Coldcard vs Blockstream Jade — Head-to-Head Custody Comparison

An independent, data-driven comparison of Coldcard and Blockstream Jade across security, insurance, fees, regulatory compliance, and more.

Verdict

Quick Verdict

Coldcard scores 5.9 vs Blockstream Jade's 5.4. Coldcard leads in 3 of 8 categories.

Coldcard is better suited for Bitcoin maximalists, Security experts, Air-gap enthusiasts. Blockstream Jade is better suited for Budget-conscious Bitcoiners, Blockstream ecosystem users, Liquid Network users.

5.9

Below AverageCustody Score

Coldcard

5.4

Below AverageCustody Score

Blockstream Jade

Scores

Score Comparison

Weighted scores across all 8 custody criteria.

Criterion	Weight	Coldcard	Blockstream Jade	Winner
Security	20%	9.5	8.0	Coldcard
Insurance	15%	1.0	1.0	Tie
Regulatory	15%	1.0	1.0	Tie
Fee Transparency	10%	9.5	9.5	Tie
Track Record	15%	8.0	6.5	Coldcard
Withdrawal Flexibility	10%	9.0	9.5	Blockstream Jade
Reporting & Audit	10%	2.0	2.0	Tie
Counterparty Diversification	5%	9.5	9.0	Coldcard
Overall Score	100%	5.9	5.4	Coldcard

Visual

Score Radar

Visual overlay of Coldcard and Blockstream Jade across all categories.

ColdcardBlockstream Jade

Deep Dive

Category-by-Category Analysis

A deeper look at how each provider performs in every scoring criterion.

Security (9.5 vs 8.0)

Coldcard uses Air-gapped hardware wallet with secure element key management with 100% in cold storage and regular penetration testing. Compliance: N/A. Incident history: No known compromises.

Blockstream Jade uses Virtual secure element hardware wallet key management with 100% in cold storage and regular penetration testing. Compliance: Open-source audited. Incident history: No known compromises.

Insurance (1.0 vs 1.0)

Coldcard offers None — self-custody hardware via N/A. Hardware wallet. Full user responsibility.

Blockstream Jade offers None — self-custody hardware via N/A. Hardware wallet. Full user responsibility.

Regulatory (1.0 vs 1.0)

Coldcard holds N/A — hardware manufacturer and is not a qualified custodian operating in Canada. Coinkite Inc. Bitcoin-focused hardware company.

Blockstream Jade holds N/A — hardware manufacturer and is not a qualified custodian operating in Canada. Blockstream Corporation — major Bitcoin infrastructure company.

Fee Transparency (9.5 vs 9.5)

Coldcard charges None in annual custody fees with Network fees only per transaction. Bitcoin-only by design. Air-gapped signing via microSD.

Blockstream Jade charges None in annual custody fees with Network fees only per transaction. Most affordable quality hardware wallet. Blockstream Green integration.

Track Record (8.0 vs 6.5)

Coldcard was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. AUM: N/A (hardware manufacturer). Incident history: No known compromises.

Blockstream Jade was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Victoria, BC, Canada. AUM: N/A (hardware manufacturer). Incident history: No known compromises.

Withdrawal Flexibility (9.0 vs 9.5)

Coldcard withdrawal fees: Network fees only. Minimum account: ~$148 (Mk4) / ~$99 (Q1). Supported assets: Bitcoin only.

Blockstream Jade withdrawal fees: Network fees only. Minimum account: ~$65 (Jade Plus). Supported assets: Bitcoin, Liquid Network assets.

Reporting & Audit (2.0 vs 2.0)

Coldcard: SOC compliance is N/A. Not classified as a qualified custodian.

Blockstream Jade: SOC compliance is Open-source audited. Not classified as a qualified custodian.

Counterparty Diversification (9.5 vs 9.0)

Coldcard is a cold storage / hardware provider. Key management: Air-gapped Bitcoin-only hardware wallet. Secure element. MicroSD transaction signing..

Blockstream Jade is a cold storage / hardware provider. Key management: Open-source hardware wallet with virtual secure element and camera for air-gapped QR signing..

Fees

Fee Comparison

Side-by-side fee breakdown for Coldcard and Blockstream Jade.

Fee Type	Coldcard	Blockstream Jade
Setup Fee	$99-$148 (device purchase)	$65 (device purchase)
Annual Custody	None	None
Transaction	Network fees only	Network fees only
Withdrawal	Network fees only	Network fees only

Coldcard: Bitcoin-only by design. Air-gapped signing via microSD.

Blockstream Jade: Most affordable quality hardware wallet. Blockstream Green integration.

Features

Feature Comparison

Checklist of features across both providers.

Feature	Coldcard	Blockstream Jade
Affordable	✗	✓
Air-gapped operation	✓	✗
Blockstream Green integration	✗	✓
Camera for air-gapped QR signing	✗	✓
Dice roll entropy	✓	✗
Duress PIN	✓	✗
Liquid Network support	✗	✓
Multisig native	✓	✗
Open-source	✗	✓
PSBT support	✓	✗
Secure element	✓	✗
Virtual secure element	✗	✓

Recommendation

Who Should Choose Which?

Coldcard is better if you…

✓Are a bitcoin maximalists
✓Are a security experts
✓Are a air-gap enthusiasts
✓Are a advanced users
✓Want: Gold standard for Bitcoin hardware security
✓Want: True air-gapped operation
✓Want: Duress PIN and security features

Blockstream Jade is better if you…

✓Are a budget-conscious bitcoiners
✓Are a blockstream ecosystem users
✓Are a liquid network users
✓Are a open-source advocates
✓Want: Most affordable quality hardware wallet
✓Want: Blockstream backing and ecosystem
✓Want: Air-gapped QR signing with camera

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Coldcard or Blockstream Jade better for Bitcoin custody?

Coldcard scores 5.9 vs 5.4 in our weighted Custody Score. Coldcard leads in 3 of 8 scoring categories. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs: Coldcard is best for Bitcoin maximalists and Security experts, while Blockstream Jade suits Budget-conscious Bitcoiners and Blockstream ecosystem users.

What is the difference between Coldcard and Blockstream Jade?

Coldcard is a cold storage / hardware provider, while Blockstream Jade is a cold storage / hardware provider. Coldcard excels in Security, whereas Blockstream Jade is strongest in Fee Transparency.

How do Coldcard and Blockstream Jade fees compare?

Coldcard charges None annual custody fees with Network fees only transaction fees. Blockstream Jade charges None annual custody fees with Network fees only transaction fees.

Which is more secure, Coldcard or Blockstream Jade?

Coldcard scores 9.5/10 for security while Blockstream Jade scores 8.0/10. Coldcard uses Air-gapped hardware wallet with secure element key management, and Blockstream Jade uses Virtual secure element hardware wallet.