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Foundations / Explained visually

Your wallet holds the keys.

A cinematic journey from a private key to the public record.

Read the companion guide ↗Download captions ↓AI-generated narration · English captions included

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The idea,
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THE REVEAL

Your Bitcoin wallet holds something more powerful than coins. It holds the keys that let you spend them.

THE PUBLIC RECORD

Bitcoin stays on a shared public ledger: the blockchain. Your wallet reads that record to show what you can spend.

RECEIVE

To receive bitcoin, share a receiving address from your wallet. Think of it as a destination, not your secret key.

AUTHORISE

To send, your wallet signs a transaction with a private key. The signature proves permission without revealing that key.

VERIFY & CONFIRM

The network checks the transaction. Miners include valid transactions in blocks, and further blocks add confirmations.

RECOVER

With a typical self-custody wallet, a recovery phrase can restore your keys. Keep it offline and secret. Anyone with it can take your bitcoin.

THE TAKEAWAY

An exchange may hold the keys for you. Self-custody puts you in control. The blockchain keeps the record. Your wallet gives you the keys.

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