Best Antivirus to Protect Your Crypto: 2026 Comparison
Independent lab results, false alarms and prices: the right protection for a PC that holds crypto.
Our No. 1 antivirus to protect a PC that holds crypto is Malwarebytes, our choice for over 10 years without ever being hacked: combine it with VirusTotal for every downloaded file and with the free Browser Guard extension against scam sites. In the lab, Kaspersky (99.8% protection at AV-Comparatives) and Bitdefender (99.5%) do better.
Malwarebytes is mainly penalized by its false positives: check before deleting a file. Kaspersky is a vendor of Russian origin, whose sale has been banned in the United States since 2024.
Antivirus ranking
| # | Service | Type | Best for | Cost | Key terms | Custody | Checked on | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malwarebytes | Anti-malware / Free version | Our pick for over 10 years, without a single hack: the reference anti-malware, with the free Browser Guard extension against scam sites. Combine it with VirusTotal for every downloaded file. | Standard (3 devices): price by country · free scanner | PC, Mac, Android, iOS. Secure browsing with scam blocker, Plus plan with VPN. Free Browser Guard for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. Refunded within 60 days. | AV-Comparatives 2026: 98.8% protection · AV-TEST: Top Product | Source | |
| 2 | Kaspersky | Full suite / Free version | Best lab results: 99.8% protection with only 3 false alarms at AV-Comparatives. | Standard, Plus, Premium: price by country · free version | PC, Mac, Android, iOS. Free version available. Refunded within 30 days. | AV-Comparatives 2026: 99.8% · 3 false alarms · ADVANCED+ | Source | |
| 3 | Bitdefender | Full suite / Free version | The most consistent in lab tests: maximum protection with few false alarms, on Windows and Mac alike. | Total Security €49.99 first year (5 devices) · Antivirus Plus €24.98 (3 devices) | PC, Mac, Android, iOS. Free version on Windows. Protection against hidden crypto mining (to enable). Refunded within 30 days. | AV-Comparatives 2026: 99.5% · ADVANCED+ · AV-TEST 18/18 | Source |
Malwarebytes
Our pick for over 10 years, without a single hack: the reference anti-malware, with the free Browser Guard extension against scam sites. Combine it with VirusTotal for every downloaded file.
Watch out: Ranked below Kaspersky and Bitdefender in lab tests, mainly because of its false alarms (39 at AV-Comparatives): check before deleting a file. The free version scans and cleans, with no real-time protection.
Kaspersky
Best lab results: 99.8% protection with only 3 false alarms at AV-Comparatives.
Watch out: Publisher of Russian origin: its sale has been banned in the United States since 2024 and the German cybersecurity agency (BSI) has advised against it since 2022. Promotional first-year prices: check the renewal price.
Bitdefender
The most consistent in lab tests: maximum protection with few false alarms, on Windows and Mac alike.
Watch out: Promotional first-year prices: check the renewal rate before paying.
How to choose an antivirus for crypto
- Lab results
- We use the independent tests of AV-Comparatives and AV-TEST: 99.8% protection for Kaspersky, 99.5% for Bitdefender, 98.8% for Malwarebytes.
- False positives
- An antivirus that flags too many clean files ends up being ignored: Kaspersky has only 3 at AV-Comparatives, Malwarebytes 39.
- Protection against scam sites
- Phishing remains the main threat: Malwarebytes offers the free Browser Guard extension, Bitdefender protection against hidden mining.
- The vendor's origin
- Germany's cybersecurity agency (BSI) has advised against Kaspersky since 2022: it is up to you.
- Renewal price
- First-year prices are often promotional: check the renewal rate before paying.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best antivirus to protect your crypto?
Our choice is Malwarebytes, used for over 10 years, with Browser Guard and VirusTotal. If lab results matter most to you, Kaspersky and Bitdefender get the best scores.
Is an antivirus enough to protect a crypto wallet?
No. It reduces the risk of malware, but it does not stop you from signing a booby-trapped transaction on a fake site. Check every site and keep your savings on a hardware wallet.
Should you avoid Kaspersky?
Kaspersky gets the best lab results, but it is a vendor of Russian origin: its sale has been banned in the United States since 2024 and Germany's BSI has advised against it since 2022. It is up to you.
Is the free version of Malwarebytes enough?
It scans and cleans a computer, without real-time protection. Browser Guard, the extension against scam sites, is free.
Useful guides
- VirusTotal and good habits: scanning a file or link before opening it : A "beta" game received on Discord, a crypto tool, a wallet update: run every download through VirusTotal before opening it. The method, its limits, and Malwarebytes as extra protection.
- Phishing, Drainers and Malicious Signatures : Permit, setApprovalForAll, fake airdrops, poisoned addresses: understand how drainers empty a wallet and learn to read a signature request.