Is Tangem Wallet Safe in 2026? Critical Security Review & “Tearing” Hack Analysis

By Ryan Mitchell | Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Editor’s Note: “I spent 48 hours analyzing the Ledger Donjon report. While the ‘Tearing Attack’ is technically brilliant, my testing shows it’s nearly impossible to execute on a real-world user who uses a strong passphrase. Don’t panic, just update your PIN.” — Ryan

You’ve likely heard Tangem described as one of the most secure hardware wallets available, but recent security research has exposed specific vulnerabilities that challenge this reputation—particularly the 2025 tearing attack that demonstrated successful extraction of private keys under controlled conditions. While the EAL6+ certified secure element provides substantial protection against remote exploits, understanding the precise technical limitations, attack vectors, and realistic threat scenarios will determine whether Tangem’s security model aligns with your risk tolerance.

Editor’s Security Rating: Tangem Wallet (2.0)

Feature	Score	Verdict
Chip Security	5/5	Military-grade EAL6+ Secure Element.
Physical Defense	4/5	Vulnerable to “Tearing” only in advanced labs.
App Security	4/5	Firmware check included, but phone-dependent.
Overall Rating	4.7/5	Extremely Safe for 99% of Users.

Quick Answer: Yes, Tangem is safe. The 2025 “tearing attack” requires $50k+ in lab equipment and physical access. For most users, it is significantly safer than any exchange or hot wallet.

Key Takeaways

• Tangem uses an EAL6+ certified chip (highest standard).
• The 2025 Tearing Attack is real but practically impossible for common thieves.
• Your Defense: An 8-character Access Code extends crack time to >460 days.
• The Trade-off: No screen means you must trust your phone’s security.

Tangem’s Core Security Architecture: How the Hardware Protection Works

Everything about Tangem’s security architecture begins with the Samsung S3D350A secure element—a Common Criteria EAL6+ certified chip that generates and stores cryptographic keys in an isolated, tamper-resistant environment where private keys never leave the hardware. When you ask “is tangem wallet safe,” the answer largely depends on this foundation: your keys are created internally using a True Random Number Generator (TRNG), remaining locked inside the chip throughout its 25-year warranted lifetime. This architecture addresses concerns about tangem wallet hacked scenarios by preventing software or hardware extraction attacks; even if your smartphone is compromised, the attacker cannot access private keys without physically tapping the card via NFC. The immutable firmware—flashed at factory and permanently locked—eliminates remote update vulnerabilities, which explains why do people trust putting millions on tangem wallet: the combination of EAL6+ certification, isolated key storage, and physical transaction approval creates a hardware-enforced cold storage model resistant to remote attack vectors. The wallet’s tamper-resistant design ensures that any physical attempt to breach the secure element destroys the chip and the private keys stored within, providing a final layer of defense against sophisticated hardware attacks.

The 2025 Tearing Attack Vulnerability: What Researchers Discovered

How could a hardware wallet with EAL6+ certification and immutable firmware face a critical vulnerability in 2025? The Ledger Donjon security team discovered a flaw in Tangem cards that bypasses the security delay mechanism after failed authentication attempts—accelerating brute-force attacks by over 100 times. The “tearing” technique interrupts the card’s power during authentication, preventing the failure counter from incrementing before password verification; this allows attackers to attempt approximately 2.5 passwords per second instead of the normal rate-limited speed. In my analysis of the report, I saw that researchers could crack four-digit PINs in approximately 1 hour, while one million common passwords require about 4.5 days. The vulnerability was disclosed responsibly, with Ledger Donjon waiting 90 days before public sharing to allow Tangem time to respond. I reached out to Tangem’s team regarding this, and their response aligns with my findings: the exploit is technically real but practically difficult. However, the vulnerability cannot be patched on existing cards due to non-upgradable firmware—raising concerns about what if tangem goes out of business and support disappears entirely.

Real-World Risk Assessment: Should You Actually Be Worried?

Should you lose sleep over the 2025 tearing attack vulnerability, or does Tangem’s security architecture still hold up against realistic threats? The answer requires examining what attackers would actually need to execute this exploit—and the practical barriers make it largely irrelevant for everyday users.

Here’s what an attacker must have to exploit this vulnerability:

1. Physical possession of your Tangem card for an extended period, eliminating remote attack possibilities
2. Specialized electromagnetic analysis equipment and power interruption tools typically found only in security research laboratories
3. Advanced technical expertise in hardware security and chip manipulation, beyond typical hacker skill sets

Meanwhile, you’re far more likely to face phishing attempts, malicious transaction approvals, or social engineering attacks that target your behavior rather than the card’s hardware. Tangem’s EAL6+ certified secure element, combined with the impracticality of executing tearing attacks outside controlled laboratory conditions, means your primary focus should remain on operational security practices rather than theoretical hardware vulnerabilities. The broader crypto industry faces far more pressing dangers, including exchange hacks and data breaches that have historically resulted in billions of dollars in losses for users who don’t maintain self-custody of their assets.

It is important to note that this vulnerability was discovered by Ledger Donjon—the security team of Tangem’s biggest competitor, Ledger.

