The **Core Wallet** (developed by Ava Labs) is a non-custodial digital wallet designed to provide a seamless, multichain experience, primarily focused on the **Avalanche (AVAX)** ecosystem but supporting major chains like Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Solana. This guide will walk you through setting up Core and using its features to access **Spot Trading**, **Perpetuals (Perps)**, and **Lending** through integrated dApps.
The Core Wallet is available as a mobile app (iOS/Android) and a browser extension (Chrome). Always download from the official sources to prevent phishing scams.
To use DeFi features, you'll need crypto assets and a small amount of the native gas token (like AVAX on Avalanche C-Chain) for transaction fees.
Core Wallet is the gateway to the DeFi ecosystem. You access trading and lending features by connecting your wallet to Decentralized Applications (dApps) in the browser.
Spot trading involves buying or selling an asset immediately at the current market price (e.g., swapping AVAX for USDC).
Perpetuals are a type of derivative contract that allows for leveraged trading without an expiration date. These are accessed via specialized dApps.
Lending allows you to earn yield on your crypto by providing it to a protocol, while borrowing lets you take a loan against your collateral.
Core is the successor and official all-in-one wallet built by Ava Labs. It offers a seamless, non-custodial experience with native support for the Avalanche X, P, and C-Chains, built-in bridging, and an integrated dApp browser, making it a superior tool for the ecosystem compared to the older, more limited Avalanche Wallet.
Yes, Core Wallet is non-custodial. This means you, and only you, have control over your funds via the Secret Recovery Phrase. Core Wallet (Ava Labs) cannot access or move your assets. This places the full responsibility for securing your phrase on you.
Core Wallet does not charge its own transaction fees for sending or swapping assets. However, all on-chain activity requires a small **network gas fee** (paid in the native currency of that chain, e.g., AVAX for Avalanche or ETH for Ethereum) to compensate the validators for processing the transaction.
Core fully supports the P-Chain for staking. In the Core Wallet interface (especially the web version), look for the dedicated **"Stake"** or **"P-Chain"** section. You can manage your validator delegations and view your staked balance there. Note that P-Chain balances may not always appear in the main C-Chain portfolio view.
Yes. Core is a multichain wallet and provides native support for several major blockchains, including **Bitcoin**, **Ethereum**, and **Solana**, in addition to Avalanche. You can manage assets and connect to dApps across these different ecosystems using the same Core interface.
The Core Wallet simplifies the complex landscape of multichain DeFi, serving as a powerful, user-friendly portal to the Avalanche ecosystem and beyond. By following the steps to secure your recovery phrase, fund your wallet, and connect to dApps, you gain access to sophisticated financial instruments like **Spot Trading**, **Perpetuals**, and **Lending**. As with any non-custodial tool, always exercise caution, verify official links, and remember that securing your Secret Recovery Phrase is your most critical responsibility.