If you want a hardware wallet that is genuinely Swiss, the BitBox is the obvious candidate. Shift Crypto is based in Adliswil, just outside Zurich, the datasheet names Switzerland as the country of origin, and the code is public on GitHub. The current BitBox02 Nova suits people who buy bitcoin regularly and want to hold it themselves for the long haul: the Bitcoin-only edition deliberately leaves everything else out, the microSD backup makes the backup step harder to get wrong than scribbling down a list of words, and Bluetooth means it works with an iPhone.
It is a weaker fit if you hold Solana, XRP or Dogecoin – even the Multi edition does not support them. If price matters most, the Trezor Safe 3 at CHF 49, an official franc price, costs a fraction. And if you use DeFi across many networks, the short coin list will hold you back.
Who is behind the BitBox
Shift Crypto AG was founded in Zurich in 2015 and is now based at Soodmattenstrasse 4 in Adliswil. The original BitBox02 came in Multi and Bitcoin-only versions; some retailers still stock it, but we could not confirm whether Shift Crypto still sells it directly. The current flagship is the BitBox02 Nova.
The Nova at a glance: Bitcoin-only or Multi
The Nova is a small stick with a glass-covered OLED display (128 × 64 pixels) and touch-sensitive areas instead of buttons. It connects via USB-C or Bluetooth Low Energy. According to the datasheet it works with Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, Linux, iOS and iPadOS 16 or later, and Android 9 or later. It comes in black, white and bitcoin orange.
The edition matters far more than the colour:
- Bitcoin-only: the firmware knows bitcoin and nothing else. Less code means fewer places for bugs to hide. If you only plan to buy bitcoin, this is the natural choice.
- Multi: bitcoin, ether with ERC-20 tokens, other EVM networks, Cardano and Litecoin, plus a FIDO U2F function so the device doubles as a two-factor login key for websites. Ether and stablecoins such as USDT (as ERC-20) are covered; Solana, XRP and Dogecoin are not.
Everything runs through the BitBoxApp for desktop and mobile, which is also open source.
Security model: a chip plus open code
The Nova pairs a microcontroller with a separate A specialised chip that protects secrets against physical attacks such as extraction in a lab. Certifications like EAL6+ rate how resistant it is., the Infineon OPTIGA Trust M V3, certified to EAL6+. Its main job is to defeat someone who steals the device and tries to read it out in a lab. The firmware, meanwhile, is fully The source code is public so anyone can inspect it. Reproducible builds let you check that the shipped firmware was built from exactly that code., with reproducible builds, and according to Shift Crypto it has been externally audited.
That mix is the heart of the BitBox approach: the hardware guards the secret, the open code lets independent experts check the logic. Ledger takes the opposite route with a secure element whose operating system is not public – a debate we cover in our Ledger review.
When you connect, the BitBoxApp runs a device attestation to check you have a genuine BitBox. Useful, but no substitute for buying from a trustworthy source: in 2026, tampered Ledger devices sold by a Malaysian reseller showed that an added hardware implant can slip past authenticity checks when the secure chip itself is untouched.
Backup: microSD card and word list
With most hardware wallets you copy down 12 to 24 words during setup. The BitBox does it differently: the backup is written to a microSD card. That cuts the risk of transcription errors and makes restoring onto a new BitBox straightforward. The device can also display the A list of 12 or 24 words under the BIP-39 standard from which every key in a wallet can be rebuilt. Whoever has it controls the coins. as a word list.
Our advice: use both. A microSD card is handy, but it is an electronic medium; over decades, paper or a steel plate is more robust. And with the BIP-39 word list you can recover your bitcoin in any compatible wallet, even if Shift Crypto were ever to vanish. Keep the card and the words in two different places, for example at home and in a bank safe-deposit box. Anyone who asks you for these words is a scammer – see our guide to crypto scams in Switzerland for the usual tricks.
Setting it up in six steps
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Buy from the source
Order directly from Shift Crypto (shop.bitbox.swiss) or a reseller the maker lists. No second-hand devices, no marketplace bargains.
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Install the BitBoxApp
Download the app only from bitbox.swiss or the official app-store listing. Watch out for fake download pages in search ads.
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Connect and set a password
Pair via USB-C or Bluetooth. You enter the device password on the BitBox itself, not on your computer.
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Create and back up the wallet
Write the backup to the microSD card, then display the word list and write it on paper. Store the two separately.
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Check the backup
The BitBoxApp can verify the backup. Do this before you move any serious money.
