Seed phrases and private keys

Private keys

A private keyPrivate key A secret number that proves ownership of crypto. Anyone who has it can move the funds. is a very large secret number. It mathematically proves you control a specific public addressPublic address The string of characters you share so others can send you crypto, like an account number.. Wallets use it to sign transactions. The key itself never needs to be shown to anyone.

Seed phrases

Managing raw private keys is error-prone, so wallets generate a seed phraseSeed phrase A list of 12 or 24 words that can recreate all the private keys in a wallet. Never share it. instead: 12 or 24 ordinary words. From that phrase, the wallet can recreate every key it will ever use. That’s why it’s called a recovery phrase. If your phone breaks, the phrase restores your wallet on a new one.

The rules

1. Write it down on paper (or stamp it in metal), and store it somewhere safe. Consider a second copy in a separate place.
2. Never photograph it, email it, or store it in cloud notes.
3. Never type it into a website. A legitimate wallet only asks for it when you are restoring the wallet inside the app.
4. No real support agent will ever ask for it. Anyone who asks is attempting theft.

What if I lose it?

If you still have access to the wallet, create a new wallet, write down its new seed phrase, and move your funds over. If you’ve lost both the device and the phrase, the funds are almost always unrecoverable. Nobody can reset it for you.