The physical card (Ballet Cold Storage)
This is a credit card sized metal card containing two key pieces of information: the private key entropy and the passphrase entropy. These two pieces must be combined to decrypt the full private key. They exist only on the physical card itself, never touching the internet, your phone, or the app.
The virtual card (shown in the app)
When you use the Ballet Crypto App to scan the primary coin QR code on your physical card, a corresponding "virtual card" appears on the app's home screen. Its purpose is to let you:
- Check your balance in real time
- View current fiat currency value
- Perform other functions that don't require the private key
Key point: the virtual card never stores your private key entropy or passphrase entropy. It's simply a display window for checking your holdings. It does not mean your private key has been imported into your phone or the app.
When do you actually need the physical card?
Any time you want to send crypto out, you need the physical card itself, entering the passphrase entropy manually and scanning the private key entropy QR code. The app alone cannot complete a transaction on its own.