What it does

A seed phrase controls wallet recovery. Anyone with the phrase may be able to access the funds, so it should never be shared, photographed or stored casually online.

Why it matters

Seed phrases are central to self-custody. They give users control, but also responsibility for security and backup.

Related pages

Compare crypto wallets and read about self-custody.

How to use this term

Use seed phrase knowledge before moving funds into self-custody.

What to check

Check that the phrase is stored offline, backed up safely and never typed into random websites, bots or support chats.