Seed phrase
A sequence of 12 or 24 common words that is the master key to a cryptocurrency wallet — anyone who has it can access and drain every asset in that wallet.
Also known as: recovery phrase, mnemonic phrase, secret phrase
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
A seed phrase (also called a recovery phrase or mnemonic phrase) is the human-readable backup of a cryptocurrency private key. It is generated when you create a self-custodial wallet and should be written down and stored completely offline in a secure location.
Because the seed phrase is the ultimate key to a wallet — not tied to any password, email, or account — it is the prime target for crypto theft. Phishing sites, social media scams, and fake 'wallet support' accounts routinely ask users to 'verify' or 'sync' their wallet by entering their seed phrase. Doing so gives the attacker instant and irrevocable access to all assets.
No legitimate wallet, exchange, or support team will ever ask for your seed phrase. It should never be entered into any website, app, or form — its only purpose is to restore your wallet on a new device you control.