The crypto startup ecosystem is witnessing explosive growth, with VC capital pouring in at an extraordinary pace. Over the past 30 days, crypto-focused businesses participated in 154 funding rounds, with a remarkable 65.8% increase in total investment volume, bringing the amount to $3 billion.
Of this, 27.11% of investments focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its intersection with crypto. A nearly equal share of 26.51% went towards Developer Tools, a clear indicator that building a solid foundation is a top priority in this space. Data services and decentralized exchanges each received 15.77%, while payment solutions (14.77%) also attracted significant attention.
Amid this dynamic growth, startups face an equally important challenge: managing their funds securely and efficiently. And this is where self-custodial solutions come into play as vital tools offering businesses the much-in-demand freedom to operate on their own terms, backed by robust security and flexibility.
In this piece, we’ll explore the three most recommended non-custodial wallets that every crypto startup—whether blockchain innovators, DeFi pioneers, or Web3 businesses—can rely on for secure and streamlined fund management.
1. NOW Wallet
Crypto startups need wallets that not only store their funds but also integrate seamlessly with their business operations—something NOW Wallet has proven to achieve effectively.
Secure, Private, and Controlled Crypto Management
NOW Wallet offers businesses secure storage by providing a non-custodial solution, giving full control over private keys and digital assets. This eliminates reliance on third parties and removes centralized points of failure, enhancing security. Key features like mnemonic phrase recovery, end-to-end encryption, PIN Protection, biometrics, and Two-Factor Authentication (available for Pro users) ensure startups can securely store their assets and protect against unauthorized access.
Cryptocurrency Payments with POS Integration
One of NOW Wallet’s standout features for businesses is its Point of Sale (POS) system, powered by the NOWPayments API. This fully integrated solution allows startups to accept cryptocurrency payments seamlessly, supporting over 300 cryptocurrencies. Businesses can generate customized invoices, specify preferred cryptocurrencies for payment, and track their transactions.
The transaction fee for crypto-to-fiat conversions is just 0.5%, while the fiat withdrawal fee ranges from 1.5% to 2.3%, depending on transaction volume. With a $0 integration cost, NOW Wallet makes it easy for startups to integrate a crypto payment solution without incurring high upfront costs.
Features such as automated crypto-to-fiat conversions, AML/KYC compliance, invoicing, and transaction reporting also make NOW Wallet a valuable tool for businesses. Through its integration with Switchere, startups can also cash out quickly, with withdrawals typically processed within one business day—critical for businesses that need fast access to funds.
NOW Wallet’s POS Interface
As a whole, for crypto startups venturing into payment acceptance, NOW Wallet is a straightforward tool to streamline acceptance of digital currencies in a non-custodial environment.
Wide Range of Supported Assets & In-App Swaps
NOW Wallet stands out for its multi-currency integration, supporting over 70 blockchains and 1,500+ tokens, including high-cap coins like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), privacy coins such as Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC), stablecoins like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), and many more, as well as custom tokens from supported EVM-compatible blockchains and the Tron network. It also offers an integrated limitless and almost instant swap service powered by ChangeNOW, a non-custodial exchange, both of which are part of the NOW non-custodial ecosystem.
This is vital for crypto startups working across different blockchain ecosystems or experimenting with new token projects. Thus, they won’t need to rely on multiple wallets or exchanges to manage and exchange their funds.
Optimized UX
NOW Wallet’s intuitive interface bridges the gap between crypto and traditional UX, allowing teams to organize their finances with the minimum amount of effort. Whether it’s a small project or a larger operation, the wallet’s minimalist design—focused on functionality without unnecessary elements—streamlines fund management.
Crypto Staking
Startups can, as well, take advantage of staking options for PoS tokens—Tron (TRX), Solana (SOL), Cosmos (ATOM), Cardano (ADA), Tezos (XTZ), Binance Coin (BNB), and NOW Token (NOW), helping them earn passive income from their holdings in these cryptos.
Buying and Selling Crypto
Another significant advantage of NOW Wallet is its fiat-to-crypto on- and off-ramp support. With integration for over 60 fiat currencies, businesses can easily buy and sell crypto using major payment methods like Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and bank transfers.
NFT Management
NOW Wallet’s built-in NFT management lets startups securely store, send, and receive NFTs. This can be useful for startups using NFTs for brand engagement and loyalty programs. The wallet supports Ethereum and Solana NFTs, with BNB NFT compatibility to follow.
