Nova Wallet in 2025: New Features, How It Works, and When to Use It
Nova Wallet is a mobile-first, non-custodial wallet for Polkadot and Kusama. In 2025, Nova shipped major updates—multisig wallets, a Polkadot debit card (EEA), OpenGov voting with pool-staked DOT, smarter XCM transfers, Unified Address Format (UAF) support, and more. This guide explains what’s new, why it matters, and how to use Nova Wallet safely and effectively.
What is Nova Wallet (and who it’s for)
Nova Wallet is an iOS/Android, self-custodial Polkadot wallet built by Novasama Technologies. It supports DOT/KSM and parachain assets, governance, staking, XCM transfers, DApps, NFTs, and hardware wallets—optimized for mobile.
Best for: mobile-first DOT users, nominators/pool stakers, DAO treasurers who want multisig, and DeFi users who need reliable XCM routing.
Not ideal for: users who need a desktop browser extension (Nova is mobile-only; consider SubWallet on desktop).
ELI5: Nova Wallet in one minute
Think of Polkadot as many blockchains that talk to each other. Nova is your phone app that:
- keeps your keys offline (non-custodial),
- lets you stake DOT easily (even from small amounts via pools),
- vote in OpenGov, even if your DOT is pool-staked,
- move tokens between chains using XCM with safety checks,
- connect to DApps (DeFi, NFTs),
- and—new—use a debit card (EEA) funded with DOT for real-world spending.
What’s new in 2025 (at a glance)
- Multisig wallets (discover/create/sign; HW wallet & proxies) in the 10.1.x line.
- Nova x Mercuryo Polkadot debit card (EEA): fund with DOT; Apple/Google Pay.
- OpenGov with pool-staked tokens supported (runtime change + Nova client updates).
- Cross-chain (XCM) auto-route detection & pre-flight simulation to avoid trapped assets.
- Unified Address Format (UAF) support alongside legacy addresses during transition.
- Price charts in-app; sell tokens via providers; Ledger EVM support; KodaDot NFTs on Asset Hub.
Key features explained
Staking (direct & pools) + OpenGov with pool-staked DOT
Nova offers direct staking and nomination pools, enabling staking from small amounts via pools with simple flows. With recent Polkadot runtime updates and Nova client support, pool members can vote in OpenGov without unpooling—so you don’t trade off yield for governance.
Why it matters: Stake small amounts and still participate in governance.
Cross-chain (XCM) transfers: auto-routing & simulation
Nova introduced automatic XCM route detection and simulations to reduce failed deliveries (and “trapped assets”). If assets do trap, Nova provides recovery guidance using chain events, and its XCM fee estimation improves predictability.
Why it matters: Fewer failed transactions and clearer fees/routes across Asset Hub & parachains.
Unified Address Format (UAF)
Nova supports UAF, providing both legacy and unified addresses during the ecosystem transition.
Why it matters: A consistent address style across chains reduces confusion and mis-sends.
Hardware wallets (Ledger, Polkadot Vault)
Nova supports Ledger (Nano X/Flex/Stax via Bluetooth; some models via USB on Android) and Polkadot Vault (air-gapped QR signing), with clear pairing/signing flows.
Why it matters: Combine cold storage with mobile convenience.
DApp Browser & EVM/Polkadot connectivity
Nova’s in-app browser connects to Polkadot DApps and many EVM DApps. A Desktop Mode toggle helps when a site isn’t mobile-optimized.
NFTs & price charts
View NFTs across supported networks, and check price charts (1D–All) inside token detail screens. Nova also surfaces KodaDot NFTs on Asset Hub.
Buy/Sell & off-ramp
Nova aggregates providers for buy and sell flows, making fiat on/off-ramping easier directly from the app.
Multisig wallets
The 10.1.x release line adds: discover existing multisigs, create/sign transactions, and use multisig with hardware wallets & proxies (on Polkadot + Asset Hub, Kusama + KAH, Hydration, Mythos, Moonbeam, and more).
Why it matters: DAO treasuries and teams can manage policies securely on mobile.
