Owning a share of the cryptocurrency bulge is the dream of so many. The fact that cryptocurrency operates on a distributed ledger and allows everyone access means its open to all. As long as you have some fiat currency in the form of a dollar, pound, euro or any other, you can actually choose a cryptocurrency exchange and get bitcoins or altcoins. But, after acquiring your valuable cryptos comes the marauding scammers and fraudsters who will never rest trying to defraud you. it is at this point that the knowledge about crypto wallet keys and how they operate becomes a necessity.
Venturing into cryptocurrency is not for the faint hearted and lazy because everyday is a learning opportunity. If you are not learning about the best time to buy or sell cryptocurrency then it’s time to learn a few important terminologies in the niche. Honestly, cryptocurrency traders and investors are always on a learning spree lest they miss out big time.
As a starting point, every crypto buyer, investor or trader understands that a wallet is the real treasure trove as far as crypto is concerned. This is where all transactions are initiated and approved. So, it is never a waste of time to know how to secure your crypto wallet of which public key becomes an important component.
Cryptocurrency wallet
In this exciting world of digital currency, there are numerous areas of concern that you must understand as a digital currency trader. The uniqueness of cryptocurrency operations defined from selling, exchanging and buying, makes it very interesting and appealing. But in order to reap the fruits of the lucrative digital currency trading, you must have cryptocurrency account.
Once you get registered and own a cryptocurrency account, you will be in a position to start purchasing digital currency. The procedure would require you to deposit some money into your account as a beginner. But if you are already an existing trader, it is possible to purchase your currency with the other existing currencies.
When you purchase digital currencies, they automatically get stored into something known as your digital wallet on the cryptocurrency website. It is private and it is only you that should have access to this wallet. From this secure wallet, you are able to keep track of your cryptocurrency ownings.
It is important that you are well acquainted with various storage methods and perform a comparison spree. You have a mandate as a cryptocurrency investor to understand how crypto transactions operate. Therefore, it is vital that you learn how public and private keys operate together.
What is a Cryptocurrency Wallet?
While most states have not recognized cryptocurrencies, they have not prohibited their citizens from owning or investing in cryptocurrency. The fact that cryptocurrency is not banned or heavily regulated doesn’t imply that most governments don’t keep a close eye on them.
Since many people currently prioritise cryptocurrency over fiat money, a great deal of operations have taken toll orders. Many users are now able to deposit and withdraw their money in the form of cryptocurrencies, mainly Bitcoin. But in order to perform all these you need to own a cryptocurrency wallet.
Crypto wallet is an avenue that stores your currency. These are majorly some of the passwords that give you entry into your cryptocurrencies which are safe and accessible. From your wallet, you have the authority to send and receive cryptocurrencies for instance, Ether or Bitcoin.
Basically, crypto wallets are varied. Some are in the form of hardware wallets like ledger in the form of a USB stick. Others are in the form of mobile applications, for instance, Coinbase Wallet. Coinbase makes using cryptocurrency very easy. Talk of the paper wallets with keys written on a physical medium stored in a safe place.
Significance of a Cryptocurrency Wallet
A normal wallet holds actual cash but when it comes to a crypto wallet, they don’t technically hold your crypto. What happens is that your holdings in this case are existent on the blockchain which are only accessible using a private key.
It is this private key that proves ownership of your digital money and makes it possible for you to transact. However, some of these wallet keys are termed as public keys and both make an integral part of cryptocurrencies.
Understanding a Public Cryptocurrency Wallet Key
In the same way a private key allows you to send and receive cryptocurrency without a third-party verification, a public key does too. The keys form a part of the Public-Key Cryptography (PKC) framework. Through a public cryptocurrency wallet key, you are able to send your cryptocurrency to anyone, in any place at any particular time.
You may need to share your public keys to enable your reception of various transactions. However, a private key must remain to be private for the purposes of safety. But first let’s get an insight into understanding this.
Public Key
This is considered a cryptographic code that allows you as a crypto user to either receive or send cryptocurrencies into or out of your account. A public key is a cryptographic code paired to your private key.
Anyone can send transactions to the public key, but you need a private key to unlock such a transaction. In most instances, the public key comes in the form of an address representing a short form of your public key. Public keys can be shared freely without any worry but one must have access to a private key to access funds.
How does a Public Key Work?
When you start your first transaction with either Bitcoins, Ethereum, or altcoins, there is a unique public key and a private key created. Each key comprises a long string of alphanumeric characters that will help to keep your holdings secure. There ais a sophisticated algorithm that is applied to the private key to help generate the public key. Both of these keys are stored in your digital wallet.
Once a transaction has been initiated by you to send your cryptocurrency to another person, this transaction must be broadcasted. This is only possible through the networks where the distributed nodes set to confirm the validity of the transaction before it is finalised. The transaction is then recorded on the blockchain.
But just before the transaction gets broadcasted, it becomes digitally signed through a private key. It proves ownership of the private key but doesn’t avail any details of the private key to the public. However, since a public key is created from the private key, your public key is used to ascertain that the digital signature came from your private key.
Upon the verification of your transaction as valid, the funds are then transferred to the recipient’s public address. The public address makes out the shorter version of the public key. Usually, the public key comprises of an extremely long string of numbers shortened and compressed to make up a public address. Effectively, the private key generates a public key which in turn produces a public address.