Finance & Economics / Blockchain & Crypto
Private Key Format Converter
🔐 SECURITY WARNING
NEVER enter your actual private keys into any online tool or calculator!
- Private keys control your funds - keep them secret
- Anyone with your private key can steal your crypto
- Use hardware wallets for secure key storage
- Never share, screenshot, or transmit private keys
- This tool shows formats for educational purposes only
Understanding Private Key Formats
What is a Private Key?
A 256-bit random number that proves ownership of cryptocurrency. It's used to:
- Sign transactions
- Derive public keys and addresses
- Prove ownership of funds
Format Conversions:
Different formats encode the same 256-bit number differently:
- Hex: Direct representation, 64 characters
- WIF: Base58Check with checksum and network byte
- Base64: Binary-to-text encoding
Which Format to Use?
- Bitcoin Core: WIF format
- Ethereum: Hexadecimal (no 0x prefix)
- Paper Wallets: Usually WIF or QR code
- Hardware Wallets: Internal format (never exposed)
- APIs/SDKs: Usually hexadecimal
Relationship to Public Keys:
Private Key → (ECDSA) → Public Key → (Hash) → Address
Public keys and addresses are safe to share. Private keys must remain secret.
Use this private key format converter to compute blockchain & crypto results from your inputs.