Trezor Produces In-House Chips to Speed Up Hardware Wallet Production

Trezor, a popular hardware wallet manufacturer, has announced that it will produce its own chip wrapper, a key component of its Trezor Model T wallet, to optimize production and reduce lead times in the supply chain. By bringing chip manufacturing in-house, Trezor can be more agile and adaptable to market conditions, reducing its reliance on third-party suppliers and eliminating shipping delays caused by component supply and demand.

The move is a significant one for Trezor, as it allows the company to take greater control over the supply chain and respond quickly to factors like geopolitical disruption and labor shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, the company was exposed to third-party supply vulnerabilities due to factors like these, which could result in delays in shipping finished products and cause consumers to be exposed to price fluctuations based on component supply and demand.

The move to in-house chip manufacturing also provides Trezor with more design freedom for future products, allowing the wallet provider to build the hardware wallet devices from scratch. Additionally, the move will enable Trezor to respond quickly to market conditions and meet the growing demand for its products.

The decision to produce its own chip wrapper comes a year after Tropic Square, a startup operated by Trezor’s parent firm Satoshi Labs, launched a new open-source chip called TROPIC01, which provides cryptographic key generation, encryption, signing, and authentication for users. Trezor is expected to become the first customer of Tropic Square for the product, which provides a unique business model that can be applied in exceptional cases.

According to Štěpán Uherik, Trezor’s Chief Financial Officer, the company has collaborated with its partner STMicroelectronics to identify areas where they can take control and make the manufacturing process as agile as possible. By unpacking the process, Trezor has managed to optimize the production of its wallets and meet the growing demand for its products.

Trezor’s decision to produce its own chip wrapper is a strategic move that has significant implications for the hardware wallet industry. It allows companies to have greater control over their supply chain, respond quickly to market conditions, and meet the growing demand for hardware wallets.

In conclusion, by producing its own chip wrapper, Trezor is accelerating hardware wallet production and ensuring that it can meet the demand for its products. The move provides greater control over the supply chain, reduces lead times, and eliminates shipping delays caused by component supply and demand. It also provides more design freedom for future products and allows Trezor to respond quickly to market conditions. Overall, it’s a strategic move that positions Trezor as a leader in the hardware wallet industry.