Key pair
A key pair consists of a private key and a corresponding public key used for digital signatures and addresses in cryptocurrencies.
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.
"Wallets generate key pairs and derive many addresses from a seed using deterministic paths."
"Never share your private key; signatures prove control without exposing it."
Keys and addresses appear in various encodings (hex, WIF, base58, bech32). Compatibility depends on curve and network parameters.
"Bitcoin Cash uses the secp256k1 curve for ECDSA, with addresses encoded in CashAddr."
"Hardware wallets store private keys and sign transactions without exposing key material to the host device."
Related Terms
Address
→A public identifier used to receive cryptocurrency on a blockchain network.
Deterministic Wallet
→A wallet that derives all keys and addresses from a single seed phrase, enabling easy backup and recovery.
Hardware wallet
→A hardware wallet is a dedicated physical device that securely stores private keys and signs transactions offline to protect against malware and remote attacks.
All terms and definitions may update as the Cryptionary improves.