Enhanced Web3 Connectivity
NOW Wallet seamlessly integrates with WalletConnect, enabling startups to interact with a wide range of dApps, including decentralized finance (DeFi), Web3 applications, NFT marketplaces, and many more.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
The wallet is accessible on both iPhone and Android devices, as well as on desktops running macOS, Windows, or Linux. However, it doesn’t offer a browser extension, which may limit its usability for certain Web3 interactions that businesses might require.
Pro Membership
Beyond basic wallet functionality, NOW Wallet’s Pro membership (both paid and free plans are available) can benefit businesses with features such as:
- AML address checks, which flag suspicious wallets and protect startups from reputational harm and legal problems
- Private domains for accepting crypto funds
- Unlimited crypto loans
- Cashback on every exchange transaction
All-Day Every-Day Assistance
Additionally, NOW Wallet offers round-the-clock customer customer support with a 99% success rate in resolving issues such as sending tokens to the wrong network and similar.
2.Trust Wallet
Trust Wallet is a popular self-custody Web3 wallet that offers a secure and easy-to-use platform for managing a wide range of cryptocurrencies. It is preferred by over 140 million users worldwide, including many startups and businesses.
Trust Wallet UI
Cross-Chain Compatibility & Built-in Swaps
Trust Wallet’s vast integration with more than 100 blockchains ensures businesses can manage a diverse set of assets without the need for multiple wallets. The wallet’s in-app swap feature, powered by integrations with THORChain, 1inch, Mimic, and Axelar, allows for cross-chain swaps from Ethereum to Binance Smart Chain or Tron, Tron to EOS, Binance Smart Chain to Polygon, and plenty more, all within the app.
NFT & Fiat Integration
For startups involved in NFTs, Trust Wallet supports multiple NFT blockchains, including Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana. It serves as an interface for independent NFT platforms, allowing businesses to trade, store, and manage NFTs directly from the wallet.
Fiat-On Ramp Solutions
For fiat-to-crypto operations, it currently supports seven fiat on-ramp solutions and has recently integrated Binance Connect, Binance’s official fiat-to-crypto gateway, providing direct access to peer-to-peer (P2P) services within the wallet interface.
User Experience & Accessibility
Trust Wallet’s mobile app works on both iOS and Android, with the browser extension supporting Chrome, Brave, Opera, and Edge browsers. However, it doesn’t have a standalone desktop app. Among other features, it offers staking various cryptocurrencies to earn rewards through its partners.
3. MetaMask
MetaMask is both a wallet and a browser used to interact with the Ethereum blockchain, making it an essential tool for startups to securely manage assets and connect with decentralized applications (dApps).
MetaMask UI
NFT Support & Blockchain Compatibility
MetaMask primarily supports Ethereum and is compatible with any network that is Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible, such as Polygon, Binance Smart Chain, and Avalanche.
For startups entering the NFT space, MetaMask provides full support for NFTs on Ethereum and other EVM-compatible chains. However, it does not support Solana NFTs, which could be limiting for some projects. MetaMask connects users to the thriving Web3 and NFT ecosystems by seamlessly integrating with multiple dApps.
Fiat-to-Crypto and Token Swaps
While MetaMask offers basic fiat-to-crypto services through third-party providers, businesses may need to navigate external platforms for full fiat integration. Credit and debit cards are supported by this wallet, and, depending on your location, bank transfers may also be an option. MetaMask’s built-in swap feature aggregates quotes from various decentralized exchanges to facilitate token swaps. It also offers gas-inclusive swaps—a feature that covers gas fees within the swap, making it easier for users to execute trades without needing to separately acquire ETH for network fees.
Accessibility & Versatility
MetaMask is available as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and Edge, and can be accessed via iOS and Android apps. A user-friendly interface backs up its broad platform support, letting businesses manage their crypto assets with ease.
Closing Thoughts
In a large assortment of self-custodial wallets, NOW Wallet appears to rise to the top thanks to its sophisticated set of features tailored for crypto startups. While wallets like Trust Wallet and MetaMask offer valuable functionalities—Trust Wallet with its extensive cross-chain compatibility (supporting over 100 blockchains), and MetaMask with its strong focus on Ethereum-based ecosystems and easy dApp interactions—NOW Wallet takes a more specialized approach. Its unique capabilities—such as an integrated POS payment solution for crypto transactions, multi-chain asset management that effectively rivals other wallets by supporting an impressive number of blockchains and tokens (even if not the highest), and a built-in swap service powered by ChangeNOW—all within an intuitive interface, are tailored to meet the specific needs of businesses.
