MetaMask vs Wallet of Satoshi

Comparing: two wallets
Decided by: Editorial rating
Last reviewed: 2026-08-25

MetaMask holds real bitcoin since December 15, 2025, but it is still an Ethereum wallet with a BTC address attached.

The easiest Lightning wallet to start with, and a custodial one: the company holds your coins, and it has stopped offering that in the US and the EU.

Verdict: MetaMask

MetaMask rates higher on our rubric: 3.0 against 2.7 for Wallet of Satoshi.

Criterion: Editorial rating
MetaMask: 3.0
Wallet of Satoshi: 2.7

MetaMask and Wallet of Satoshi, fact by fact

Every row is from the two reviews as of their review dates, with sources on each. A check marks the side a decidable criterion favours; rows without one are information, not a score.

MetaMask and Wallet of Satoshi compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
Fact	MetaMask	Wallet of Satoshi
Editorial rating	3.0 (favoured on this row)	2.7
Status	Available	Caution: see the review
Made by	Consensys	Living Room of Satoshi Pty Ltd
Price	Free download	Free download
Who holds the keys	self-custodial, keys generated on your device from a 12 word Secret Recovery Phrase Consensys never sees	custodial in its default mode, meaning the company holds the keys, with a separate self-custodial mode where you do
Bitcoin-only	No	Yes
Runs on	iOS, Android, Browser extension	iOS, Android
Screen	Not stated	Not stated
Connectivity	Not stated	Not stated
Released	2016	The custodial service left the US on November 23, 2023 and the European Union at the turn of 2026
Countries on the maker's list	228	No published list
Last reviewed	2026-08-25	2026-08-25

Pros and cons, side by side

MetaMask

What works

Native bitcoin support since December 15, 2025, with a BTC address generated for you automatically
Swaps from Ethereum, other EVM networks or Solana into bitcoin without leaving the wallet
Buying supports debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal and bank transfer, depending on your region
Keys are generated on your device, and Consensys holds nothing it could freeze or reset
The extension almost every dapp is tested against, so connections rarely break

What to watch

Bitcoin support is native SegWit only: MetaMask's own announcement says Taproot is still to come
The app now bundles perpetual futures at up to 50x leverage, prediction markets and tokenized stocks next to your keys
Those extra products carry their own eligibility rules, which are separate from the wallet and change without notice
A hot wallet in a browser extension or phone app, with no secure element and no offline signing
Bitcoin is one chain among many, and the product's center of gravity is Ethereum

Wallet of Satoshi

What works

The fastest way onto Lightning there is: no channels, no liquidity management and no node to run
Free Lightning address that reads like an email, so anyone can pay you without scanning a code
Pays Lightning invoices and on-chain bitcoin addresses from the same box, detecting which you pasted
A self-custodial mode is offered everywhere, including in regions where the custodial one is not
No breach of its custodial infrastructure has been publicly reported

What to watch

Custodial in its default mode, so the company can freeze, lose or stop serving your balance
Left the US market on November 23, 2023 and has not announced a return
Withdrew the custodial service across the European Union at the turn of 2026, pushing EU users into self-custody
No published country list, so which mode you get is decided by the app rather than by a page you can read first
In-app buying runs through third-party partners whose country coverage changes without the wallet saying anything

Frequently asked questions

Is MetaMask or Wallet of Satoshi better?

MetaMask rates higher on our rubric: 3.0 against 2.7 for Wallet of Satoshi. The rating follows the product rubric published on our about page; the rows above set custody, price and platforms side by side so you can check it.

Are MetaMask and Wallet of Satoshi free?

Yes, both are free to download. What differs is who holds the keys: MetaMask is self-custodial, keys generated on your device from a 12 word Secret Recovery Phrase Consensys never sees; Wallet of Satoshi is custodial in its default mode, meaning the company holds the keys, with a separate self-custodial mode where you do.

Is MetaMask or Wallet of Satoshi bitcoin-only?

Wallet of Satoshi is bitcoin-only; MetaMask supports other assets too. Ethereum and EVM networks, Solana, Monad and Sei, plus native bitcoin since December 15, 2025

Does MetaMask or Wallet of Satoshi carry a warning?

Wallet of Satoshi: Wallet of Satoshi pulled its app from US app stores and stopped serving US customers on November 23, 2023, then withdrew its custodial Lightning service across the European Union at the turn of 2026, as the MiCA transition periods and the DAC8 reporting rules closed in on custodial providers. EU users are offered the self-custodial mode instead. Wherever the custodial mode is still available, the company holds the keys, which is the risk to weigh before you put money in it.

The full reviews: MetaMask and Wallet of Satoshi, each with its sources, and every wallet we review.

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