Hard questions. Sourced answers.
Bitcoin generates more confident wrong opinions per square meter of internet than almost anything else. Every answer here is backed by a primary source you can click through and verify yourself.
The Q&A format is for questions that come up repeatedly and deserve a proper answer, not a tweet. "Is my hardware wallet truly air-gapped?" "What happens to my Bitcoin if I die?" "Can Lightning payments be traced?" These are good questions that often get bad answers from people who are guessing.
The format: a big italic question as the headline, a short direct answer at the top (the short answer you can take away even if you don't read the whole piece), then the full explanation with sourced citations, and a list of primary references at the bottom.
Questions are organized by category. If you have a question that isn't here, submit it through the contact form. Good questions become entries.
15 entries published
Verification
4How to verify what you're told — wallets, addresses, firmware, transactions.
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How do I know this Bitcoin wallet is real?
Verify three things before entering any seed: the publisher (does the install path lead back to the vendor's official domain?), the binary (does its SHA-256 match the vendor's hash?), and the setup behavior (does it match the documented flow?). Fake wallets fail at least one.
Updated May 2026
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Can the government ban Bitcoin?
Governments can regulate Bitcoin on-ramps and outlaw use in their jurisdiction, but Bitcoin itself runs on 20,000+ nodes across hundreds of countries. Attempts to 'ban Bitcoin' in China (2021), Nigeria (2021), and India (multiple times) have all failed to stop it. The network routes around jurisdictional attacks.
Updated Apr 2026
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How can I verify Bitcoin's 21M supply cap myself?
Run a Bitcoin node. It independently validates every block since the genesis block, enforces the 21 million supply cap in consensus code, and will reject any block that exceeds it. No trust in any third party required.
Updated Apr 2026
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Is Bitcoin a scam?
No — Bitcoin is an open-source, decentralized monetary network whose entire ledger is publicly verifiable by anyone. 'Scams' are typically people using the Bitcoin brand to promote something else entirely.
Updated Apr 2026
Self-Custody
10Keys, seeds, hardware wallets, multisig, and the practical side of holding your own Bitcoin.
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What's the best hardware wallet for beginners?
For most beginners, the Trezor Safe 3 ($79) is the best hardware wallet: the cheapest device with a real EAL6+ secure element and open-source, Bitcoin-only firmware, set up in minutes. It protects your coins as well as wallets costing three times more — you pay extra for a touchscreen, not security.
Updated Jun 2026
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What's the best way to back up a seed phrase?
Stamp it into steel, not paper. The recovery card in the box won't survive a fire, a flood, or a decade in a drawer — and it's the only thing between you and total loss if your device dies. A steel backup like the Trezor Keep Metal beats fire, water, and time for around $30-80. Do it the week you buy the wallet.
Updated Jun 2026
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Is Trezor safe? Has it ever been hacked?
Yes. No Trezor has ever been remotely hacked or had a firmware breach, and hundreds of millions in BTC sit on them safely. The one real attack (2020) needed physical possession of the old Trezor One plus lab gear — the current Safe 3, 5, and 7 add an EAL6+ secure element that closes it.
Updated Jun 2026
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Where should I buy a Trezor in Thailand?
Order direct from trezor.io — it ships to Thailand and the device's history stays fully controlled. Budget ~7% VAT plus possible duty and 1–2 weeks shipping. Buying locally? Verify the shop on Trezor's official reseller list first — and never touch Shopee/Lazada gray-market listings.
Updated Jun 2026
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Is there a real Trezor discount code in 2026?
Almost never — Trezor doesn't run public coupon codes; nearly every 'Trezor discount code' site is affiliate spam or a scam. Real ways to pay less: official seasonal sales on trezor.io, the right-sized model (the $79 Safe 3 covers most people), and official bundles. Never buy a 'discounted' device from a reseller.
Updated Jun 2026
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Can a hardware wallet be hacked?
Yes, with caveats. Hardware wallets defeat the most common attack — malware on the connected computer — almost completely. They are weaker against physical access with lab equipment and social engineering. The honest read: a hardware wallet is the cheapest security upgrade, not a magic shield.
Updated Jun 2026
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What happens to my Bitcoin when I die?
Whatever you set up in advance. Bitcoin has no probate, no beneficiary form, no support line. If you don't leave a recoverable path to the keys, the coins sit on-chain forever — unreachable by anyone, including your spouse. The fix is a written recovery plan, tested while you're alive.
Updated Jun 2026
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How much Bitcoin do I need before getting a hardware wallet?
When the cost of losing it is higher than the cost of the device — usually around $200–500 of Bitcoin. Below that, a good hot wallet is fine. Above it, the math flips: a $79 hardware wallet pays for itself the moment it prevents a single drained-by-malware incident.
Updated Jun 2026
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Is my Bitcoin safe on an exchange?
No. When you leave Bitcoin on an exchange you own an IOU, not Bitcoin. History is full of exchanges that failed — Mt. Gox, QuadrigaCX, Celsius, FTX. The solution is self-custody: your keys, your coins.
Updated Apr 2026
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What happens if I lose my Bitcoin seed phrase?
If you lose your seed phrase AND you no longer have access to the hardware wallet itself, your Bitcoin is permanently unspendable. There is no 'forgot password' for Bitcoin. The solution is redundant backups before you fund the wallet.
Updated Apr 2026
Lightning
1Channels, liquidity, routing, and the Lightning Network protocol.