Connect your Trezor to a third-party interface such as MetaMask to secure and manage cryptographic NFTs on Ethereum.
A Trezor wallet secures and manages NFTs using Metamask and other third-party interfaces.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a form of cryptocurrency with specific metadata that differentiates each coin or token. They are not exchangeable for other currencies even on the same network or in the same “collection”; hence they are non-fungible, as fungible means that a coin can be substituted for any other currency.
Since some NFTs are becoming highly coveted, robust security becomes more critical. Trezor hardware wallets are designed to store cryptocurrencies of various types. On can use your Trezor to store and secure NFTs as long as they exist on a network already supported in the device’s firmware, such as Ethereum.
While your Trezor hardware wallet can secure NFTs, it cannot do it in Trezor Suite. To manage NFTs securely, a must use a third-party interface such as MetaMask. This is still secure as long as you properly configure MetaMask to communicate directly with your Trezor so that your seed remains disconnected at all times. Read on to learn more about NFTs and how to store them in your physical wallet.
Content
- Does Trezor support NFTs?
- What is EIP-721, and what does it have to do with NFTs?
- How can I store NFTs with a hardware wallet?
- How can I use MetaMask with Trezor to manage my NFTs?
- How to add an NFT to the Trezor home screen
- View your NFTs in a gallery
- What happens to your NFTs if you lose your physical wallet?
Does Trezor support NFTs?
Both Trezor hardware wallet models support signing NFT transactions, but only when used with a third-party interface. This applies to NFTs created according to Ethereum’s EIP-721 standard that allows receiving, storing, and sending NFT tokens on the Ethereum network. Other networks are not currently supported, and there are no immediate plans to add support for them.
Can I view my NFTs in Trezor Suite?
Trezor Suite does not support viewing and managing NFTs, and there are no immediate plans to add support. To view your NFTs, you will need to use a browser with a dedicated gallery feature, such as opensea, or a mobile app into which you can import your public key. See more about this in the View your NFTs gallery section.
Can I see my NFTs on my Trezor screen?
You can only configure the home screen of your Trezor manually. To display an NFT on your Trezor’s home screen, download the image to which your NFT is linked and open Trezor Suite; then, use the Change Home Screen function in the device settings to load your image onto the device. This is covered in How to add an NFT to your Trezor’s home screen.
Does Trezor support EIP-1559?
Both Trezor hardware wallet models support EIP-1559, an Ethereum enhancement that makes gas prices more predictable. That means it’s best to use an interface that promotes EIP-1559 when buying NFTs because it reduces the chances of a failed transaction and can help alleviate transaction costs in the long run.
What is EIP-721, and what does it have to do with NFTs?
The NFT standard, EIP-721, is a proposed Ethereum enhancement that provides a set of rules on how to handle NFT metadata. It differs from the standard used for ERC-20 tokens because it accommodates each token being distinct rather than one of many identical fungible tokens.
Another standard with an uncomfortably similar name, EIP-712, improves the presentation of data during the signing and is sometimes encountered when NFTs are offered for sale in specific markets. This standard is now fully compatible with MetaMask and both Trezor models.
Know what you are buying
Due to limited block space and data-dependent fees, most NFTs created today do not include the actual image, video, or audio data that the NFT represents but include a link to the image hosted elsewhere. It is this link that demonstrates ownership of your NFT.
Always ensure that the NFT you are buying is what you expect. If the token’s chain data does not include the actual artwork, the artifact it links to can be exchanged at any time, leaving you with the right to a hyperlink to something you intend to buy.
How can I store NFTs with a hardware wallet?
Hardware wallets are the best way to protect your cryptocurrency, as they keep your seed (your master key) offline while allowing you to sign transactions quickly. Protecting NFTs by storing them in a hardware wallet is necessary if you plan to hold them for a significant period.
Check out – best and most secure crypto wallets for NFTs
To store NFTs with a Trezor hardware wallet, you must have a third-party application installed capable of managing NFTs. One popular application is MetaMask, a browser wallet extension that supports Ethereum NFTs. Once MetaMask is installed, you will need to configure it to use your Trezor seed for authentication. These steps are covered in the next section.
Let’s look at how it works to help understand what happens when you connect Trezor to a third-party application. First, your Trezor contains a seed, 12 or 24 words that generate all the keys and addresses associated with your assets. That seed never leaves your device: when a transaction needs to be signed, the transaction data is sent to your Trezor, signed offline, and then shipped again.
Using a third-party application
The same happens, but instead of Trezor Suite preparing the message data, the third-party application sends the message to your Trezor device. Since Trezor can only accept a specific format, you don’t have to worry too much about which applications or extensions it connects to as long as you use your Trezor to make sure the transaction recipient’s address, amounts, and rates are correct.
This is where Trezor’s trust screen comes into play: your Trezor’s screen will only show you the data to be signed, so if a malicious attacker changes the address to one of yours or alters the amounts being sent, your Trezor will let you see that the data is not what you set so you can cancel the transaction.
With NFTs, transactions are performed like any other innovative contract transaction. To receive them in your hardware wallet, you will need an Ethereum address, which we can generate in Trezor Suite or any other third-party application connected to your Trezor, such as MetaMask.
Once you have a secure Ethereum address, it’s simply a matter of pulling the asset from the escrow platform (Opensea, Rarible, Foundation, etc.) and sending it to the Ethereum address to you hold the keys. To manage the NFT afterward, you will have to use a third-party app, so let’s see how to do it in detail.
How do I use MetaMask with Trezor to manage my NFTs?
