What is a seed phrase? Whoever has it can take your crypto
Short answer
A seed phrase, also called a recovery phrase, is a set of words, usually 12 or 24, from a wallet you control yourself. With it, anyone can restore your wallet on any device and move everything in it. Keep it on paper only. Exchange support and our bot will never ask for it.
- Don't photograph it, screenshot it or store it in the cloud or a chat. Write it on paper.
- Anyone who asks for your seed phrase is a scammer. So is any "verify your wallet" or "airdrop" page that asks you to type it in.
- Your exchange account doesn't use one. You log in with a password and two-factor authentication (2FA).
In one line
A seed phrase is the master key to a wallet: a set of words in a fixed order. Whoever has it can move everything in the wallet.
An example
You create a new wallet in a wallet app, and it shows you 12 words to write down in order.
- You lose your phone: install the same wallet app on a new one, enter the 12 words in order, and your crypto is all there.
- Someone claiming to be “support” says your wallet needs verifying and sends you a page that asks for your seed phrase: it’s a scam. Type it in and your crypto will be gone.
Related
FAQ
Does my exchange account have a seed phrase?
No. You log in to an exchange account with your password and 2FA. Seed phrases belong to wallets you control yourself, like a wallet app or a hardware wallet.
What if I lose my seed phrase?
If you can still open the wallet, create a new one right away, move your crypto into it and write down the new phrase. If you lose both your phone and the phrase, the crypto is gone for good.
Someone wants me to type in my seed phrase to "verify" my wallet. Should I?
No, it's a scam. The only time you type it in is when you restore your own wallet in the wallet app. Anyone who asks for it on a website, in a form or in a chat is a scammer.