The Dynamic Duo That Makes Crypto Work

🧷 What Are Keys in Crypto?

In crypto, keys are like passwords — but smarter.

Your public key is like your email address

Your private key is like your email password

You give your public key to the world. 🌍
You guard your private key like your life depends on it. 🛡️

Together, they allow you to send, receive, and prove ownership of your crypto.

📬 The Public Key

Generated when you create a wallet

Can be safely shared

Is used to create your wallet address

People use it to send crypto to you

💡 You could post it on a billboard and still be safe (just don’t do that with your private key 😅)

🔐 The Private Key

Secret code that proves you own your wallet

Lets you send crypto

If you lose it? Your coins are gone forever

If someone steals it? They own your crypto

This key must stay offline, hidden, and ideally locked in Fort Knox. (Okay maybe not Fort Knox, but you get the idea.)

🕵️‍♀️ So How Does It Work?

Let’s say Alice wants to send Bob 1 BTC.
Here’s what happens:

Bob gives Alice his public key (or wallet address)

Alice sends 1 BTC to that address

The blockchain records it, but only Bob’s private key can unlock/spend that 1 BTC

Bob uses his private key to access or move it

This whole system is powered by cryptography

Your public key is your mailbox. Your private key is the only key that opens it.

Public key = shared to receive crypto

Private key = used to unlock and spend it

You need both to make crypto work

Never share your private key (like, ever)

Ok, before we move on to how to get started in crypto, lets quickly get into transactions & fees.