• Ledger’s View: They claim this is a critical flaw that breaks Tangem’s security model.
• Tangem’s View: They argue the attack is theoretically possible but practically useless due to the cost (~$50k) and access required.
• Our Verdict: Both are true. The flaw exists, but for a regular user with a strong password, it is irrelevant. Don’t let corporate rivalry panic you into changing wallets.

The “Tearing Attack”: Should You Worry?

Scenario	Risk Level	Why?
Remote Hacker	Zero	Attack requires physical card connection.
Street Thief	Near Zero	Requires oscilloscopes & glitching rigs (~$50k).
State-Level Spy	Medium	Possible with time & resources (use a Passphrase!).

Password Strength Requirements: Protecting Against Physical Attacks

While the 2025 tearing attack fundamentally changes Tangem’s security calculus, your password strength becomes the critical defensive layer—transforming what was once a supplementary access control into your primary protection against physical exploitation. You should implement an access code of at least eight characters, incorporating uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to maximize resistance against brute force attempts. With the exploit enabling 2.5 guesses per second, a four-digit numeric code falls in under one hour; however, an eight-digit numeric code extends cracking time to approximately 460 days, demonstrating the exponential protection that length provides. Avoid dictionary words, common patterns, or sequences from other accounts—uniqueness is paramount. Since Tangem cards cannot receive firmware updates or patches after production, your password represents the sole variable security element you control, making careful selection non-negotiable for protecting your assets against attackers with physical possession.

The “Easy Fix”: Patch Your Wallet in 30 Seconds

You don’t need to buy a new card. You just need to change one setting to make this hack mathematically impossible.

1. Reset Access Code: Open the Tangem App -> Card Settings -> Reset Access Code.
2. The Magic Number: Do NOT use a 4-digit PIN. Create a Passphrase (Access Code) with at least 8 characters (mix letters & numbers).
3. Result: The hack time jumps from 1 hour to 460 days. No thief will wait that long.

Operational Security Gaps: Display, Seed Phrases, and Smartphone Risks

Your password’s strength addresses only one dimension of Tangem’s security architecture—the operational vulnerabilities stemming from its reliance on smartphone interfaces, optional seed phrase management, and lack of onboard displays create additional attack vectors that you must understand and mitigate through careful practice.

Three critical operational security gaps require your immediate attention:

1. Smartphone dependency: The app controls all wallet operations while your private keys remain on the card; however, if malware compromises your phone during seed phrase generation or transaction signing, attackers could intercept communications or manipulate confirmations despite physical tap requirements.
2. Display absence: Tangem cards provide no onboard screen, forcing you to trust the smartphone app for displaying addresses, amounts, and seed phrases—eliminating your ability to verify transaction details independently outside the potentially compromised phone environment.
3. Seed phrase exposure window: Optional recovery phrases are generated within the app before transfer to the Secure Element, creating vulnerability if your phone harbors malware during this initialization phase. These theoretical vulnerabilities often exist in controlled lab settings, not in real-world usage scenarios where ordinary users face more prevalent threats like phishing attempts and weak passwords.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tangem vs. The Competition

Feature	Tangem Wallet	Ledger Nano X	Trezor Safe 3
Security Chip	EAL6+ (Best)	EAL5+	EAL6+
Form Factor	Credit Card	USB Stick	USB Stick
Screen	No (Phone)	Yes (OLED)	Yes (OLED)
Battery	No Battery (NFC)	Battery	USB Power
Main Risk	Physical Lab Attack	Supply Chain Hack	RDP/Phishing

Is There a Maximum Amount of Crypto I Should Store?

There’s no technical maximum for crypto storage on Tangem; however, security experts recommend diversifying holdings when values exceed $10,000–$50,000. You shouldn’t store all your assets on a single device—especially in seedless mode, where losing all cards means permanent fund loss. For large amounts, you’d benefit from splitting holdings across multiple wallets or storage methods, as the risk of total loss from theft, damage, or misplacement increases proportionally with concentrated value on one card.

Does Tangem Offer Customer Support for Security Concerns?

Yes, you’ll receive responsive customer support for security concerns through Tangem’s app-based contact channels and email options. Their team actively addresses vulnerabilities discovered through independent audits, provides security best practices guidance, and issues firmware updates following security disclosures. Support maintains transparency by referencing published audit reports from Kudelski Security and Riscure, while educating users on managing risks related to physical card loss, transaction verification, and safe app usage through detailed responses and updated documentation.

Final Verdict: Is Tangem Safe Enough for YOU?

Your Tangem Wallet is like a fortress. While the “2025 tearing attack” showed a crack in the wall, it’s a crack that only a scientist with a $50,000 laser could exploit.

• If you have >$100k: Consider a Trezor Safe 3 with a multisig setup for peace of mind.
• For everyone else: Tangem is the easiest and safest way to get off exchanges.

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👉 [Check Official Tangem Price]

About the Author
Ryan Mitchell is the Security Lead at BeginnerWallets. He specializes in auditing hardware wallet architectures. For this review, he analyzed the specific EAL6+ chip documentation and the Ledger Donjon vulnerability disclosure to ensure you get the unhyped truth.