Hot Wallet
A wallet whose private key is stored on an internet-connected device — mobile app, browser extension, web page. Convenient for daily use, but exposed to malware, phishing, and application-level bugs.
Aliases: online wallet, software wallet
A hot wallet keeps its private key on an online device: phone, laptop, browser extension, web tab. Any such key is reachable, in principle, to any process or network attacker that compromises that device.
Examples on TON
- Mobile: Tonkeeper, MyTonWallet, Tonhub, Telegram’s built-in Wallet.
- Browser extension: MyTonWallet Extension, OKX Wallet, Bitget Wallet.
- Web: TonHub Web and Tonkeeper Web (custodial variants).
Pros
- Fast access. A transfer in 5 seconds, no hardware to plug in.
- dApp integrations. Smooth connect via TON Connect.
- Free. No hardware-wallet expense.
Cons / risks
- Malware. Any user-mode process can in principle read keys from memory.
- Phishing. Fake sites and extensions that capture the seed.
- App bugs. A reentrancy bug in native wallet code can drain funds.
- Cloud backups. A phone backup synced to the cloud can leak the seed.
Best practice
- Hot for daily ops, cold-storage for savings.
- Keep only an amount you can afford to lose on the hot wallet.
- Use a burner-wallet for risky interactions with unfamiliar contracts.