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BIP39 passphrase
A BIP39 passphrase is an optional extra word or phrase added to a seed phrase. The seed phrase plus the passphrase together produce the wallet; the same seed phrase with a different passphrase, or none, produces a completely different wallet.
What it means for you. Every passphrase opens a valid wallet, so a typo gives no error: it shows an empty wallet instead of yours. Without the exact passphrase, including capitals and spaces, the funds cannot be recovered from the seed phrase alone. Someone who finds only your words cannot reach the passphrase wallet.
Source: BIP-39: Mnemonic code for generating deterministic keys · checked 4 October 2026
Seed phrase
A seed phrase is a list of ordinary words, usually 12 to 24, that encodes the master secret of a wallet. Every private key in the wallet can be rebuilt from it, so it works as the backup for the whole wallet, on any compatible app or device.
What it means for you. Whoever has the words controls every account derived from them; the wallet's PIN or password does not stop them. Write the words in order, check the spelling against the 2,048-word list, and keep them offline. A missing or misspelled word can lock you out.
Sources: BIP-39: Mnemonic code for generating deterministic keys, ethereum.org: Ethereum wallets, BIP-32: Hierarchical deterministic wallets · checked 4 October 2026