Meet Cupcake: Your New Secret Weapon for Crypto Security

Remember when getting serious about crypto meant waiting weeks for a hardware wallet to ship, handing over your personal information, and dropping $100+ on a device? Yeah, we remember too. And honestly? We got tired of it.

What Exactly Is Cupcake?

Think of Cupcake as your new security sidekick. It's a separate app that turns a second device (like an old smartphone or tablet) into an air-gapped cold storage device. No internet connection required, no personal information collected, no waiting for shipping. The setup requires five steps, five minutes, and zero cost.

Why We Built This

While there's certainly a place for hardware wallets, they have some shortcomings:

Privacy: Why give a company your home address to buy security? Ledger's 2020 breach exposed 270,000 customers' personal details, leading to targeted scams and home invasion threats.
Shipping delays: Need security now? Too bad. Wait 2 weeks and hope customs doesn't hold your package.
Secrecy: Need to hide the fact you own crypto? Hardware wallets don't offer plausible deniability. If someone sees you have a Ledger, they know you hold crypto.
Geographic restrictions: Live somewhere hardware wallets don't ship? You're out of luck!
Cost barriers: Not everyone can drop $100+ on a security device, especially when starting their crypto journey.
Proprietary: While some hardware wallets have dedicated themselves to being open source, many still aren't. This requires you to trust (not verify) their code.

We looked at these problems and thought there had to be another way...

How Cupcake Changes the Game

Comparison between Cupcake & Hardware Wallets

Unlike hardware wallets, Cupcake requires no shipping addresses, no weeks of waiting for delivery, and no customs delays. Since Cupcake doesn't even request internet permissions, your keys stay completely offline with zero data collection, no shipping records, and no paper trails linking you to your crypto setup. It's completely free and open source, so you can verify the code yourself rather than trusting proprietary firmware. Whether you're repurposing that old Android phone in your drawer or living in a country where hardware wallets don't ship, Cupcake works anywhere you can download an app, giving you plausible deniability and strong protection for your assets.

The Technical Magic (Simplified)

Here's how the security actually works:

Cupcake device (offline): Holds your private keys, never connects to the internet
Cake Wallet (online): Has view-only access, can see balances but can't spend
Transaction process: Create transaction on Cake Wallet → Transfer to Cupcake via QR code → Sign offline → Transfer back via QR code → Broadcast

Your private keys literally never touch the internet. It's a similar security model as expensive hardware wallets, just implemented in software on a device you probably already own. We'll have a more technical blog coming shortly.

Real Talk: Is This Actually Secure?

Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Cupcake provides the same fundamental security as hardware wallets: air-gapped private key storage.

For some situations, Cupcake even has a slight edge because:

You control the security environment
Less likely target for supply chain attacks
No firmware backdoors
Ability to be used with hardened operating systems like GrapheneOS

With that said, hardware wallets certainly still have a place, and can often offer better assurances in the security it's offering you.

Want maximum security with Cupcake? Here are some advanced tips:

While simply enabling and using Cupcake gives immediate benefits. Users who want to maximize security can do so by following this advice:

Keeping your Cupcake device on airplane mode permanently, only going online to update software.
Keeping your device updated.
Using a device that's still receiving security updates.
Using a device with a more modern security chip, such as a newer iPhone or Pixel.
Using a device that has no other purpose other than to run Cupcake.
Using Lockdown Mode on an iOS device, and Google's Advanced Data Protection on an Android device.

Getting Started Is Simple

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Download Cupcake on a spare device (phone, tablet, whatever)
Turn off internet on that device for best security
Create your wallet and write down your seed phrase
Set up view-only access in your main Cake Wallet (Optional)
Start using hardware-level security immediately

That's it. Five steps, five minutes, zero cost.

Here's the best part: Cupcake works seamlessly with Cake Wallet through "view-only" wallets. Your spending keys stay safely locked away on your offline Cupcake device, while you can still check balances and monitor transactions on your everyday Cake Wallet. When you're ready to spend, just grab your Cupcake device to sign the transaction in seconds! This offer you air-gapped security with everyday convenience.

Who Should Use Cupcake?

Perfect for: Anyone wanting hardware wallet security without the cost, privacy advocates who refuse to share personal information with hardware manufacturers, and international users in regions where hardware wallets don't ship or face import restrictions. If you need security right now rather than waiting weeks for delivery, or you're a crypto newcomer who wants to test cold storage without a major investment, Cupcake gives you that flexibility.

Maybe stick with hardware wallets if: You strongly prefer dedicated hardware, you're managing institutional-level funds that require specialized compliance features, or you simply don't have a spare device to dedicate exclusively to Cupcake. Keep in mind that Cupcake currently supports Bitcoin and Monero, with more assets coming soon, so if you need broader cryptocurrency support right now, a multi-asset hardware wallet might better suit your needs.

The Bottom Line

Cupcake isn't trying to replace hardware wallets entirely, it's giving users a new choice. Maybe you want to test cold storage before buying hardware. Maybe you live somewhere hardware wallets don't ship. Or maybe you want something that allows plausible deniability...'Oh, it's just an old phone of mine.'

Whatever your reason, Cupcake delivers the same fundamental security promise as hardware wallets: your private keys stay offline and under your control.

Ready to try it? Download Cupcake today and experience what crypto security should feel like—instant, private, and accessible to everyone.

Questions about Cupcake? Want to share your setup? Join our community discussions and let us know how Cupcake is working for you. We're always here to help you make the most of your crypto security.