Cryptionary
Term

Key pair

A key pair consists of a private key and a corresponding public key used for digital signatures and addresses in cryptocurrencies.

Type:
cryptography
security
Also known as:
public-private key pair
asymmetric keys
1
concept

The private key is a secret used to sign messages; the public key verifies signatures and derives addresses. Asymmetric cryptography enables ownership without revealing secrets.

Example 1.1

"Wallets generate key pairs and derive many addresses from a seed using deterministic paths."

Example 1.2

"Never share your private key; signatures prove control without exposing it."

2
formats

Keys and addresses appear in various encodings (hex, WIF, base58, bech32). Compatibility depends on curve and network parameters.

Example 2.1

"Bitcoin Cash uses the secp256k1 curve for ECDSA, with addresses encoded in CashAddr."

Example 2.2

"Hardware wallets store private keys and sign transactions without exposing key material to the host device."

All terms and definitions may update as the Cryptionary improves.