From the ELLIPAL team. We make the X Card. Here’s how it compares to Tangem — honestly, and with respect for what they’ve built.
X Card and Tangem are the two most credible NFC card cold wallets on the market today. Both work well. The question this guide answers is the one most buyers actually have: what’s different, and which one fits you？
At a Glance
|
|
X Card |
Tangem (closed) |
Tangem (BIP39) |
|
Seed phrase |
Displayed once on Starter during setup. Not stored on card. User must back up manually. |
None (keys on card) |
Phone app (airplane mode) |
|
What the card stores |
Private key only. No seed phrase on card. |
Private key (no seed phrase) |
Private key |
|
BIP39 compatible |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
BIP39 passphrase |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
|
Max backup cards |
Unlimited (10 per batch) |
3 |
3 |
|
Independent PIN per card |
Yes |
Shared |
Shared |
|
Best for |
BIP39 portability + offline seed handling |
Bounded, seedless simplicity |
Tangem users wanting BIP39 |
The Short Version
Three differences matter more than anything else.
1. Seed phrase handling. X Card uses a dedicated offline device called the Starter to generate or import BIP39 seed phrases. The seed phrase appears on the Starter once during setup. You write it down, and then the Starter derives your private key and provisions it to the X Card. The card holds only the private key. The seed phrase is never stored on the card. Tangem's optional BIP39 mode generates the seed phrase through its mobile app.
2. Ecosystem portability. X Card uses BIP39 by default, so your seed phrase works with MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom, Ledger, Trezor, and other BIP39 wallets. Tangem offers a closed multi-card mode (not portable) and an optional BIP39 mode.
3. Backup flexibility. X Card supports many cards sharing the same seed phrase, each with its own PIN. Tangem caps backup sets at 3 cards with a shared PIN.
The rest of this guide covers what those differences mean in practice.
What Makes X Card Different
Offline Seed Handling Through the Starter
The X Card kit includes the Starter, a dedicated offline device for seed phrase operations. It has no internet capability and no connection to phones or computers.
Here's how setup works:
• Power on the Starter. Choose to create a new wallet or import an existing seed phrase.
• If creating: the Starter generates a BIP39 seed phrase and displays it on screen. This is the only time the seed phrase will be visible. Write it down immediately and store the backup securely.
• If importing: enter your existing BIP39 seed phrase directly on the Starter.
• The Starter derives the private key from the seed phrase and provisions it to the X Card via NFC.
• The X Card stores only the private key. The seed phrase is never recorded on or transferred to the card.
• After setup, the Starter's job is done. Use it again when you want to provision more X Cards.
What the card does NOT store: the seed phrase. If you lose your written backup and all your cards, the seed phrase cannot be recovered from any device. This is a security feature, not a limitation. Even physical access to the card cannot expose the seed.
Tangem takes a different approach. Their default closed mode doesn't use a seed phrase at all. Keys are generated on the card and stay there. Their optional BIP39 mode generates the seed phrase in the Tangem mobile app, with airplane mode recommended during setup. Both are legitimate design choices. They just prioritize different things than we do.
BIP39 Portability by Design
If you already use MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom, or any other BIP39 wallet, your existing seed phrase works with X Card. Enter it on the Starter during setup, and the derived private key is provisioned to the card. X Card then functions as a physical, tap-to-sign cold wallet for the same accounts you already control.
The same applies if you already own a hardware wallet like Ledger or Trezor. Same BIP39 seed phrase, entered on the Starter during setup. Your existing wallet stays as deep cold storage. X Card becomes the card you tap for daily transactions.
This is what open ecosystem actually means: your seed phrase is read by the blockchain, not by a brand. Because X Card is fully BIP39, your accounts are never locked to one product. You can always restore on any compatible wallet using the seed phrase you backed up during setup.
Flexible Backup, Independent PINs
A single seed phrase can be provisioned to multiple X Cards — up to 10 per batch, with no hard cap over time. Each card has its own independently-configured PIN.
This enables backup setups that a 3-card cap can’t:
• One card in your daily wallet, one in your safe, one with a family member
• A travel card with a specific PIN you can afford to lose
• Team setups where each signer has their own PIN-protected card
If one card is lost, its PIN protects it — and the others, with different PINs, stay fully secure.
Which One Fits You
X Card is a natural fit for four kinds of users:
If you already use MetaMask, Trust Wallet, or Phantom
Your seed phrase is already BIP39. Import it into X Card through the Starter, offline. You now have a physical, tap-to-sign cold wallet for the same keys you’ve been using. No new seed phrase to manage.
If you already own a Ledger or Trezor
Same logic. Your existing hardware wallet keeps its role as deep cold storage. X Card becomes your daily driver — tap to sign small transactions, keep the USB device in the safe for large moves. One seed phrase, two tools.
If you want daily convenience and cold storage in one product
Traditional cold wallets get locked in a safe because using them is inconvenient. Card wallets get carried because using them isn’t. X Card lets you carry a cold wallet without compromising on how the seed phrase is handled during setup.
If you’re setting up backups for family or multiple locations
With Tangem’s 3-card cap and shared PIN, one setup covers one person’s backup needs. X Card’s flexible provisioning lets you configure separate cards for a spouse, for a safety deposit box, for a second home — each with its own PIN.
When Tangem May Be the Better Choice
We want to be straight about this: Tangem does some things X Card doesn’t, and for the right user, those things matter.
If you want a cold wallet experience with no seed phrase in your life at all — no phrase to write down, no metal plate to buy, nothing to lose — Tangem’s closed multi-card mode is genuinely elegant. Three cards, shared key, mutual backup. If one fails, use another. Done.
X Card can technically be used in a seedless mode (provision multiple cards, skip recording the phrase), but we don’t recommend it. You’d be giving up the BIP39 portability that makes X Card what it is. If your firm preference is “never think about a seed phrase again,” Tangem’s design serves that goal more directly.
The Bottom Line
If you want card-based convenience without giving up BIP39 portability or offline seed handling, X Card was built for you. If you want the simplest possible backup experience and don’t mind staying inside one ecosystem, Tangem’s closed mode fits that.
Both are well-made products. Choose based on what you value.
→ [See X Card]
*ELLIPAL makes the X Card and the Titan 2.0 air-gapped hardware wallet. Information about Tangem is based on publicly available documentation as of 2026.*