Seed phrase
A sequence of typically 12 or 24 words (BIP-39 standard) from which a wallet deterministically derives all of its private keys and addresses (BIP-32/BIP-44). Anyone holding the seed phrase can reconstruct the entire wallet on any compatible software or device. An optional passphrase (often called the “25th word”) generates a different, hidden set of keys from the same words; without it, those funds do not appear.
Related
Essays
- Two Sweeps Pointed at the Same Address
“The seed phrase had leaked, the balance was gone before anyone noticed, and that is normally where the conversation ends.”