The simplest way is to help them set up their own wallet, then send sats to it. Gift cards for bitcoin apps also work. Skip paper wallets and devices you set up yourself, because whoever made the seed phrase can take the bitcoin.
Go deeperSending to their own wallet means the gift is theirs from the start. If they're new, sit down together, install a well-known wallet app, have them write down their own seed phrase, then send a small amount so they can watch it arrive. A gift card from a bitcoin app is easier to wrap, but the app company holds the bitcoin until they withdraw it to their own wallet. A hardware wallet makes a good gift for savings. Buy it new, straight from the maker, and let them set it up themselves. In the US, a gift usually isn't taxed for either of you. The person who receives it takes on your original cost, so give them a note of what you paid and when. Gifts over $19,000 to one person in 2026 mean filing a gift tax return, though tax is rarely owed. This isn't tax advice.
Last checked Oct 26, 2026