Seed Type Explained
Understand the different types of recovery seeds used in cold wallets and how they impact security and recovery options.
What is Seed Type?
Seed type refers to the standard or format used to generate a wallet's recovery phrase, such as BIP39, SLIP39, or proprietary formats.
Common Seed Types
- BIP39: Most widely used, 12-24 word mnemonic phrases compatible with many wallets.
- SLIP39: Supports Shamir Backup, splitting the seed into multiple shares for added redundancy and security.
- Proprietary Seeds: Custom implementations by some wallet manufacturers, may limit interoperability.
Security Considerations
- BIP39 is widely tested and supported, making it reliable for recovery and migration.
- SLIP39 allows for safer backup across multiple locations without exposing the full seed.
- Proprietary seeds can be secure but may lock you into a specific ecosystem.
Best Practices
- Know which seed type your wallet uses before attempting recovery or migration.
- Always keep physical backups in secure locations.
- Avoid sharing seed words or storing them digitally to prevent theft.