Topic: Apart from the bitcoin core, are there any other way to store bitcoin? (Read 235 times)

I was just being so excited seeing another newbie account joining the platform and as such would be looking for guidance on how to go about their activities. Please pardon me for my choice of words. What I was trying to explain by using the word subscribe to is that OP should use the wallet that he can easily adapt to download and install while learning about the other wallets because as a newbie those wallets installation process may seem more complex for OP to comprehend but as time goes on OP would get used to them after learning more about them.

I don't know if it's an unfortunate choice of words or you're using it wrong, but one doesn't subscribe to a wallet. A wallet is just a tool one installs and uses.
If you, by chance, make an account at a website telling you that it's a wallet, that's actually a service holding a wallet for which you usually don't hold the keys. And you may know the saying "not your keys, not your coins".

Also a newbie may play with very small amounts or it may go big, since bitcoin price may grow fast. And if one has a couple thousands invested he may want to make sure he uses a safe wallet. Not a difficult one, not a sophisticated one, but surely a safe one. And that requires a little bit of knowledge.

From what I could deduce from OP enquiries, OP is really wanting to know which is the best wallet as a newbie but there are lots of wallets OP can subscribe to which have already been made known here for OP perusals. What I will say is that OP should be able to get acquainted with the easiest and secured ones first while learning more about the higher sophisticated wallets.

After downloading and installing the wallet, I will advise you to avoid clicking of links you have no idea about sent to you through mail, social media etc.
 Avoid airdrops and granting permission to unknown sites access to your wallet account.

Yes, there is another simple and similarly secure way to store your Bitcoin. You don't really need Bitcoin core for the purpose because there are many other open-source wallet software that you can use to create your wallet and deposit your Bitcoin into that wallet. One of the most user-friendly wallet software that you can use it Electrum. In fact I think it's most beginner friendly way to store your Bitcoin because it's easy to learn and there are many tutorials about it on YouTube.

You can watch this simple tutorial to learn about Electrum wallet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MP_EMxypCE

You should first learn about wallet creation and once you master that then create your own wallet and then save your private keys and seed phrases on multiple secure locations so that you won't lose them and you should never share those with anyone else because if someone else get access to those then they can steal your Bitcoin remotely without any issue.

@OP since you need wallets that you can use to interact with your BTC asset, here are some options that I have personally tried:

• BlueWallet
• Electrum

Both of these wallets are available on android devices (only BlueWallet is available for iOS). But here's a note of warning for you. Managing your BTC using a wallet available on a mobile device is considered dangerous. So you should only use it with caution. See: WARNING when using mobile device wallets (Android, iOS)

@BoiCrypto: You need to understand something first. Bitcoin is not stored in the wallet, the wallet helps you manage your private keys and helps you send and receive bitcoin. In the case of Bitcoin core, it helps you create a wallet(generate both Private keys and the corresponding addresses from a seed phrase) and also makes you a node( whether a full or node or prune node, but depends after the initial blockchain download: IBD)


Says who? Bitcoin core happens to be one of the oldest open source client that was built by and for the bitcoin community and till today, it is used by some people as you can run your own node without depending on another node for a reliable ledger of bitcoin blockchain but there are other ways you can run your own node without having to use bitcoin core, there are some of them you can DIY and also the plug and used, all depends on how expert you are with security and privacy. Bitcoin node doesn't end with Bitcoin core.

Bitcoin core is one of the oldest wallet used in storing Bitcoin. To run the full node takes a lot of space, and at such some persons find it undesirable in using it to store bitcoin. Note that it does not support or have a mobile version and to download it you will need a PC with atleast 350GB free disk space.

Aside Bitcoin core, there are many Bitcoin wallets that you can use but I would advise you to go for a hardware wallets like Trezor, Coldcard, passport because it's the safest. You can also use non-custodial wallets like Electrum wallet, Sparrow wallet or Bluewallet.

Let me start with some basics.
The bitcoins are not stored in the wallet. They never "leave" the blockchain, to say so.
The wallet is just a tool helping you to access your coins (OK, especially bitcoin core does much more than that, but that's not our problem now).
A wallet will generate you a seed and/or some private keys, for which you'll see the corresponding addresses. Anybody who has the private key for an address, he can spend the coins from there.
End of the "lesson".

Now, what you need is a wallet that generates the addresses for you and allows you handle (spend) your coins.
If you only want to play with a few dollars, even a wallet like Electrum would do. It's a wallet software that work on both Android and PC (Win, Linux. iOS) and doesn't need to download the whole blockchain.
But a wallet like this is as unsafe as the device. A virus/malware can steal your money. And then, depending on your technical skills and the money you want to keep as Bitcoin, you'll go for a hardware wallet, or air-gapped PC or other safe solutions.
So the "which is safer" depends on you. Usually the answer is air-gapped computer, but if you don't know what you're doing you may lose everything (and hardware wallet may be more user friendly).

To Store Bitcoin you need a wallet now it's up to you and your requirements for the security level that you prefer the hardware wallet or a Hot wallet. Most Likely as you are a beginner, if you do own a lot of Bitcoins prefer going for the Hardware but if you have just started accumulation, prefer the hot custodial wallet as Electrum & Trust wallet, etc.

If you are considering the Wassabi wallet make sure to read the post quoted below, but most of the time I recommend Electrum, when you get used to it nothing can be better than that. For the Full node & other preferences, you are already using the Bitcoin core. For a note must consider this post while considering the Wassbi Wallet.

