If you hold crypto across more than one chain — and in 2025, who doesn't? — you've felt the friction. Your ETH is on Arbitrum, your SOL is on Solana, your BTC is on… well, Bitcoin. Moving between them means juggling RPCs, bridging tokens, and praying you don't send USDC to the wrong address.
A true multi-chain wallet doesn't just hold assets on different networks — it lets you swap across them without leaving the app. We tested the wallets that claim to do this well, weighing onboarding ease, security model, and the quality of their built-in cross-chain swaps. Here are the things actually worth buying in 2025.
Best for Beginners: Base Wallet (formerly Coinbase Wallet)
If you're new to self-custody or just tired of managing seed phrases, Base Wallet is the easiest on-ramp in the game. It inherits Coinbase's polished UX — uncluttered design, straightforward onboarding — while giving you full control of your private keys.1
The wallet natively supports Ethereum, Base (its namesake L2), and a growing list of EVM-compatible chains. Cross-chain swaps are handled through integrated DEX aggregators, so you can trade ETH on Arbitrum for USDC on Base in a few taps. For beginners who want self-custody without the terror, this is the pick.
Supported chains: Ethereum, Base, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, and more EVM chains. Security model: Self-custodial (seed phrase or biometrics via Coinbase integration). Swap ease: Excellent — integrated DEX aggregation with clear fee previews.
Best for Versatility: Cake Wallet
Cake Wallet started as a Monero-first mobile wallet, but it has quietly become one of the most versatile multi-chain wallets on the market. It supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, and a growing list of EVM chains — all in one clean interface.2
What sets Cake apart is its built-in exchange integration: you can swap between chains directly inside the wallet using services like ChangeNOW and SimpleSwap. No bridging, no third-party DEX tabs. It's non-custodial, open-source, and available on both iOS and Android. For the user who wants one wallet for everything, Cake is hard to beat.
Supported chains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Litecoin, Solana, and EVM chains. Security model: Non-custodial, open-source, seed-phrase based. Swap ease: Excellent — integrated exchange partners, no manual bridging.
Best for Innovation: Tangem
Tangem is the wallet that makes you feel like you're living in the future. It's a hardware wallet the size of a credit card — no batteries, no cables, no seed phrase. Instead, it uses a military-grade Secure Element chip to generate and store your private keys.3
You tap the card to your phone via NFC to sign transactions. It supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, USDC, and dozens of other assets across multiple chains. The "seedless" design means there's nothing to write down and lose — though that also means you must keep the physical card safe. For the user who wants cold storage that fits in a wallet slot, Tangem is genuinely innovative.
Supported chains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, and major ERC-20/BEP-20 tokens. Security model: Seedless — Secure Element chip (EAL6+), no seed phrase. Swap ease: Good — in-app swaps via third-party providers.
Best for Security / Cold Storage: Trezor Model One
For serious holders who want the gold standard in cold storage, Trezor remains the benchmark. The Model One is the entry-level hardware wallet, but it's anything but basic: it's open-source, extensively audited, and supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and over 1,000 other coins.2
Cross-chain functionality comes via Trezor Suite's integration with third-party swap services like Invity, which lets you exchange assets across chains without ever exposing your private keys to the internet. It's slower than a hot wallet, yes — but that's the point. For the user who prioritizes security over speed, Trezor is the pick.
Supported chains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, Zcash, and 1,000+ coins via Trezor Suite. Security model: Cold storage — private keys never leave the device, open-source firmware. Swap ease: Moderate — integrated via Invity, requires desktop/mobile app.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Base Wallet | Cake Wallet | Tangem | Trezor Model One |
|---|
| Chains Supported | EVM-focused (Base, ETH, Polygon, etc.) | Multi-chain (BTC, ETH, XMR, SOL, EVM) | BTC, ETH, BNB, Polygon, major tokens | 1,000+ coins via Suite |
| Security Model | Self-custodial (seed phrase) | Non-custodial, open-source | Seedless, Secure Element chip | Cold storage, open-source |
| Swap Ease | Excellent (DEX aggregation) |
Why These Picks?
We focused on the balance between user experience and security. A wallet that's too hard to use won't get used; a wallet that's insecure shouldn't be used. Base Wallet nails onboarding for newcomers who want self-custody without complexity. Cake Wallet offers the broadest chain support with the smoothest swaps. Tangem reimagines hardware wallets for the NFC era. And Trezor remains the cold-storage standard for those who won't compromise on security.
Disclosure: Recomate earns affiliate commissions from some of the products linked in this article. All picks are based on independent testing and research.
