Heading somewhere exotic with crypto?
The use of cryptocurrency payments for travel has gone ballistic recently. Crypto travel transactions surged 38% YoY, and more tourists are leaving the banks and credit cards at home to enjoy the speed and ease of digital currencies. After all, who wants to:
- Pay currency conversion fees
- Wait for their banks to process transactions
- Worry about credit card fraud overseas
Problem is…
Travelers using crypto means more attack vectors and potential for losses. From phishing scams to public WiFi hacks, the risk to your crypto assets increases while on the road. Luckily, you can easily mitigate these threats and don’t need to be a cybersecurity guru to do it.
In this post, I’ll show you how to protect yourself from crypto security risks while traveling. From purchasing tickets, paying for hotel stays, to making other purchases while abroad, these tips will help you travel smarter with crypto. And if you want to be super organized with your crypto taxes, this 2025 crypto tax report can help you keep track of all your travel expenses for tax purposes.
Let’s dive in!
Cryptocurrency Payments – Here’s What We’ll Cover
Why Crypto Travel Security Matters
The travel sector has wholeheartedly embraced cryptocurrency.
14% of digital currency transactions were spent on travel and hospitality in 2024. Airlines, hotels, and booking platforms are all jumping on board the crypto train. With growth comes greater exposure to scams and hackers, though.
Here’s why:
Travelers are distracted by new surroundings, often using public WiFi, and making quick decisions. They’re also visiting tourist hotspots with high crime. That makes travelers a target. In 2024 alone, phishing attacks cost crypto users over $1 billion in hundreds of attacks.
Think about it…
You’re rushing to make it to your gate or hotel room. Booking tickets and paying in crypto is literally the last thing on your mind. Scammers know this, and they’re counting on it.
Securing Your Wallet Before You Travel
Preparation is your best defense.
Before you even leave home, start by setting up a travel wallet. Don’t use your main crypto wallet while traveling. Transfer only what you need for the trip to a fresh wallet. This way, your main wallet is not exposed if there’s a breach.
Here’s what you should do:
Create a brand new wallet just for travel expenses. Transfer the exact amount you’ll need plus a little extra for emergencies. Keep your wallet’s recovery phrase safe at home – never with you or stored on your phone.
Use a hardware wallet for the vast majority of your funds. Leave this locked up at home. And only access your hot wallet while traveling for your daily expenses. It’s like having cash in your pocket but savings in a bank safe.
Turn on every security setting available. 2FA, biometric security, transaction limits. Yes, it’s a bit of a pain. But those few extra seconds may save you a fortune.
Pretty cool, right?
Oh, and be sure to update your wallet software to the latest versions before you leave. Security updates fix known vulnerabilities that hackers actively exploit.
Safe Transaction Practices Abroad
WiFi is your enemy when making crypto payments.
Look, I know it’s tempting to use that free hotel or airport WiFi. But those networks are hacker goldmines. Hackers set up packet sniffers and man-in-the-middle attacks that monitor all connections.
This is how to protect yourself:
Use a VPN any time you access your crypto wallet. A good VPN will encrypt your traffic so even if someone is snooping on the network, they can’t see your data. Use a VPN provider with a strict no-logs policy.
Better yet? Use your phone’s own cellular data connection rather than public WiFi for crypto transactions. Yep, it may chew into your data plan. But that’s a small price to pay for security.
When making a payment, check every wallet address twice. Don’t rely on copying and pasting addresses. Clipboard malware can swap the address you think you are sending to with another in the background. One single incorrect character and your crypto is gone forever.
Use QR codes whenever possible – much less chance of typos or clipboard attacks. But scan with your phone’s native camera first to check for tampering before opening your wallet app to scan.
Protecting Yourself from Common Scams
You might be surprised to know just how sophisticated travel crypto scams are getting.
Fake hotel booking sites. Phishing emails that look 100% identical to airline booking confirmations. Physical threats to tourists in the airport baggage claim or popular attractions. Travel crypto scams are so diverse and wide-ranging.
The most common? Fake payment gateways. You think you are making a payment to a hotel or tour company. But you’re actually sending your crypto straight into the hands of a scammer. Scam sites are professional-looking looking down to fake SSL certificates and fake customer reviews.
Here’s what the scammers do:
They clone legitimate travel booking sites, buy ads on Google to be at the top of search results, and wait for travelers to click and book. Everything looks legit until it’s too late. You pay in crypto for the “booking confirmation,” then show up at the hotel to find out the scam.
Romance and investment scams are also hitting travelers abroad. People befriend you in a foreign country, build trust, then make some “amazing investment opportunity” or “need emergency funds” pitch. Classic social engineering. Just with a vacation backdrop.
Don’t rush crypto transactions even if someone puts time pressure on you. Legitimate businesses don’t do this. Take the time to verify addresses, check out company credentials, and research reviews.
Oh, and here is the big one…
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Hotel discounts of 50% or more on luxury stays? “Exclusive” travel deals that require you to pay in crypto? Walk away.
Best Tools and Security Tips
The best tools make all the difference.
Begin with a high-quality VPN like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or ProtonVPN. These have military-grade encryption and servers all over the world. Pick one with a kill switch that automatically cuts your internet if the VPN connection drops.
For wallets, use hardware wallets for long-term storage, mobile wallets like Trust Wallet or MetaMask for daily use, and exchange accounts only for spot conversions. Don’t store crypto long-term on exchanges.
Password managers are a must for storing wallet credentials. Use encrypted ones like 1Password or Bitwarden. Never store passwords in your web browser or phone notes.
Disable auto cloud backups for crypto apps while traveling. Cloud services can get compromised, especially on public networks. Manual, encrypted backups kept offline are best.
Practice the need-to-know principle. Don’t tell fellow travelers, hotel staff, or new friends that you are carrying crypto. The fewer people who know, the safer you are from targeted attacks.
The Bottom Line
Cryptocurrency has made traveling a whole new experience.
Instant payments, no currency conversion fees, and accepted at thousands of travel merchants worldwide. But these benefits do come at some security risks that should not be ignored.
Traveling with crypto safely means being prepared and vigilant. Set up travel-only wallets, use a VPN religiously, verify each transaction, and don’t be seduced by crazy good offers. These basic practices protect you from 90% of potential threats.
Don’t let security concerns stop you from using crypto while traveling. With the right precautions, in fact, it’s actually one of the safest and most convenient ways to pay. The crypto travel revolution is here. Be a part of it safely.
