Cardano · Web3 · Self custody

The Cardano wallet,
woven into your browser.

The Lace Wallet Extension keeps your keys on your own device, connects your browser to Cardano applications, and shows you exactly what you are about to authorise — before you sign anything.

Get the extension Read the 4-minute guide
  • Free to install
  • Keys never leave your device
  • Works on desktop & mobile browsers
  • Cardano nativeBuilt around the eUTxO model
  • Self custodyNo third party holds your keys
  • dApp readyConnect with a single approval
  • Asset awareADA, native tokens and NFTs

01 — Overview

What the extension actually is

A browser wallet extension does two jobs at once. It is a vault, and it is a bridge. The vault part never touches the internet; the bridge part asks you, every single time, before anything is shared or signed.

i

A vault on your device

Your recovery phrase generates the keys that control your assets. Those keys are encrypted with a spending password and stored locally — in your browser profile, not on a company server.

ii

A bridge to Cardano apps

When a decentralised application needs an address or a signature, the extension injects a provider into the page and shows you a prompt. Decline it and the site learns nothing.

iii

A control surface you can read

Balances, delegation, fees, recipients and warnings are all rendered in the popup, in plain language, at the moment the decision is yours to make.

02 — Capabilities

Built for people who read before they sign

The feature list matters less than the habits it encourages. Each of these exists to keep a decision in your hands.

One approval per site

Connect once, choose which account a site may see, and revoke the connection whenever you like.

Asset management in one view

ADA, native tokens and NFTs together, with the value and the token policy behind each entry.

Transactions you can inspect

Fee, recipients, assets leaving your wallet and script flags, laid out before the signature.

Stake and delegate

Register a stake key, pick a pool, and see rewards without ever giving up custody of the funds.

Hardware wallet ready

Pair a supported device so the extension prepares the transaction and the keys stay offline.

Restore anywhere

Your recovery phrase rebuilds the same wallet in another browser or device — nothing is trapped.

03 — Setup

Three steps, about five minutes

Install from your browser maker's own add-on store, never from an advertisement or a link in a chat message. That single habit prevents most wallet theft.

  1. Add the extension to your browser

    Search the official store listing for the wallet, check the publisher name and the number of installs, then pin the icon to your toolbar so you always know which wallet is open.

  2. Create a wallet or restore one

    A new wallet produces a recovery phrase. Write it down — on paper, offline, ideally twice — then set a spending password. Restoring an existing wallet asks for that same phrase instead.

  3. Connect only what you trust

    Visit a Cardano application, click connect, and read the request. If a site asks for more than an address, or the prompt looks unfamiliar, close the tab and walk away.

04 — Self custody

Security is a habit, not a setting

A wallet extension cannot protect you from a convincing lie. It can only give you the information and the pause you need to spot one. Five habits cover the great majority of real-world losses.

  • Keep the recovery phrase offline, on paper, in at least two places you control.
  • Never type it into a website, a chat message, an email or a "support" form — nobody legitimate asks.
  • Read the recipient address and network before every signature, including the first three and last three characters.
  • Move anything you would grieve over behind a hardware wallet.
  • Use a separate browser profile for experiments, airdrops and brand-new sites.

The honest trade-off: there is no reset button. Lose the phrase and the funds are gone, because no support desk holds a spare key. That is the same reason nobody else can freeze your assets.

Dark green geometric pattern representing an encrypted data structure
Encryption protects a key at rest. It cannot protect a phrase you gave away.

05 — Blog

Guides, written for humans

Short, practical explainers about browser wallets, Cardano applications and looking after your own keys.

Glowing blue particles forming a wave pattern, representing a network of connected nodes

Guide 4 min read Updated January 2026

Lace Wallet Extension: what it is and how to use it

The Lace Wallet Extension is a browser add-on that puts a Cardano wallet and a Web3 connection layer in the same small popup. Instead of pasting a recovery phrase into every site, you approve each connection once, then choose which account a decentralised application is allowed to see.

Installation takes a minute: add the extension from your browser's official add-on store, then create a new wallet or restore an existing one with your recovery phrase. The extension generates a spending password and stores keys encrypted on your device — which is why nobody else can recover them for you. Write the phrase down offline and keep it somewhere only you can reach.

Day to day, it covers digital asset management: checking balances, viewing NFTs, sending and receiving ADA or native tokens, and confirming transactions. Before you sign, read the preview properly. Check the destination address, the fee and the assets leaving your wallet, because an on-chain transfer cannot be reversed or refunded.

Web3 connectivity is the other half. The extension injects a provider into compatible pages so Cardano applications can request a signature. Approve only sites you trust, keep one browser profile for experiments, and prefer a hardware wallet for meaningful holdings. Self custody is powerful precisely because the responsibility is yours.

Security3 min read

Five ways people lose crypto — and the habit that stops each one

Fake store listings, pasted phrases, copied clipboard addresses, rushed signatures and "support" messages. Every one of them is defeated by slowing down for ten seconds.

Basics5 min read

What a Cardano transaction is really made of

Inputs, outputs, fees and metadata: a plain-language tour of the eUTxO model, and why a wallet that shows you each part is safer than one that shows a single confirm button.

06 — FAQ

Questions people actually ask

Is the extension free to use?

Installing and using the extension costs nothing. You only pay ordinary Cardano network fees when you send assets or interact with a smart contract, and those fees go to the network.

Where are my private keys stored?

Keys are generated and stored encrypted inside the extension, on your own device. No server involved in the process holds a copy of your recovery phrase.

Can the extension move funds without my approval?

No. Every outgoing transfer and every contract interaction has to be signed by you. A well-built wallet also shows the details of that transaction before asking for the signature.

Do I need ADA before I can do anything?

You need a small amount of ADA to pay network fees and to hold the minimum balance that every Cardano address requires. Without it, a transaction has nothing to spend and will not go through.

What happens if my computer dies?

Nothing is lost as long as you still have the recovery phrase. Install the extension on another browser or device, choose restore, and enter the phrase to rebuild the same accounts.

Does it work with a hardware wallet?

Yes. Pairing a supported hardware device keeps the signing keys offline, so the extension asks the device for approval instead of unlocking keys on your machine.

Start with a habit, not a purchase

Install from the official store listing, write the phrase down on paper, and connect your first Cardano app deliberately. That is the whole setup.

Get the extension See the FAQ