What is Mnemonic Phrase?

Question

Accepted Answer

A **Mnemonic Phrase**, also known as a seed phrase or recovery phrase, is a sequence of 12 to 24 common words that serves as the master private key for a cryptocurrency wallet, providing the sole means to restore access to all associated digital assets across any compatible wallet software. This human-readable phrase is generated according to the **BIP-39 standard** and represents the cryptographic entropy that secures the user's blockchain funds.

Mnemonic Phrase

What is Mnemonic Phrase?

What is the cryptographic process that converts a Mnemonic Phrase into a private key, and how does the BIP-39 standard govern this?

How does the security of a 12-word Mnemonic Phrase compare to a 24-word phrase, and what is the role of entropy in this calculation?

What are the critical security best practices for storing and protecting a Mnemonic Phrase to prevent the loss or theft of cryptocurrency assets?

When restoring a wallet, what are the technical steps involved in using a Mnemonic Phrase, and what is the function of the optional passphrase (BIP-39 extension)?

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