Unlocking ULTIMATE Security: Air-Gapped Bitcoin Transactions with Blockstream Jade!

In this tutorial, we'll be exploring the Blockstream Jade, a budget-friendly yet robust Bitcoin hardware wallet. Designed for maximum security and user-friendliness, the Jade offers a unique feature: air-gapped operation. This means you can authorize transactions without ever physically connecting the device to a computer or phone, ensuring an extra layer of protection against potential threats. Join us as we guide you through the step-by-step process of setting up and using the Blockstream Jade in air-gapped mode, providing you with peace of mind in your Bitcoin transactions.
RELEVANT LINKS:
Print your QR templates:
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[@MiljanRistanovic]

I tried this, and works. Tip: When you draw QR code, don't use dots. Jade will struggle to scan it. Instead, fulfill whole square. This way, Jade will scan QR code promptly.

[@jonathanalexandermartinezp7526]

This is a silly question, but what if you lose the draw QR code?

[@gonzalezmoreira]

@@jonathanalexandermartinezp7526 You lose everything!

[@sawyerrice3244]

@@jonathanalexandermartinezp7526you lose all your coins

[@Hasan-jf7by]

@@jonathanalexandermartinezp7526 You still have 12/24 words.

[@IsuAsenjo]

@@jonathanalexandermartinezp7526You should still have your seed (12 words) so you can create a new QR code at any time.

[@navhalai7190]

Great Vid! Any chance of making MultiSig setup video on the blockstream jade?

[@Nikotine76]

Why nunchuk and not blockstream green

[@thejimd]

When Santa brings you a Jade for Xmas, you know what's at the top of the playlist 🤝

[@avjchungata]

Thanks for the video bro ! Very helpful much appreciated

[@nathanshumway9998]

Awesome Video Ben! So glad to have the QR air gapped mode. The Blind oracle mode is cool...but takes too long for my taste

[@garciagg3s]

love this guy 👏

[@Julien-PH]

Thank for the guide, I was having trouble understanding QRPin and it was blocking me from setting up my air-gapped wallet. Now I understand.

[@123Noscope]

Were you trying to set it up using Sparrow wallet? I was having the same issue until I exported the seed as a QR and chose to not use a pin. It was very confusing

[@Gregoryleejrxyz]

Amazing video 🔥 Thank you so much

[@gdaybitcoin]

Thanks Ben 🤙

[@cryptoguy9863]

great video. 2 questions when you are adding the single sig wallet when you click done and underneath it says run health check i dont have the done option is that ok ? also my wallet says 1/1 single sig instead of just single sig like yours is that ok also ? thanks

[@SteveW928]

Thanks for the 'Method 2' Blind Oracle tutorial. I watched a few others who just mentioned this mode, but didn't show how it worked. Even the Blockstream info is a bit confusing regarding those two modes, or especially the Blind Oracle one.

[@CryptoGuide]

You should have a go at building a DIY Jade next

[@TheTruthhasbeenspoken]

Hey man! What 3 hw wallets would you recommend for a 2/3 multisig setup?

[@BTCSessions]

Depends on what interface you're going to be using it primarily with I guess! On mobile you're gonna want NFC or QR signing capabilities. The tapsigner is awesome for this, and I'm looking forward to the Coldcard Q1 having both features baked in. For desktop I tend to use my Coldcard MK4 as my main driver but I DO have other devices as well. Trezor/Ledger/Passport/SeedSigner all do the trick pretty well and it comes down to personal preference at that point!

[@Marinate305]

How did the Jade/Sparrow combo work for you on desktop? Specifically the ease (or lack of) getting the webcam to pick up the QR code from the Jade screen?

