Jaxx Liberty Wallet— Getting Started Guide

Jaxx Liberty Wallet has been officially discontinued and is no longer supported by its developer, Decentral Inc. The information below is provided for historical and educational reference only. Users are strongly advised to migrate to actively maintained wallet solutions to secure their digital assets.

What Was Jaxx Liberty Wallet?

Jaxx Liberty was a multi-currency cryptocurrency wallet developed by Decentral Inc., a blockchain company based in Toronto, Canada. Originally launched as Jaxx in 2014, the wallet was later rebranded as Jaxx Liberty with a focus on accessibility and user-friendly design. The wallet gained significant popularity, accumulating over 700,000 users at its peak.

One of the founders of Decentral was Anthony Di Iorio, who also served as the first Executive Director of the Bitcoin Alliance of Canada and was a co-founder of Ethereum. This pedigree gave Jaxx Liberty a degree of credibility in the cryptocurrency community during its operational years.

The wallet was notable for supporting over 80 different cryptocurrencies, including major assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash. It offered cross-platform functionality, allowing users to access their assets on multiple devices through a pairing feature.

Key Features of Jaxx Liberty

Multi-Currency Support

Jaxx Liberty distinguished itself by supporting a wide array of digital assets within a single application. Users could manage Bitcoin, Ethereum, and dozens of other cryptocurrencies without needing separate wallets for each asset. The wallet displayed spendable balances and allowed easy switching between different cryptocurrency wallets.

Cross-Platform Availability

The wallet was available across virtually all major platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS. Desktop versions were also accessible as Google Chrome and Firefox extensions. This broad compatibility meant users could access their funds from nearly any device.

ShapeShift Integration

One of Jaxx Liberty‘s unique features was its integration with ShapeShift, which allowed users to instantly buy, sell, and convert supported cryptocurrencies from within the application. This built-in exchange functionality eliminated the need to move funds to external trading platforms for basic conversions.

Portfolio Tracking and News

The wallet included a “Portfolio” module that allowed users to track the price movements of selected cryptocurrencies over time. Additionally, it featured a news module and a cryptocurrency ranking system similar to CoinMarketCap, providing users with market information directly within the wallet.

Block Explorer

Jaxx Liberty included a block explorer that enabled users to search transaction data across multiple blockchains. This feature allowed users to verify transactions and check blockchain activity without leaving the application.

Getting Started: Installation and Setup

Important Notice: The official Jaxx Liberty website (jaxx.io) now redirects to Edge Wallet, as the service was officially discontinued on March 27, 2023. The following setup process describes how the wallet functioned during its operational period and is provided for historical reference.

Step 1: Download the Application

Users would visit the official Jaxx Liberty website and click the “Download” button. They would then choose the version matching their device’s operating system. The wallet was available for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and as a Chrome extension.

Step 2: Accept Terms and Create Wallet

Upon first launch, the application displayed a user agreement that required acceptance. Users were then presented with two options: “Create New Wallet” or “Pair/Restore Wallet”. For new users, selecting “Create New Wallet” would initiate the setup process.

Step 3: Choose Setup Method

The wallet offered two setup paths: “Express” for quick configuration and “Custom” for users who wanted to configure basic settings upfront. The Custom option was generally recommended for users who preferred to establish their preferences from the beginning.

Step 4: Secure Your Recovery Phrase

This was the most critical step. Jaxx Liberty generated a 12-word recovery phrase that served as the only true backup for the wallet. Users were strongly advised to write this phrase down and store it in a secure offline location. The recovery phrase should never be saved on a computer, phone, or any internet-connected device.

Step 5: Set Password and Security Features

After creating the wallet, users would set a strong password and enable any additional security features available. It was recommended to create a backup of the wallet’s recovery phrase and store it safely.

Step 6: Verify Recovery Phrase

The wallet would ask users to confirm the recovery phrase they had saved, ensuring it was recorded correctly. This verification step was crucial because anyone with access to these 12 words could access the wallet’s funds.

Managing Your Assets

Receiving Cryptocurrency

To receive funds, users would select the specific cryptocurrency they wished to receive from the wallet interface. The application would display a receiving address and QR code that could be shared with the sender.

Sending Cryptocurrency

Sending funds involved selecting the asset, entering the recipient’s address, and specifying the amount. Jaxx offered three transaction speed options, with fees correlating to speed—faster transactions required higher fees. These fees went to miners on the respective blockchains rather than to Jaxx itself.

Device Pairing

The cross-platform pairing feature allowed users to sync their wallet across multiple devices. This meant a user could access the same wallet from their phone, desktop, and browser extension simultaneously, providing flexibility in managing assets.

Security Considerations

Non-Custodial Nature

Jaxx Liberty operated as a non-custodial wallet, meaning users had full control over their private keys and recovery phrases. The wallet secured private keys and recovery phrases with bank-grade encryption. This design meant that no third party—including Decentral Inc.—could access user funds without the recovery phrase.

The Critical Role of the Recovery Phrase

In Jaxx Liberty, the 12-word recovery phrase was the only true backup. The wallet’s PIN or password merely locked the local application on a specific device; resetting it would not restore funds. If a user lost their recovery phrase and could no longer access their installed application, their funds would be permanently inaccessible.

Anonymity Features

A notable advantage of Jaxx was its high level of anonymity. Users were not required to provide any personal information, including email addresses, to access the wallet. This made it attractive to users who prioritized privacy in their cryptocurrency activities.

Discontinuation and Migration

Decentral Inc. officially discontinued Jaxx Liberty on March 27, 2023, as announced in their official blog post. The wallet’s website now redirects to Edge Wallet, which was recommended as one of the primary migration options alongside Exodus Wallet.

The migration process relies on users’ 12-word backup phrases. By entering this phrase into a compatible wallet, users can restore access to their funds while maintaining control of their private keys. This underscores the importance of having securely stored the recovery phrase during the wallet’s operational period.

For users who still possess an installed and functional version of Jaxx Liberty, the wallet data including the recovery phrase may still be extractable from the application’s local storage. However, continuing to use discontinued software carries significant security risks.

Brand Impersonation Risks

Following the discontinuation of Jaxx Liberty, malicious actors have created fraudulent websites impersonating the wallet to steal users’ recovery phrases. Security researchers have identified domains such as “jaxxwallet.online” and “jaxxliberty-wallet.org” as high-risk brand-impersonation operations employing seed-phishing techniques.

These fraudulent sites copy legitimate Jaxx branding and offer counterfeit wallet downloads, with the intent of harvesting users’ 12-word recovery phrases. Security vendors have flagged these domains as malicious, and they appear on multiple blocklists. Users should exercise extreme caution and verify any wallet-related website through official channels before entering any sensitive information.

Conclusion

Jaxx Liberty Wallet represented an important era in cryptocurrency self-custody, offering accessible multi-currency support across virtually all platforms. Its user-friendly design and extensive feature set made it a popular choice for both newcomers and experienced users alike.

However, the wallet’s discontinuation in 2023 means that continued use is not recommended. The most critical lesson from Jaxx Liberty‘s lifecycle remains the paramount importance of the 12-word recovery phrase—the single point of access to one’s funds. For current cryptocurrency holders, migrating to actively maintained wallets with robust security practices is the prudent path forward.