Glossary
What is Private Key?
A secret cryptographic key that gives you full control over your cryptocurrency wallet, used to sign transactions and prove ownership of your funds.
A private key is a secret string of characters that controls a cryptocurrency wallet. Anyone who has your private key has complete access to your funds — they can send tokens, sign transactions, and drain your wallet.
Private Keys on Solana
Solana private keys are typically represented as:
- •Base58 string — A long string of letters and numbers (exported from wallets like Phantom)
- •Byte array — A JSON array of 64 numbers (generated by solana-keygen)
Both formats represent the same key and can be used interchangeably.
Private Key Security
Never share your private key
- •No legitimate service will ask for your private key via DM, email, or chat
- •Scammers frequently impersonate support staff to steal private keys
Use a dedicated trading wallet
- •Create a new wallet specifically for copy trading
- •Only transfer the funds you plan to trade with
- •Keep your main holdings in a hardware wallet
How SOL Wallet Shadow Handles Your Private Key
- •You enter your private key once
- •It's immediately encrypted with AES-256-GCM using your chosen password
- •The encrypted version is stored in browser local storage
- •The unencrypted key exists only in memory while you're using the app
- •It never leaves your device or touches any server
Important
If you lose your private key and don't have a backup (seed phrase or key file), your funds are permanently inaccessible. Always keep a secure backup of your private key or seed phrase.