[@teemupleb]

I got frustrated with it.. maybe it's the quality of my old MacBook webcam.. who knows

[@ohmy1566]

use a decent magnifying glass

[@michaeldurbin8015]

Excellent demo. You mentioned trouble scanning. I noticed that your hand drawn QR code was incorrect. It is missing a dot in the bottom center. I just bought a Jade. I tried to scan a snapshot of your QR from the video and had a lot of trouble. It would eventually scan after a long time and a lot of moving around. I then entered the 12 words into my Jade, went to create the QR and noticed the extra dot. I added the extra dot to the snapshot I took of your QR and it now scans immediately.

[@pardeepchd87]

Love from India bro🙏🙏

[@youbobcat812]

One security flaw I can see in this is that if using in stateless mode with the seed QR code you would never want it to be displayed to the camera on the mobile phone. I would even go the extent of having the qr code in a different room with no cameras and once jade is setup walking out to a different room for the mobile phone steps. Thoughts?

[@KYFHOme]

I'd always keep the seedQR card face down on the table or in an envelope when not actively scanning it.

[@SteveW928]

Yeah, that aspect makes me nervous. We're always to be so careful with our seed phrase, and then we've got this piece of paper with one of the easier things a computer can scan, containing the phrase. I suppose the passphrase (Ben recommended using) would be the protection, but I still am not sure I like that. I think I like the Blind Oracle method better, even if it takes a bit more time and is more fiddly.

[@sickness6240]

Si se desactiva la conexión BLUETOOTH, o se instala el software sin BLUETOOTH no afecta eso con la entropia en la creacion de la frase mnemónica?

[@coonea1]

Thanks for putting this out to show the new features. I have one on preorder and am excited to try it out.. I can already tell that i am going to have a hard time scanning that little thing with my web cam. We'll see how it goes. I don't plan on sending funds often from this wallet anyways ;) Your videos have been so much help for me, man. I have a simple, full node running with umbrel and several wallets running through it, thanks to your guidance.

[@SteveW928]

Yeah, it might be tricky on desktop with a web-cam, but I suppose doable. Certainly more oriented towards a wallet on a mobile phone.

[@miapassarell7748]

Thank you for this video! It was exactly what I needed to understand how to get my BTC off from the exchange. One silly question? If you are running your own node; how do you connect to it if you’re in another location? I guess I assumed you needed to be in the same location. I believe I need to research nodes better. 😮

[@solachesis451]

If using the blind oracle method and using the PIN and having the keys on the jade, would you say to then not import the seed to the QR? I thought the idea of being able to recover the wallet using the QR instead of going through all the recovery words was really cool. Also, I thought, its a seedQR, so if a random person finds it and tries to scan it normally using their QR scanner on their phone... Nothing will happen, correct? It would need to be used specifically with software which reads it. Anyone who manages to find the 24 words will know what they are and can download a mobile wallet and just type them in. So, theoretically, is having the recovery phrase imported onto the QR both a safer and more convenient way to keep it over using the traditional 24 word phrase on some paper?

[@reggyelizer8126]

The type of person who would immediately recognize those 24 words isn’t a random person. They are someone who is quite familiar with Bitcoin, as most “random” people don’t know a thing about seed words. This QR is less secure than seed words, just because it takes less time to quickly input/steal the information by the same threat.

[@SteveW928]

My understanding is that the seedQR thing is more universal than just the Jade (though maybe a typical QR scanner might not know what it is). It is really for convenience, but then yeah, you'd want to add a passphrase, hide it well, be careful an Internet connected camera isn't seeing it, etc. I'd still, absolutely, make a backup of the seed phrase words like I would for any other wallet (ie. steel washers, plate, etc.). So, no, I don't think it is safer. That's why Ben recommended adding that passphrase (which is a good idea to do anyway, IMO... what if someone breaks into your home and finds your 12/24 words, or that QR in this case?). Just be sure you read up a bit on passphrases, so you know how they work (ie. 13th/25th 'word', case-sensitive, each unique one creates a new wallet beyond the base seed phrase, which is a wallet with no passphrase, etc.).

[@MiccaPhone]

The private key is not on the device but on the paper slip qr code. So what's the point?

