transferring crypto to your paper wallet
You are almost there. The last step is to transfer the cryptocurrency in your exchange account to the paper wallet. Once that’s done, the paper wallet is ready to be given as a gift (or kept for yourself if you prefer!).
At its most basic, the way you will transfer the crypto is to send the crypto from where it’s stored now (an exchange, hard wallet, another paper wallet) to the paper gift wallet you just produced. You’ll do this by providing the public address of the paper wallet. How you do this will depend on where you have your funds stored.
Use an Exchange Mobile App
For most exchanges, I recommend you download their mobile app. Mobile apps come with a QR code scanner, and you can use this to scan the QR code on the paper wallet you have just created. This is the easiest way to provide your public key without making any errors.
If you don’t want to download the mobile app, you can copy and paste the public key from the electronic copy of the paper wallet to whatever application you are using to send the crypto. Try to avoid typing in the public address by hand. If you do need to do it by hand, be sure to double and triple check. If you send the crypto to the wrong address, it is gone. There are no do-overs.
Video Tutorial
Below is a short video that demonstrates how to send crypto from an exchange to a paper wallet using a mobile device. I used Kraken in this example but the process at Coinbase and the other exchanges is very similar. Remember, use the QR code feature to read the public key on your paper wallet. This is the address that the funds will be sent to.
Test With a Small Amount First
The first time you go through this process I recommend testing with a small amount, like $5 worth. Give it a try and marvel at the fact that you can now transfer money without any middleperson (aka bank). The money transfer happens because of the cooperation between people who don’t know each other but who are connected by ingenious code and the desire to create something new. Once you buy your first crypto, you also become part of that revolution. And by giving it as a gift, you bring others into it.