BIP39 Passphrase
An optional secret added to a BIP39 seed that creates a different wallet; losing it means losing access.
- Also known as
- 25th word
The BIP39 passphrase is an extra password applied to a mnemonic seed. With the same 12/24 words, a different passphrase derives a completely different wallet. Without the exact passphrase, funds are unrecoverable.
- Not all wallets support passphrases; verify before enabling
- Store the passphrase separately from the mnemonic; avoid mixing in backups
- Test recovery on a spare device with small funds
Related terms
3 linkedExplore connected entries beyond the alphabetical index.
Seed Phrase
→A human-readable backup that can recreate a wallet’s private keys, addresses, and spend authority.
Deterministic Wallet
→A wallet that derives all keys and addresses from a single seed phrase, enabling easy backup and recovery.
Extended Public Key (xpub)
→A BIP32 extended public key that derives many child public keys and addresses without revealing private keys.
All terms and definitions may update as the Cryptionary improves.
