Trezor CCO Rebuts Claim That Hardware Wallets Are ‘Garbage’

Trezor Chief Commercial Officer Danny Sanders responded this week to a Telegram post from blockchain investigator ZachXBT that called “all hardware wallets” “complete garbage.” Sanders said hardware wallets remain the “strongest form of self-custody” for average crypto holders and warned that mobile devices introduce more ways to be attacked.

In a Friday interview, Sanders acknowledged user frustrations with some hardware wallet workflows, especially when firmware or software updates interfere with urgent transactions. “I actually get it, and I agree that we have clunky solutions out there,” he said, adding that “it’s really hard to build on the edge of security and usability.”

Sanders argued ZachXBT was drawing conclusions from the needs of very sophisticated users who manage large sums and require complex setups. He noted that single hardware wallets can be insufficient for those high-value operations, but that does not mean all hardware wallets are without merit.

On the question of mobile alternatives, Sanders pointed to the broader attack surface of smartphones. He listed common connectivity features — Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, messaging services and cellular links — and said generating keys on a phone is riskier than on a hardware device. He also highlighted that many hardware wallets include a separate display for users to verify transaction details before approving them.

Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm backed part of ZachXBT's argument on mobile functionality, writing that “ZachXBT’s got the right idea” about improving mobile options. Storm said many mobile wallets lack support for BIP39 passphrases, an extra word that can protect a seed if a written backup is found, and urged developers to add passphrase support and air-gapped transaction signing so users can sign transactions without connecting a signing device to a network.

Sanders allowed that advanced setups can include hardened mobile components and that a stripped-down iPhone could be part of a multi-device strategy, but he maintained that hardware wallets offer a stronger balance of security and self-custody for most retail holders. He recommended more nuanced guidance for different user groups rather than blanket dismissals.

The exchange reflects an ongoing debate in crypto security over trade-offs between device convenience and resistance to remote attacks. Proponents of hardware devices point to isolated key generation and physical confirmation of transactions, while critics and some developers press for better mobile features such as BIP39 passphrase support and truly air-gapped signing.