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Start with a test
Always compare the receiving address on the BitBox display, send a small amount first, then the rest.
Price and buying in Switzerland
We have to flag a gap here: we could not verify the Nova’s franc price in the official shop, which blocks automated requests. German retailers list the Nova from about EUR 175 and the classic BitBox02 at around EUR 149. The binding price is the one shown on shop.bitbox.swiss.
One advantage you will not find on a price list: Shift Crypto ships from within Switzerland, so a direct order carries no import VAT and no customs clearance fee. Order a device from France or the Czech Republic instead and Swiss import VAT of 8.1% is due on the value of the goods including shipping, unless the seller already collects it at checkout. The Nova Multi is also listed by Swiss electronics retailers; check that they are authorised by the maker.
How the BitBox compares
| BitBox02 Nova | Trezor Safe 3 | Trezor Safe 5 | Ledger Nano S Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | Shift Crypto, Adliswil | Trezor, Prague | Trezor, Prague | Ledger, Paris |
| Price | CHF not confirmed | CHF 49 | CHF 119 | USD 69 |
| Bitcoin-only edition | ||||
| Bluetooth | ||||
| Touch controls | ||||
| Open firmware | partly | |||
| Backup | microSD or words | words, multi-share | words, multi-share | 24 words |
Against the Trezor Safe 3, the Nova adds Bluetooth, touch controls and the microSD backup, but costs considerably more. The Safe 5 has a larger colour screen and multi-share backup, which splits the backup into several parts. Ledger supports far more coins, but has no Bitcoin-only firmware and a chequered record on customer data. More in our Trezor review, the Ledger review and the overview of crypto wallets in Switzerland.
Travel rule: proving the address is yours
When you withdraw bitcoin from a Swiss exchange or bank to your BitBox, you will often have to prove the address belongs to you. The reason is the The rule that sender and recipient details must travel with a transfer. FINMA has applied it to crypto since 2019.: since its Guidance 02/2019, FINMA in principle allows supervised firms to send crypto to external wallets only if they belong to their own verified customers. Our guide to FINMA and crypto regulation has the background.
The BitBox makes this proof fairly painless. In the BitBoxApp you sign a message with a bitcoin address and confirm it on the device. According to BitBox support, this currently works only with native SegWit addresses starting with «bc1q». Copy the exchange’s text exactly – one extra space is enough to produce a different signature. BitBox also documents AOPP, a procedure in which the exchange prepares the message for you to sign; ask your provider whether it supports it.
BitBox set up and address verified? All that is missing is the bitcoin – buy online and send it straight to your own address.
Operating since 2013Group registered with FinCEN (US) and the FCA (UK)
Tax: self-custody still gets declared
Shift Crypto does not issue a tax statement, which is normal for self-custody. Bitcoin on your BitBox still goes into the securities schedule of your tax return as at 31 December, valued at the rate in the Federal Tax Administration’s price list, and counts towards wealth tax. Note your holdings at year end and keep the purchase records from your exchange. Our guide on declaring crypto in your tax return walks through the form.
Strengths and weaknesses
What works
- Maker based in Adliswil ZH, country of origin Switzerland per datasheet; no import charges on direct orders
- Bitcoin-only edition with no altcoin code
- Backup to microSD card, with an optional BIP-39 word list on screen
- Firmware and BitBoxApp open source on GitHub, with reproducible builds
- USB-C and Bluetooth: works with iPhone from iOS 16 and Android from version 9
Watch out for
- Multi edition lacks Solana, XRP and Dogecoin; USDT only as ERC-20
- Nova CHF price not verifiable for us; retailers list it from about EUR 175
- Message signing for exchanges only with bc1q addresses
- Small 128 × 64 pixel display for reading long addresses
Who the BitBox suits
The BitBox02 Nova Bitcoin-only is the natural choice if you live in Switzerland, buy bitcoin every month – say, through a savings plan with Relai or Pocket – and want to keep those savings in your own hands for years. A Swiss counterparty, open code and a backup that avoids transcription errors add up to a coherent package. The Multi edition makes sense if ether, Cardano or litecoin sit alongside your bitcoin.
If you want a cheaper entry or a multi-share backup, look at the Trezor Safe 3 or Safe 5. To self-custody Solana or XRP you need broader coin support, such as Ledger – with the caveats set out in our review. And for small everyday amounts on your phone, an app like Exodus will do, as long as larger sums move to a device like the BitBox.
