Polkadot Wallets
Here is a list with the best Polkadot wallets like Nova Wallet, Talisman, SubWallet and Polkadot Vault to secure and manage your crypto assets effectively across the entire Polkadot Dapps ecosystem.
Polkadot Ecosystem Wallets
Polkadot Multisig Wallets
Polkadot multisig accounts are an advanced security feature within the Substrate-based blockchain ecosystem, designed to enhance the protection and management of assets and governance decisions.
Polkadot Wallets Videos
Polkadot Wallets: The 2025 Buyer’s & Builder’s Guide
A pragmatic, current (September 2025) guide to choosing and operating Polkadot wallets, from everyday mobile and extension wallets to air-gapped cold storage and enterprise-grade multisig. Learn the trade-offs, see feature comparisons, and follow a step-by-step setup to secure teams and treasury without friction.
ELI5: Wallet types on Polkadot
- Mobile wallets for daily use and on-chain voting.
- Browser extensions for dapp connections and developer flows.
- Air-gapped signer (Polkadot Vault): an offline phone that never touches the internet. You approve transactions via QR. Treat it like a key-ring and not a hot wallet.
- Multisig managers: web apps that coordinate N-of-M approvals for treasuries and teams.
Top Polkadot wallets (2025)
Nova Wallet (mobile)
What it is: a polished mobile wallet focused on Polkadot UX. Staking, OpenGov voting and delegation, WalletConnect dapp flows, and hardware support are core. Good for: mobile-first users, voters and delegators, on-the-go staking and portfolio review. Notable: approachable governance UX with clear conviction and lock displays.
Talisman (extension + Portal)
What it is: a browser extension wallet with a companion Portal web app for portfolio, staking, and swaps across Polkadot, EVM, and Solana. Ledger connectivity, including the Generic app, is supported. Good for: multi-ecosystem power users, teams standardizing on Ledger plus an extension, dapp-heavy workflows. Notable: Signet (see below) powers enterprise multisig ops. Portal centralizes day-to-day DeFi and wallet tasks.
SubWallet (extension + mobile + web)
What it is: extension, iOS and Android apps, plus a web dashboard covering Substrate and EVM networks. Staking and asset conversion across ecosystems are first-class. Ledger Generic app migration is documented. Good for: teams wanting one vendor for desktop, mobile, and web; users bridging assets across ecosystems. Notable: strong tutorials around OpenGov flows and active governance UX.
Polkadot Vault (air-gapped signer)
What it is: an offline signing app for a dedicated device in airplane mode, formerly Parity Signer. Create and hold keys and sign via QR. Use it as a cold signer for high-value keys or as one signer in a multisig. Good for: cold storage, high-assurance signers in a multisig, long-term treasury keys.
Multisig managers and treasury ops
Polkadot Multisig (Signet)
What it is: Talisman’s enterprise multisig stack, with a public Polkadot Multisig app and a managed or self-hostable Signet offering. It brings workflows for treasury payments, staking, governance from a multisig, and policy controls. Why it matters: clean UX for ops teams, integrates with extension wallets and hardware, supports OpenGov voting from the multisig account.
Multix
What it is: ChainSafe’s UI for complex multisigs across Polkadot, Kusama, and parachains. Designed to simplify batched and advanced flows. Why it matters: fine-grained control over approvals and batched operations with a simple UI.
Mimir
What it is: a Polkadot-native multisig account management platform focused on DAOs and treasuries, expanding feature coverage such as staking and cross-chain operations while experimenting with guided task flows. Why it matters: fast-moving product that improves on-chain ops ergonomics for teams.
PolkaSafe
What it is: a multisig experience purpose-built for Polkadot and Kusama with a Safe-like usability model and open-source UI. Why it matters: familiar mental model for teams migrating from EVM tooling.
