Seed Phrase vs. Private Key: What's the Difference?
A private key is a long, unique string of characters that cryptographically proves ownership of a specific account. Private keys control one account, and anyone with a private key has full access to that account. Private keys are used to sign transactions, verifying that you approve of a specific onchain activity. It usually looks like a random string of letters and numbers.
A seed phrase is a set of 12 to 24 simple human-readable words that can generate one or more private keys. A seed phrase is also called a recovery phrase because it can restore an entire wallet, unlike a private key. A seed phrase can control multiple accounts and if someone has your seed phrase, they effectively have all your private keys.
How They Work Together
Most digital wallets use a process that works like this:
- Your wallet creates a seed phrase
- The seed phrase mathematically generates private keys
- Each private key controls a different account or address
This means the seed phrase generates private keys, and the private key controls a specific account. Regardless of what they're protecting, you should never share your private key or seed phrase with anyone.