Petition to remove Wasabi from recommendations of bitcoin.org

You can try out these recommendations if you finds the use of bitcoincore more of a challenge to you, but know that it's the most secured of all means, yet while using the ones recommended, you will also need to learn how to use them and make the best decision you soughted from sourcing for an alternative.

Passport
Electrum
Sparrow Bluewallet

All these are wallets that are non custodial and you can include this cold storage wallet to the list, which is "hardware wallets" try to understand the security practice and things that are expected of you to do with the use of any of these wallets.

You are going very extremely serious.

Bitcoin Core is one of Bitcoin wallet softwares and Bitcoin is Bitcoin, bigger than Bitcoin Core.
Bitcoin Core is a most favorite wallet software to run a Bitcoin full node but there are alternatives like Wasabi wallet or Bitcoin Knot wallet.
I agree Bitcoin Core is the best but Bitcoin network will still be fine if Bitcoin Core software won't have any further developments.

How to run a Bitcoin node
Running a full node
[Guide] How to run a Bitcoin Core full node for under 50 bucks

Note about Wasabi wallet
Petition to remove Wasabi wallet

Some fullnode softwares recommended by Jameson Lopp.

Bitcoin Core is indeed a wallet, but is much more than that.
Bitcoin is a blockchain (list of blocks). Every single transaction that has ever happened is stored in this blockchain.
Let's say that I want to send you X amount of BTC. Bitcoin is digital, so I could fake it, right? Wrong! Every computer that runs Bitcoin Core, can download a FULL copy of the blockchain and have their own opinion to whether I have X amount of BTC to send. In order for this to happen, there needs to be a concesus (from the computers running Bitcoin Core) in regards to whether I really have this amount and I am not just faking it.
In fact without Bitcoin Core, there can be no Bitcoin. Even if you don't run Bitcoin Core (which is totally possible), you will need to connect to someone else's computer. So you need to trust THEIR opinions and at the same time, you lose privacy.
Bitcoin Core, also provides you with a wallet, as I said.

So, if you don't want to download Bitcoin Core and since you mentioned mobile device, you can download BlueWallet or Blockstream Green or any other wallet that other users suggest. These wallets will provide you with 12 or 24 words that you need to keep safe (offline) and away from anyone else. It is your wallet's backup. Losing it results to losing all your coins. If someone steals it, they can steal all your coins. Those wallet will connect to someone else's computer that runs bitcoin core.

A good tutorial for BlueWallet is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imMX7i4qpmg&ab_channel=BTCSessions. I suggest that you stop watching where he starts talking about Lightning because, for the time being, it will only confuse you. We will be here to discuss Lightning in the future.

I know you just started and it may sound difficult, but you can of course re-think my post after a while.

There are many other secure wallets you can use to store and send bitcoins. Your choice will depend on;
• If the wallet is non custodian and if you are peculiar about autonomy (which you should be),
• If you intend to buy and hold altcoins along with Bitcoin, some wallets are exclusively for Bitcoin,
• If the wallet is open source and verifiable.

Electrum hits two out of the three points cause it is non custodian and open source.

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How safe you wallet is depends on how you interact with it.

I have personally been using the Electrum wallet and it was been great. If you do however plan on getting a large amount of Bitcoin i would suggest you get a hardware wallet as those are much safer. I have been using Trezor and havent had any issues with it. There are ofc other options aswell and many of those can be found in the links others posted

Downloading Bitcoin Core is not an issue with many people. The bigger problem is running a Bitcoin full node but you can run a Bitcoin prune node with Bitcoin Core.

If you want to have lighter experience, you can use SPV wallets like Electrum wallet.

Bitcoin Core or Electrum wallet, verify it.

Download Electrum wallet
[GUIDE] How to Safely Download and Verify Electrum
The paranoid user's security guide for using Electrum safely.

Op, storing Bitcoin doesn't have to be complicated. Bitcoin Core is just one type of wallet. As there are different kinds of wallets, and you can pick the one that works best for you.

For the newbies, I recommend using a mobile wallet. They are user friendly and easy to navigate. Another option is a hardware wallet, but they can be a bit expensive. You can save up for one because they're super secure. They keep your Bitcoin safe by keeping it offline, away from the internet.

You should remember to always do your research and read the terms and conditions of the wallet you choose. And don't download wallets from random websites to avoid scams and phishing tricks.

If you want to learn more about wallets, you may consider check-in out this threads

[General] Bitcoin Wallets - Which, what, why?

Custodial vs. Non Custodial Wallets - "Not your keys, not your coin" Explained.

You should move (bottom-left) this topic to the Beginners board.

Short version: you don't need Bitcoin Core to store Bitcoins, but Bitcoin Core is one of the many wallets that can be used to send your Bitcoins.
Longer version: see Choose your Bitcoin wallet.

Since I believe it will be better if I first understand bitcoin's technical side before I proceed on the forum, I am currently beginning my journey with it from a technical standpoint.
But as I was researching, I found out that I first needed to download a file called the bitcoin core in order to start storing my bitcoin. In light of this, I want to know if there is any other way to store bitcoin besides downloading the core. And which is safer.

And if there is, I'd love it if the senior members could assist me with it. It seems to me that utilising the bitcoin core on a mobile device won't be much easier for me, so please let me know if you know of any way to store my bitcoin without downloading the complete bitcoin core.