[@battletoadz1]

Somewhat noob here and I have a few questions. Will I be able to recover my adress and use it on some other platform if I have the 12/24 seedphrase or do I need the QR as well? What about the passphrase if I lose it/forget it? If I lose or the jade breaks what happens besides me not being able to sign transactions? I can still use my wallet for receiving/sending without it right?

[@teemupleb]

You can always recover your Bitcoin wallet with any wallet software with your list of seed words. The seed QR is just the seed phrase (the private keys to your bitcoin) in a "different form". If you generated a passphrase, you should keep it safe because you need it to recover your wallet. If you lose the Jade, just restore your wallet with a different hardware device or with a Bitcoin software wallet.

[@chrishayes8012]

Thx Ben -

[@gonzalezmoreira]

With this Hardware Wallet method, could we have sent only a portion of the funds to the second wallet address on phone 2? The question is because they usually say that you should transfer everything from one bitcoin address, but that's if it's a paper wallet, right? With the hardware wallets, there is no such problem, right? Thanks.

[@JB-jx3qf]

Is there a new Jade coming out? If I look at the official blockstream shop it shows pre order

[@BTCSessions]

No change to the internals, but they're releasing a bunch of different colors!

[@JB-jx3qf]

Cool! Thanks for clearing that up. Transparent Bitcoin Orange looks sexy!

[@sawyerrice3244]

@@JB-jx3qfso sexy

[@OMGWUNSIU]

Jade won't scan my had drawn QR seed phrase... what to do... wanted to practice sending $ to another wallet

[@radhikasinghal9160]

if we are connecting jade with internet connected laptop via USB , wont it b a risk. hardware should not be connected to internet but then how we will update the firmware?

[@louisguillen9590]

The bitkey by block is soooooo much more user friendly WOW... The questions now is it as secure?

[@juanllauro3799]

Thanks ! Love your tutorials. Also love JADE. Be interesting an advance use tutorial going into Redress PIN, BIP-85 and other interesting features.

[@Firemedic2105]

I'm a COMPLETE newbie... but I want good security. I can't find head to head info on jade vs cold card. Do you suggest one vs the other for someone new? On this I'm worried ab the QR physically being found or being too easy to destroy. Also I think cold card allows multiple wallets. Thoughts? Or do U have a comparison video search hasn't found?

[@SteveW928]

I don't know a lot about Cold Card, but I've heard it has more features. But, the Jade should be as secure, at least in any of the modes in common between the two. Be sure you do some learning to get past that 'complete newbie' stage, as you can create great security, but mess yourself up in the process if you go beyond your understanding! Jade allows multiple wallets as well, in the sense that you can create multiple passphrases (each creates a new wallet based on the base seed phrase. The base seed phrase is just a wallet with no passphrase.). That said, maybe the Cold Card can actually store multiple seed phrases? If so, I suppose that is a nice feature. I think it has a SD card slot, too? Maybe they store each on independent SD cards? re: QR found - Yes, I think that is a concern, just like your 12/24 seed phrase being found. You'd have to protect either, and IMO having a piece of paper like that around that you regularly use, is a bit of a concern. However, as the video shows, Ben recommends adding a passphrase. If you add a good passphrase (I think it can be up to 50 characters, case-sensitive, etc.), even if someone had your 12/24 words/QR, they'd have to guess or brute-force that passphrase, which would still be hard.

[@Firemedic2105]

@@SteveW928 thank you! Do you know if the paraphrase is only local protection or if it adds to the protection of a brute forcing the paraphrase on the blockchain!?

[@tonynoel2292]

but if your bitcoin isnt off exchange were is it, i would rather have my bitcoin in cold storage in my own storage,if you can

[@nftshiller8485]

i have made a wallet on my desktop i connected my phone to jade and i can see the wallet on blockstream along with my desktop wallet there was never a seed phrase made for the phone wallet what happens if i have btc on the phone wallet and it gets deleted? if i make the phone jade wallet again it will come back? thank you

[@mr_digdeeper]

I accidentally restored my jade seed on the green app when I really wanted to do view mode only. Once I realized what I did I quickly removed the wallet from green. Should I generate new seed for the Jade or do you think I’ll be okay? I figured I’d be fine after removing it since Jade/green is same company.