Feature comparison tables
Everyday wallets
| Wallet | Platforms | Custody | Governance (vote and delegate) | Staking | Dapp connect | Ledger or hardware | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Wallet | iOS, Android | Self-custody | Yes | Yes | WalletConnect | Yes | Mobile-first UX and clear governance flows |
| Talisman | Browser extension and Portal | Self-custody | Via governance apps or Portal | Yes | Extension injection | Ledger supported including Generic | Multi-ecosystem coverage |
| SubWallet | Extension, iOS, Android, Web | Self-custody | Via SubSquare or Polkassembly flows | Yes | Extension and mobile dapp flows | Ledger supported with Generic | Cross-ecosystem conversion |
| Polkadot Vault | iOS or Android on an offline device | Cold signer | Not applicable | Not applicable | QR signing | Air-gapped device | Ideal as a multisig signer or cold storage |
Multisig managers
| Tool | Key focus | Governance from multisig | Hosting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polkadot Multisig (Signet) | Enterprise workflows and policy | Supported | SaaS and self-host options | Risk workflows and approvals |
| Multix | Simple UI for complex multisigs | Emerging via extrinsics | Web | W3F-backed development |
| Mimir | DAO and treasury ops with UX speed | Roadmap includes governance breadth | Web | Rapid 2025 roadmap |
| PolkaSafe | Safe-style UX on Polkadot | Integrations available | Web | Open-source UI and business-oriented focus |
How to set up a safe, modern wallet stack (solo and team)
Solo (power user)
- Pick your daily driver: Nova for mobile or Talisman or SubWallet for extensions and dapps.
- Add a cold signer: connect a Ledger to Talisman or SubWallet, or set up Polkadot Vault on a dedicated offline phone.
- Segment risk: keep a small hot balance for dapps and voting. Keep the rest on Ledger or Vault.
- Back up properly: record seed phrases and derivation notes, store in two secure locations, and test recovery.
Team or DAO (treasury and operations)
- Create a multisig with a sensible N-of-M threshold using Signet, Multix, or PolkaSafe. Mix signers across Ledger and Vault.
- Enable governance from the multisig so the treasury can vote in OpenGov when needed.
- Add proxy roles where appropriate, for example a spend proxy for routine ops, while keeping cold signers for high-risk approvals.
- Document runbooks: who signs what, change-management, emergency procedures, and incident contacts.
- Test a full cycle with small amounts: receive funds, stake and unstake, submit one OpenGov vote from the multisig, pay a small invoice, and execute a small XCM transfer.
Common pitfalls and pro tips
- Ledger Generic app migration: some chains require metadata hashes. Follow official migration steps and remove staking or governance locks before moving assets.
- Governance locks and conviction: voting or delegating with conviction locks DOT. Unlocks occur after the lock period and require an explicit unlock call.
- Polkadot Vault is a signer, not a hot wallet: keep the device in airplane mode and use QR signing only.
- Multisig timepoints and thresholds: when resubmitting a call, ensure the same timepoint. Document thresholds and keep a spare signer for key loss.
- Dapp connectivity expectations: extensions inject providers, while mobile often uses WalletConnect. Verify your target dapps support your connection mode.
- Address formats (SS58): confirm network prefixes when copying addresses between chains. Use wallet views and warnings.
FAQs
1) What is the safest setup for a personal DOT holder? Use a daily wallet such as Nova, Talisman, or SubWallet plus a cold signer like Ledger or Polkadot Vault. Keep most funds cold and a small hot balance for dapps.
2) Can a DAO vote in OpenGov from a multisig? Yes. Tools like Polkadot Multisig (Signet) support casting OpenGov votes from a multisig account.
3) Does Talisman support the Ledger Generic Polkadot app? Yes. Talisman supports Ledger Generic and provides guidance for migrating accounts.
4) Is Polkadot Vault a full wallet? No. It is an air-gapped signer used with an online wallet to compose and broadcast transactions.
5) Which tool is closest to an EVM Safe on Polkadot? Mimir is consolidating as one of the most complete multisigs on Polkadot currently. PolkaSafe offers a Safe-like UX. Signet focuses on enterprise policy and workflow. Multix simplifies complex multisig operations.
6) Which wallet is easiest for beginners who want to vote? Nova Wallet offers an approachable mobile UI for voting and delegation with clear lock information.
Conclusion
Choosing a primary wallet such as Nova, Talisman, or SubWallet, pairing it with Ledger or Polkadot Vault, and running treasury through a multisig manager such as Signet, Multix, or PolkaSafe gives you a secure, resilient stack that scales from solo use to DAO operations.