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Foundations / Explained visually

The words behind the wallet

A jargon-light glossary for wallets, seed phrases, exchanges, chains, bridges, and DeFi.

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The idea,
in words.

Access and destination

A wallet manages keys. An address is a public destination or identifier used on a network. They are related, but not the same thing.

Two things to protect

A private key authorises actions through signatures. In many wallets, a recovery phrase can recreate the keys.

Different systems

A network maintains its own record. A bridge connects activity across networks and introduces additional technical and trust risks.

Programs with consequences

A smart contract is a program on a blockchain. DeFi uses such programs for financial activity. Understanding the words helps you inspect the risks.

Keep exploringWho actually holds the keys? →