Passkey Wallet
A crypto wallet that lets users create or approve transactions with a passkey, such as a device PIN, fingerprint, or face scan, instead of a seed phrase.
A passkey wallet is a crypto wallet that uses passkey technology, often based on WebAuthn or similar standards, to authenticate the user and approve wallet actions. Instead of asking the user to write down and re-enter a seed phrase, the wallet relies on a cryptographic credential stored on a phone, computer, hardware security key, or synced password manager. The passkey may be unlocked with a fingerprint, face scan, or device PIN, but the biometric data itself is not sent to the blockchain.
Passkey wallets matter because they can make self-custody easier and reduce common mistakes such as losing a seed phrase or typing it into a phishing site. They are often used with smart contract wallets, account abstraction, or multi-party computation so that recovery and signing can be handled more flexibly. For example, approving a token transfer may feel like logging into an app with Face ID, while the wallet still produces a cryptographic signature behind the scenes. Users should still understand the recovery setup and whether credentials are device-bound, cloud-synced, or controlled by a third-party service.
Other terms in Wallets & Security
Address Poisoning
A wallet scam where attackers plant lookalike addresses in your transaction history so you might copy the wrong recipient later.
Approval Phishing
A scam that tricks users into granting a malicious wallet or smart contract permission to spend tokens from their wallet.
BIP-39
A standard for turning wallet backup data into a human-readable seed phrase, usually 12 or 24 words.
Crypto Wallet
A tool that stores and manages the private keys needed to access and use cryptocurrency on a blockchain.