Watch-Only Wallet
wallet · security
A wallet that monitors balances and transactions but cannot spend because it lacks the required private keys.
A watch-only wallet imports public information such as addresses, xpubs, or view keys. It can display balances and transaction history, but it cannot create valid signatures.
Watch-only setups are convenient but can reveal wallet activity to the device or service doing the monitoring. Sharing an xpub can expose many related addresses even without spending power.
Related terms
Wallet
→Software or hardware that manages signing credentials, addresses, transactions, and access to blockchain assets.
wallet · security
View Key
→A read-only key that reveals selected wallet activity or balances without granting spending authority.
privacy · wallet
Self-Custody
→Holding and securing your own private keys instead of relying on an exchange, custodian, or broker.
wallet · security