally with keys that never leave the device, and displays a signed QR back. Your phone scans that and broadcasts it. Your private keys never touch an internet-connected machine — the only thing crossing the air gap is a picture of a transaction.

Is Foundation Passport open source?

Yes — the firmware is open for anyone to inspect (the passport2 repo on GitHub), so you can verify the code rather than take it on faith. That said, open code isn't total trustlessness: you still rely on Foundation for the physical device and its supply chain being honest. Open firmware is what makes that dependency auditable instead of a black box.

Is Foundation Passport good for beginners?

It's deliberately the usability middle ground — friendlier than Coldcard or a DIY SeedSigner build, more rigorous than entry-level devices. A reasonable first air-gapped wallet for someone who wants QR signing without soldering parts together. The honest tradeoff: any air-gapped setup asks more of you than a plug-in wallet, and the responsibility for your seed backup is entirely yours. Lose it and the funds are gone — no vendor can recover them.

Foundation Passport vs Coldcard — what's the difference?

Both are open-source, air-gapped, and Bitcoin-focused — the split is how they cross the air gap and who they're for. Passport uses camera/QR exchange and aims for approachability; Coldcard uses a microSD card and prioritizes maximum security depth over friendliness, with more optional layers to configure. Pick Passport if you want a usable air-gapped wallet without the steep learning curve. Pick Coldcard if you want every advanced protection and don't mind the complexity.