If you are not going to use them for a long time I recommend a paper wallet.
Not paranoid version:
1 - Go to bitaddress.org
2 - Print the page
3 - Send the coins to that address
Security paranoid version:
1 - Go to bitaddress.org and save the page to your computer or to an usb drive (it is a single html file)
2 - Turn off the internet/reboot/use another computer/other security paranoid measures
3 - Open the saved page, generate an address and print it
4 - format the usb drive/format the computer/destroy the printer/burn your house down/other security paranoid measures
5 - Send the coins to that address
If you want to use the bitcoins again, you have to import the private key into a wallet.
Note: paranoia is recommended in small doses
If you want to have the bitcoins at hand, I don't see anything wrong about keeping them in an exchange. Just keep in mind that:
- The exchange might runaway with your funds (however, I think that it is highly unlikely that MtGox or CryptoX would do this).
- Your password is the key to your account so you need to keep it safe. 2 factor authentication is a big plus.
Not paranoid version:
1 - Go to bitaddress.org
2 - Print the page
3 - Send the coins to that address
Security paranoid version:
1 - Go to bitaddress.org and save the page to your computer or to an usb drive (it is a single html file)
2 - Turn off the internet/reboot/use another computer/other security paranoid measures
3 - Open the saved page, generate an address and print it
4 - format the usb drive/format the computer/destroy the printer/burn your house down/other security paranoid measures
5 - Send the coins to that address
If you want to use the bitcoins again, you have to import the private key into a wallet.
Note: paranoia is recommended in small doses
If you want to have the bitcoins at hand, I don't see anything wrong about keeping them in an exchange. Just keep in mind that:
- The exchange might runaway with your funds (however, I think that it is highly unlikely that MtGox or CryptoX would do this).
- Your password is the key to your account so you need to keep it safe. 2 factor authentication is a big plus.
This is even better