Adding NFT tokens to your hardware wallet is very simple. All you need is an Ethereum address securely generated offline by your Trezor. To do this, connect your Trezor, create a new Ethereum account in Trezor Suite, and then transfer your NFTs to that address. This way, you will have exclusive control of the keys associated with that NFT. Let’s go step by step.
1. Set up an Ethereum account in Trezor Suite.
To store NFTs, all you need is an Ethereum address to send them to. Since NFTs are assets we can revalue, you must know that you are the only person who controls that address. The only way to know for sure is to generate your keys securely offline, which is why it’s so important to use a Trezor.
In Trezor Suite, visit the Accounts page and click on the green plus sign (+) next to My Accounts.
This will open a menu for adding new coins. Click Activate more coins, choose Ethereum from the list, and click Find my Ethereum accounts.
You now have a new empty Ethereum account. To get your receiving address, stay on the main Ethereum account page and click Receive, then click Show full address.
Double-check each character in that address against the one displayed on your Trezor screen. If they match, you can copy the address. If they don’t, there may be malware on your host computer, and we should not use the address.
Once you have verified the address with your Trezor, you can start using it to receive NFTs, ERC-20 tokens, and other Ethereum transactions.
2. Connect your Trezor to MetaMask or another interface.
Now that you have an address to send your NFTs to, you may want to install an interface that communicates with the NFT marketplace you plan to use. MetaMask is a browser-based extension broadly compatible with Trezor and can be used to manage NFTs on platforms such as Opensea, which also serves as a gallery.
To connect to MetaMask
You must install the extension, create a new account with a password, and write down a backup copy of the recovery seed it generates. We will not use this account, but you need to set it up before you can add a hardware wallet to the extension.
Next, click on the circle at the top right of the MetaMask interface. A drop-down will appear with all connected accounts. Click Connect Hardware Wallet, and a new page will open.
Choose Trezor from the options displayed, and you will be redirected to Trezor Connect. This is the Trezor software that allows third-party applications to communicate securely with your device.
Select the Trezor you wish to use and allow the MetaMask extension to read the public keys from it.
Check that the account you are exporting is correct and click Export. Your Trezor must be logged in and unlocked. Next, enter the passphrase associated with the account.
Now, MetaMask can read your public keys and see which Ethereum accounts are associated with your Trezor seed. Note that we can trace all transactions from any statement back to you.
Select an account to use, choose the one you set up earlier, usually the first option in the list, and click Unblock.
Your wallet address will now be “watched” by MetaMask, and any transaction initiated through this MetaMask account will have to be signed by your Trezor.
You can now use MetaMask to manage NFT on any supported platform. As long as you always use the account connected to your hardware wallet, all your Ethereum and related assets will be secured offline by your Trezor.
3. Buy an NFT or transfer one to your hardware wallet
With MetaMask active and your Trezor connected, you can start buying and transferring NFTs securely. Go to your favorite marketplace, and if you choose something you want to buy, make the transaction using your MetaMask account connected to Trezor.
Sales of NFTs through a marketplace are usually conducted via a smart contract. This usually means that the funds are held by the market until the deal is confirmed, at which point the NFT is transferred. The interaction with smart contracts and the transfer of NFTs require a lot of data. Even if the NFT is simply a link, expect to pay high transaction fees when purchasing your NFT.
Always ensure that the information displayed on your Trezor screen matches what MetaMask shows.
Confirm the purchase in MetaMask, and then check that all transaction details are displayed correctly in your Trezor before completing the purchase. If you have purchased an NFT at the final price, it will take some time for the purchase to meet and the NFT to arrive. If you have participated in an auction for an NFT, you will have to wait until the auction concludes to receive your NFT or have your allotted funds returned to you.
Once completed, the NFT in the Ethereum address is controlled by your Trezor. This means it is safe from online attacks, and you completely control what happens to it. But be aware that, in many cases, we can change images linked to NFTs to another idea that has nothing to do with what you want to buy. The Cryptokitty NFT purchased in the screenshot above is just a code representing the “genes” of the cat, but the image itself does not exist on the Ethereum blockchain.
Finding the token in MetaMask
Your NFT will probably not appear in MetaMask automatically, so you must add it manually. First, open the MetaMask extension and navigate to your Trezor account there. Open the Assets tab, click Import tokens, and then switch to the Custom Token tab. Fill in the Token Contract Address – this appears publicly and can be found by searching the project homepage or through a block explorer like Etherscan – and set 0 as the Token Decimal. Click Add Custom Token, and you should now see a token in your MetaMask. You can now also use the MetaMask mobile app account to view your NFTs in a gallery.
Adding an NFT to your Trezor home screen
Although Trezor Suite does not natively support NFTs, you can permanently save the image your token points to and then load that image into your Trezor. To add an NFT as a home screen image, go to Device Settings in Trezor Suite and scroll down to Personalization.
View your NFTs in a gallery
To view all the NFTs stored in your Trezor, export your account address (i.e., your public key) to any third-party NFT viewing application.
With access to your address, the application can see the assets you own but cannot interact with them. Open Trezor Suite, go to Receive, and click Show Full Address, or in your Trezor account on MetaMask, click the three-dot menu and select Account Details to be shown your address.
Marketplaces often have gallery sections, so if you have purchased your NFT from one of them, you may already be able to browse your collections there.
What happens to your NFTs if you lose your physical wallet?
As with other cryptocurrencies, NFTs are not stored in your wallet. They exist online, but the keys needed to move them between owners are stored in your Trezor. If you lose your Trezor, you lose your keys. That’s why you should keep your Recovery Seed safe, so you can restore the keys to another wallet if something happens to yours.
As long as you have a safe backup of your Recovery Seed, you can recover your keys on any compatible wallet. Your NFT will be right where you left it once you restore your wallet.
