# The Paper Trail Behind a Hardware Wallet Undermines the Privacy the Device Promises

Buying a self-custody device requires giving a company a name and a delivery address, creating a record that links a person to the fact that they hold keys.

- Published: 2026-09-13T05:57:01.509Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/crypto/2026-09-13/the-paper-trail-behind-a-hardware-wallet-undermines-the-priv
- Publisher: Polylog (Crypto desk)
- Section: crypto
- Sources: [CryptoSlate](https://cryptoslate.com/your-bitcoin-wallet-has-a-shipping-problem/), [Polylog editors](https://polylog.news)

CryptoSlate has set out a problem that hardware wallet marketing does not address: to receive a device designed to put you in sole control of your money, you first hand a company your name and home address. The device protects the private k…

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