A Crypto Must-Know: Public vs. Private Keys

If you've looked into getting a crypto wallet, you may hear that it comes with a key. In fact, it comes with two keys: a public key and a private key. They are both essential and they do different, complementary jobs.

The public key is used to send cryptocurrency into a wallet. The private key is used to verify transactions and prove ownership of a blockchain address. If someone sends you, say one bitcoin (BTC), a private key will be required to “unlock” that transaction and prove that you are now the owner of that bitcoin.

Think of your public key as your mailing address. Anyone can look it up and send things, in this case cryptocurrency, to that address. It's similar to providing your checking account number and routing number to set up a direct deposit – you can tell that information to anyone, but it doesn't allow them to withdraw money or otherwise log in to your account.

The private key on the other hand is for the wallet owner only. The private key functions as a password to your crypto wallet and should be kept secret. The thing you must understand is that if someone discovers your private key, they will have access to all the crypto in that wallet and can do whatever they want with it.

Private keys are numerical codes – but you may never see your actual private key. To make things more user-friendly, many wallet providers often encode your private key in a way that you can more easily record and remember.

Many wallets use a "seed phrase," also known as a "secret recovery phrase," to unlock your wallet. If you open a crypto wallet with MetaMask, you will be assigned a string of random words that you use to unlock your funds. Your private key is hidden inside the software behind this user-friendly string of words.

Read More: What Is a Seed Phrase?

However, if you keep your crypto in an exchange wallet (such as Coinbase or Binance) or with a custodian, then that company holds your private key for you. Strictly speaking, it would control your funds on your behalf.

Learn More: Custodial vs. Non-Custodial Wallets

The function of the private key, technically speaking, is to "sign" transactions that use your funds. Transactions using your funds cannot be validated by the network without your private key attached. The public key encrypts transactions, which can be decrypted only by the corresponding private key. The technology is called public-key cryptography, sometimes abbreviated PKC, or asymmetric cryptography.

A final note that cannot be stressed enough is that you must keep your private key or seed phrase or both safe and secret. Write it down and store it in several places as there is no way to recover it if you lose it or it gets into the wrong hands. Don't take a screenshot of it or take a picture with your phone as these digital copies are often targeted by hackers.