[@damchi25]

If you restored to an online connected device it’s no longer a cold wallet. I’d create a new seed…

[@mr_digdeeper]

@@damchi25 that’s what I did. I wasn’t paying attention when I was suppose to create a view Only wallet smh.

[@mr_digdeeper]

@@damchi25 I have 2 cold wallets single sig but want to do multi sig am I able to make that change to sign transactions? And once that change is made I can no longer sign a transaction by itself on one of the cold wallets correct? I’m still trying to learn this lol

[@teemupleb]

@@mr_digdeeper You can have balances on both cold wallets and use the devices separately as signing devices for a different multisig wallet

[@paulogustavodefreitascastr8875]

No. You have to create a new (multisig) wallet. A multisig wallet is more complex than a singlesig, not only to sign transations but to keep backup properly

[@nilz80]

I can't get the green and jade to sync, it's very annoying, is it my laptop 2 old

[@liberty-vf4bi]

How is this air gapped? You have connected it to a computer to "install firmware"... Air gapped means NEVER connect it to anything that's capable of speaking to the outside world. You can QR what you want and call that "air gapped" but it is not what you think it means. :) I also do not see how an external QR code which is not secured by anything is better than a seed on a device blocked by a pincode. :) Sticking with my coldcard. ;)

[@thisbliss81]

But do you not install the firmware first before generating any wallets, then never connect it to the Internet again so even if something malicious was installed it can't report it back? Just my thinking haven't set mine up yet

[@SteveW928]

I suppose one is trusting Blockstream's firmware update and factory restore (wipe) functions, but you're trusting their device to begin with. You can wipe the device (factory reset) and/or update the firmware to get the device to the state you want it, and then setup your wallet with it air-gapped and operate air-gapped beyond that point.

[@travisoneal586]

If you lose the QR code, is there a way to show the code and draw it again?

[@Firemedic2105]

I wondered that too!!!

[@truthseeker1702]

After seeing the Maui and the Paradise fires. and the blue and light green materials that survived the intense heat that melted cars.metal etc, Knowing now that laser light in colour spectrum of blue blue materials survived the D.E.W. attack so another back up for seed would be blue fire proof, water proof material. Just a thought. Enjoy your info thank you.

[@bitkong9445]

thanks for the review, I was thinking if it at all could be possible for a company to have a list of possible seed words combinations for each device they are sending out and in time steal bitcoin? Is it all transparent in open source for a device like ColdCard or Trezor? Why are the devices generating these words and we cant make them up ourselves?

[@Marc-Gee]

You can, and potentially should create your seed words in meat space. Use dice, a hat or coin flips. For large values, don't rely on the electronic random number generator.

[@SteveW928]

There is some amount of trust here, though in theory, it is all open-source so coders could see if they were doing something, like 'phoning home' with the seed phrase, etc. But, the device doesn't come with a seed phrase (or even a few) installed, it generates it randomly (and has a fairly sophisticated process for doing so, which includes things like reading the BT radio for 'noise' to add into the calculation). If you're using it air-gapped like this, it would have to be embedding the seed phrase into the QR-codes it exchanges with the phone app when doing something like signing a transaction (which can be from another vendor, like BlueWallet, Nunchuk, etc. so they would have to conspire together to pull that off). You can actually generate your own seed phrase and then just restore it to the Jade. There is debate about doing so within the community, as some argue you might screw up and create a less-random seed phrase. I've been going back and fourth about this myself. (Note: when I say generate, I mean using techniques like coin flips, dice, deck of cards, etc.... never, ever try to actually just pick words yourself from the list, as you're not a good random generator.) For example, if the dice aren't high enough quality, the rolls might not be random enough, such that the seed phrase that results is easier to crack (lower entropy). I don't know how valid this concern actually is, vs 'in theory'.

