Public Key
Cryptographic key derived from private key that enables others to verify your transaction signatures.
Last Updated
2026-03-29
Related Concepts
What is Public Key?
A public key is a cryptographic string of characters derived from a private key that identifies a user on the network. It acts like a digital mailbox address, allowing others to send you assets and verify your transaction signatures without seeing your secret private key.
How does Public Key work?
- Wallet software applies a mathematical function to your private key to generate a public key.
- This public key is often hashed and transformed to create your readable wallet address.
- When you share your address, others use this derived public key to target their transactions.
- When you send funds, your private key creates a digital signature included in the transaction.
- Network nodes use your public key to verify that the signature is authentic and authorized.
Why does Public Key matter?
Public keys are the essential "public face" of a blockchain identity, enabling secure interactions between strangers on a decentralized network. They allow the system to confirm that a transaction was truly authorized by the account owner, providing the mathematical proof needed for a trustless system.
Key features of Public Key
- Openly shared identifier that is mathematically linked to a secret private key
- Primary tool for the network to verify the authenticity of digital signatures
- Used as the source material for generating a user's unique wallet address
- Mathematically impossible to reverse-engineer to find the original private key
- Allows for the transparent and auditable history of all on-chain transactions
Examples of Public Key
An Ethereum public key is a long cryptographic string that is usually represented as a shorter 0x... address for user convenience. When you scan a QR code to receive a payment, the sender's wallet uses your public key information to ensure the funds are correctly routed.