I heard a little about Bitcoin years ago and stayed away from it. I was still cautious about Bitcoin early in 2017, but realised that it was rising fast in value. Rather than try and understand Bitcoin fully I just excepted that it was rising fast and it looked like it could go much further, so I invested a small but substantial sum.
We all know what happened next, apart from a scare in August, WOW!!
When I actually put my money into it my research began properly, yes I know that's daft, but I just listened to the clever people that loved Bitcoin rather than the grey suits in the banking industry who had every reason to hate it and just did not seem all that clued up on it to be honest.
I also now think Bitcoin is ethical, genius and a potential to be a massive force for good, but most importantly and selfishly for me a brilliant slightly risky investment.
Now here is my question and concern and I would love some advice good or bad. My small but substantial investment is now grown into a very nice sum in my ONE [Suspicious link removed] wallet, and that scares me a little to be now bordering on a little paranoia. I have never spent Bitcoin, I have never exchanged it back to £ pounds and the biggest worry for me that all that money is sat in one wallet in a company that is in another country.
I need now to start thinking security, for example how much should you have in one wallet, should I be using an online wallet, are [Suspicious link removed] ever reputable?
What you should do is determined by how long before you cash out, if at all.
If its very long term (for a Bitcoin holder) 2-5 years then definitely draw it down into a cold wallet on your desktop, ensure the wallet is password protected, make a few copies of your wallet.dat file then dump your private key and have it laser engraved on a lump of steel / wood /tattooed QR code/ written down, create a text file and burn a cd copy or 3 and stick it into a safe. Ultimately its your private / spend key is what controls your coins.
I have done this myself. Am a holder since 2012/13.
I only keep coins on exchanges for daily use, lunch and coffee etc. yes i actually spend my bitcoin.
Me personally i do not trust electronics for these kinds of things, as in the Trezor / Ledger wallets, but thats just me.
HTH