What is a Seed Phrase?

An quick dive into the most important aspect of non-custodial wallets.

What is a Seed Phrase / Mnemonic Phrase / 12-Word Phrase?

A seed phrase, also known as a mnemonic phrase, recovery phrase, or 12, 18, or 24-word phrase, is a set of words generated by your non-custodial cryptocurrency wallet to serve as a master key to access your funds.

While they may go by different names, they all refer to the same thing!

The terms seed phrase, mnemonic phrase, and recovery phrase are often used interchangeably because they serve the same purpose: enabling wallet recovery.

While the term “12-word phrase” or “24-word phrase” specifically refers to the length of the seed phrase, the underlying function remains the same.

• This phrase is a human-readable representation of the cryptographic private keys tied to your wallet.

• Seed phrases are typically 12, 18, or 24 words long, derived from a predetermined list of 2,048 words under the BIP-39 standard.

• The order of the words in the seed phrase is critical; even a slight deviation renders the phrase invalid. Here's a few quick tips:

  • The words will always be in lower case.

  • If you think you may have misspelled a word or written it down incorrectly, you can cross-reference against the BIP-39 Master List.

• Your seed phrase acts as the root access (or "master key") for your wallet, allowing you to recover your funds on any compatible wallet if your original device is lost, stolen, or damaged.

  • For a deeper dive, please see : Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) Wallet Paths

Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) Wallet Paths

HD wallets use a tree-like structure to generate multiple private/public key pairs from a single seed phrase.

Paths, like m/44'/0'/0'/0/0, follow the BIP-32 standard and define the hierarchy, enabling easy organization of keys for different purposes or blockchains.

• To take a deep dive: Learn more about HD wallets and BIP-32 paths

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Securing your Seed Phrase Safely 🔐

Regardless of the terminology, keeping your seed phrase secure and private is essential.

Anyone with access to it can take full control of your funds.

Storing it offline, in a secure location, is strongly recommended to prevent unauthorized access or theft.

Having a backup copy in a geographically dispersed location is also advisable.

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Best Crypto Security Practices

Now that we've covered the importance of seed phrases non-custodial wallets, please feel free to read on to the next guide on best security practices when navigating the crypto ecosystem. Whether you're using a custodial or non-custodial solution these practices can help ensure your funds are secure.

Crypto Security Best Practices

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Questions?

Feel free to reach out to our Support Team if you would like any clarification.

For direct support, please create a ticket on our support platform.

A link for a support request can also be found along the top of this webpage as well as many other Chorus One resources including OPUS Pool, The Chorus One SDK, and our Blog.

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About Chorus One

Chorus One is one of the largest institutional staking providers globally, operating infrastructure for over 60 Proof-of-Stake (PoS) networks, including Ethereum, Cosmos, Solana, Avalanche, Near, and others.

Since 2018, we have been at the forefront of the PoS industry, offering easy-to-use, enterprise-grade staking solutions, conducting industry-leading research, and investing in innovative protocols through Chorus One Ventures.

As an ISO 27001 certified provider, Chorus One also offers slashing and double-signing insurance to its institutional clients. For more information, visit chorus.one or follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Telegram.