Crypto Dictionary
Seed Phrase
Definition
A list of words that store all the information needed to recover a cryptocurrency wallet.
Deep Dive
A seed phrase, also known as a recovery phrase or mnemonic phrase, is a list of typically 12 to 24 common words (e.g., "apple, banana, cherry...") that serves as a human-readable backup for all the private keys within a cryptocurrency wallet. When a new wallet is created, a seed phrase is deterministically generated based on an industry standard (like BIP39). This single sequence of words can be used to recover or restore access to all associated cryptocurrency funds, even across different wallet interfaces or devices.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1Writing down the 12-word phrase provided by a new hardware wallet during setup
- 2Entering a 24-word seed phrase into a new software wallet to restore access to previous funds
- 3Engraving a seed phrase onto a metal plate for long-term, indestructible cold storage.
Related Terms
Private KeyWallet RecoveryBIP39