Is an iPhone a Better Crypto Wallet Than Hardware Devices?

On chain investigator ZachXBT recently argued that hardware wallets are unreliable for storing significant crypto assets. He suggests that using a dedicated, disconnected iPhone is a safer alternative for signing transactions. This approach relies on isolating your keys on a device that is not used for daily web browsing or common apps.

Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm agrees with the idea but notes one major problem. He points out that most mobile wallets lack support for BIP39 passphrases. A passphrase acts as an extra word that hides your assets behind a decoy wallet. Without this, anyone who finds your seed phrase gets access to your full balance, making the passphrase a vital security layer that hardware wallets typically include but mobile apps often ignore.

Industry experts remain divided on the risk level. Trezor representatives argue that phones are general purpose devices that are prone to zero click exploits and security risks from iCloud backups or clipboard logs. They believe dedicated hardware is safer because it keeps transaction details separate from the phone operating system.

This debate highlights a growing need for better mobile security as wallet compromises continue to rise. If popular mobile wallets start adding passphrase support and improved offline signing, your old smartphone could eventually become a much stronger tool for protecting your digital wealth.