Bitkey

Bitkey assigns one key to the phone, one to the hardware and one to its server service. Two keys are needed to authorize activity. Its recovery process therefore follows the components still available, rather than treating one written seed phrase as the entire wallet.

Set up the device and required backup

In the app, select Set up new wallet. Wake the hardware with its fingerprint sensor, tap it to the phone using NFC and follow the prompts to enroll a fingerprint. Complete Back up cloud and the critical-alert setup, then finish verification on the device.

On iOS, cloud backup requires a signed-in iCloud account with iCloud Drive. Android uses a Google account. An email address is required for critical alerts. These are operating requirements, not optional extras to postpone until a phone is lost.

The supported phone needs NFC and at least iOS 15.2 or Android 7. The new hardware screen provides a separate place to review transactions and security-setting changes.

Recovery depends on preparation

A lost-phone route uses the hardware and cloud backup. Replacing lost hardware relies on the phone and a replacement device. Losing both involves the prearranged Recovery Contact route. Those paths have different prerequisites, so setting up contacts and checking the available backup matters before relying on them.

The hardware is a one-time purchase; there is no free hardware tier. The product is designed for Bitcoin, rather than a general wallet for multiple cryptocurrencies.