[@ROImediaGuy]

What happens if their server goes down? Where's the handcuffs emoji? Had I known this before buying I would have bought coldcard

[@keithconrad4892]

Anybody transactions not going through using nun chuck

[@mrbmro3991]

Is the seed qr code Encrypted? Just so if anyone else scans it, it will be encrypted and thus useless to them?

[@KYFHOme]

It's not encrypted. Adding the passphrase (a better one than abc, lol) is supposed to help secure it. The seedQR is just an easier to use version of your seed word list. Saves you from entering all those words each time you want to send.

[@womeninfinancesang]

What do I do if I drew dots incorrectly? How do I erase the incorrect dots? Any options to get a new qr scan card?

[@OMGWUNSIU]

white out worked for me

[@SteveW928]

You can print out more. The one in box is really nice, but they have instructions to download a printable version. Also, keep in mind the QR code is just your seed phrase in that computer-easily-scannable format. So, you (hopefully) wrote down that 12/24 word seed phrase as well, which can always recreate the wallet. If you factory-reset the Jade, then set it up as restoring a wallet, I think it would lead you through creating the QR again.

[@mrj9881]

actually not that hard to use...thanks a million for the tutorial

[@vedicwarriorOriginal]

How do you verify that the device has not been hacked or compromised?

[@teemupleb]

If it accepts the official firmware update from Blockstream

[@vedicwarriorOriginal]

@@teemupleb Hmmm ok. I’d rather put together a Seedsigner by myself. Easy and cheap . 👍

[@SteveW928]

@@teemupleb This, plus tamper indication when purchased. I'd not get one used, or buy from a 3rd party in this case (especially a vendor like Amazon). If you get it directly from Blockstream, and the tamper-stickers are in place, etc. then it should be pretty safe. Yes, then it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to wipe/firmware install/update, too, before setting up a wallet. I suppose it could be possible to install some kind of interception of data... like between the chips and the screen? That's why I would only get it directly from Blockstream, new.

[@Mikeshakurs]

I neeed

[@jaymartinez8231]

1) Would it not be a security risk having to keep your seed always accessible/close by to use this wallet? 2). How do you create and print a seed QR in a safe manner? Great video!

[@alansmith5267]

You can set it up once, then it's stored in your device. So you can hide/lock away your seed plate in a safe place for some future purpose.

[@alansmith5267]

@MyVideoGives12BITCOIN don’t be a silly sausage!

[@alansmith5267]

@MyVideoGives12BITCOIN you’re still being a silly sausage, regardless of how many times you repeat yourself.

[@SteveW928]

@@alansmith5267 I think they mean the QR.

[@SteveW928]

Yes, it is a security risk, so that's why Ben recommended adding a passphrase, I think. You'd also want to be a bit careful about where it is put and how it is used, even with a passphrase. If you do the seedQR mode, you always have to scan it to unlock (so it would have to be kind of handy, unless you're just HODL'ing/receiving, never sending). If you do that Blind Oracle mode, then you don't need the seedQR (but still use QR-codes to sign, just not that seedQR). You create it by printing a template and following the on-screen instructions to fill in the squares on the template. Probably not a good idea to print one, or store it on your computer/device, just like you're not supposed to do that with the word-based seed phrases, either.

[@nilz80]

I can't get green to open either on its own or with a companion, I can work ledger just fine and dandy, this seems most frustrating and I've spent days attempting this. Some videos say u need a companion app others blockstream green on its own is supposedly sufficient, I know Adam back is behind it so I can't question a guy of his brilliance but it's very very close to being hit with a hammer

[@MiljanRistanovic]

Dear Ben, I used combination Jade and Nunchuk. If l want to draw qr code on computer, and then print it on my home printer, could my wallet be jeopardized? Can someone, somehow get to my qr code, because I printed using internet? My Jade wallet has additional word as a secure measure

[@anewcreature7]

You don't need the internet on to do that.

