Public Key
By Menno — 13 years in crypto, 3 bear markets survived, zero paid promotions
Last updated: March 2026
A public key is a cryptographic code derived from your private key that generates your wallet address. You can safely share your public key or wallet address with others to receive cryptocurrency.
A public key is the counterpart to your private key in blockchain cryptography. It's derived from your private key through a one-way mathematical function — meaning you can generate a public key from a private key, but not the reverse.
The relationship: - Private key → (one-way function) → Public key → (hashing) → Wallet address
Your public key (or the shorter wallet address derived from it) is what you share to receive funds. Think of it like an email address — anyone can send to it, but only you can read the messages (transactions).
Key properties: - Safe to share: your public key reveals nothing about your private key - Verifiable: others can verify your transaction signatures using your public key - Unique: each private key produces exactly one public key
In practice, most users interact with wallet addresses (shorter, more readable versions of public keys) rather than the full public key itself. When someone says "send me your address," they're asking for your public key's wallet address.
Related Terms
Private Key
A private key is a secret cryptographic code that proves ownership of a cryptocurrency address and authorizes transactions. It's like the password to your crypto — whoever has it controls the funds.
Seed Phrase (Recovery Phrase)
A seed phrase is a set of 12 or 24 words that serves as the master backup for a cryptocurrency wallet. Anyone with your seed phrase has full control of your funds — it must never be shared or stored digitally.
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