Nova x Mercuryo Polkadot Debit Card (EEA)
A Mastercard-backed debit card you top up with DOT in-app; works where Mastercard is accepted and can be added to Apple Pay/Google Pay. Availability: EEA (KYC required).
Nova vs SubWallet (quick comparison)
| Capability | Nova Wallet (Mobile) | SubWallet (Mobile + Extension) |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS/Android (mobile-first) | iOS/Android + Chrome/Firefox extension |
| Staking | Direct & pools in-app | Direct & pools in-app |
| OpenGov w/ pool-staked DOT | Supported (runtime + client updates) | Supported |
| XCM transfers | Auto-route detection + simulation | Robust XCM; desktop + mobile |
| UAF support | Supported | Supported across ecosystem |
| DApp connectivity | Mobile DApp browser; Desktop Mode | Mobile & desktop; extension improves desktop flows |
| Hardware wallets | Ledger (BT/USB*) & Polkadot Vault (QR) | Ledger, Polkadot Vault, Keystone |
| Multisig | Built-in multisig (10.1.x) | Supported (flows vary) |
| Debit card | Nova x Mercuryo (EEA) | N/A |
* USB on Android only for certain models.
Step-by-step mini-guide
Goal: stake DOT, vote in OpenGov with pool-staked DOT, send a safe cross-chain transfer—and optionally set up the debit card (EEA).
- Install & secure
- Install Nova on iOS/Android, create/import wallet, back up your seed (offline).
- (Optional) Connect Ledger or Polkadot Vault for cold-signing.
- Stake DOT
- Open Staking → choose Pool to start from small amounts or Direct for full control.
- Vote in OpenGov with pool-staked DOT
- Open Vote → pick referendum → Vote (supported for nomination pool members).
- Cross-chain transfer safely
- Tap Send → choose destination chain → review auto-detected route & simulation results → confirm. If funds trap, follow the in-app recovery guidance.
- Connect to DApps
- Open DApp Browser, paste DApp URL (e.g., a DeFi appchain), enable Desktop Mode if the site isn’t mobile-optimized.
- Use the debit card (EEA)
- Assets → Manage Debit Card → Issue card, complete KYC, top up with DOT, and add to Apple/Google Pay.
Common pitfalls & pro tips
- UAF transition: when copying an address, Nova can show unified and legacy formats—match what the counterparty expects.
- Destination fees & existential deposits: ensure the destination chain will retain enough native tokens/ED after XCM; use Nova’s previews and fee estimates.
- “Trapped assets” fear: simulations reduce risk; if something fails, use the recovery flow referencing chain events.
- Mobile DApps that look “broken”: enable Desktop Mode from the DApp browser menu.
- Hardware wallet models: Bluetooth/USB support varies; check compatibility before large transfers.
- Debit card geography: the Nova x Mercuryo card is currently EEA-only and requires KYC.
FAQs
1) Is Nova Wallet custodial? No—Nova is a non-custodial wallet; you control your keys.
2) Can I stake small amounts of DOT? Yes. With nomination pools, you can start from small amounts; Nova guides you through it.
3) I’m in a nomination pool—can I still vote in OpenGov? Yes. Polkadot enables pool-staked tokens to vote; Nova supports this flow.
4) How does Nova prevent XCM failures? Nova auto-detects routes and simulates transfers to reduce failures; if assets become trapped, use the recovery guide.
5) Which hardware wallets work? Ledger Nano X/Flex/Stax via Bluetooth (USB for some models on Android) and Polkadot Vault for air-gapped QR signing.
6) Does Nova support NFTs? Yes—view NFTs across supported networks in the Your NFTs view.
7) Is there a desktop extension? No—Nova is mobile-only. If you need a browser extension for desktop DApps, consider SubWallet.
8) Where is the debit card available? In the EEA, with KYC. You can add it to Apple Pay/Google Pay and spend wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Conclusion
Nova Wallet has matured into a full-featured Polkadot mobile suite—combining secure key management, staking, OpenGov, reliable XCM, multisig, and even real-world payments (EEA). For most mobile users in the DOT/KSM ecosystem, Nova offers a well-lit path from on-chain actions to everyday utility.
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