[@MiljanRistanovic]

I have only wifi connection to the printer. Anyway, the main question remains. Could my wallet be jeopardized in that case? As long as I understood, even if I give my qr code to someone, it is useless without nunchuk and additonal security word?

[@anewcreature7]

@@MiljanRistanovic I don’t think it’ll be jeopardised, but I personally wouldn’t print via the internet just to be safe. Just plug in the cable, turn off the wifi connection, if you need to print them. Yes, the passphrase adds extra security, to access the wallet, they’ll need that. Just wondering, why not use the blockstream Green, instead of nunchuck? Also, you don’t use desktop wallet? As I believe nunchuck is mobile only.

[@MiljanRistanovic]

The Green wallet doesn’t have air-gapped option. That’s how I understood (: Maybe they made that option now, I don’t know. I didn’t find well explaned steps for green wallet and Jade. If you would be so kind to send me one, I would be more then gratefull.

[@anewcreature7]

@@MiljanRistanovic LOL third time I’m replying now, yt thinks I’m spamming and warned me or they’ll block me from commenting. Weird. Quick answer- green do support air gap, it’s their official wallet. Many tutorial on yt.

[@John-lz3hf]

imitation is the best form of flattery. build a seedsigner

[@BTCSessions]

Seedsigner is badass. I love mine.

[@marcmaron9601]

@@BTCSessions always a few steps ahead. Thanks for the vid

[@wrexxy49]

Jade is actually cheaper for those of us outside the USA. and no need to assemble

[@John-lz3hf]

@@wrexxy49 Building a seedsigner is how you keep anonymous. No one will ever know you purchased a hardware signing device because you never purchased one. If you are willing to trade secrecy to save a few dollars, then by all means go add the Jade to your cart and give them your address.

[@ReVoltAgefilms]

Lol! I just figured it out! Lol!!!

[@jennysoapdish4502]

We do not recommend the Blockstream Jade. None of the air gapped features worked for us: The bluetooth feature and the QR code feature. We reached out to support but they we not helpful.

[@simonmaersk]

Nope. This is stupid. the whole point of the wallet is to HOLD my keys on an encrypted device, and not on a crappy piece of paper with a QR code. Then I might as well just generate a paper wallet the old fashioned way.

[@BTCSessions]

I thought the same thing when I first tried out a build it yourself device called the Seed Signer. I've changed my mind. You can stamp the QR in steel, or you can retain the seed on the device and still sign via QR. I think the main purpose here is to give the option to have a device that can interact with various seeds in different ways. For example you could import one seed briefly to sign a certain transaction, then import another for a different session/wallet. You can also import/interact with dispersed QR versions of a multisig and have a single device that comes along with you to execute signatures without having the keys in a single location.

[@BTCSessions]

I guess I would add that it's advisable to add a passphrase if you're using the QR method and the seed is in a place where you regularly access it.

[@simonmaersk]

@@BTCSessions But is the seed only stored on the QR, or can you sign transactions without it? I prefer to backup my seed praises on encrypted USB flash drives rather than on paper/metal

[@BTCSessions]

@@simonmaersk in this instance it is only stored on the QR, but it is up to you. You could do both and have the QR for easy import on a new device later. Some people prefer to have a device that is blank, keep their seeds separately, and only have them on something electronic when they sign.

[@simonmaersk]

@@BTCSessions That makes sense. I think I'm just a bit old fashioned and overly protectionistic of my private keys 😂 Thank you for your replies!

[@analisisclinicosveterinarios]

Why does the green wallet doesnt support airgap transactions? Its the official wallet!

[@bitcoin__help]

In progress! We'll have some interesting functionality between Green/Jade QR when its released, should make for some very streamlined flows

[@anewcreature7]

@@bitcoin__help please add chart (like trezor and ledger has) in Green and make the font size bigger for the amount. It looks OK on phone, but on desktop it's too small.