Before this course: Crypto and Bitcoin Explained (course 5.9). You should already know what a blockchain is, how mining and the halving work, the difference between a platform and self-custody, and that no one should ever see your recovery phrase. This course goes deeper on technology, security and costs.
Keys, addresses and what a wallet really is
Imagine a giant public notebook that shows who owns which digital coins. Your wallet is not a bag with coins in it. It is a keyring. The keys prove which entries in the notebook are yours and let you move them.
- Bitcoin.org says it plainly: "The wallet does not store coins themselves." The coins exist as records on the blockchain, and the wallet holds the keys that control them.
- A public address is like an account number you can share to receive funds. A private key controls the funds, so whoever has it can move them.
- Most modern wallets are backed up with a recovery phrase (a list of words). Bitcoin.org says to store it offline, never as a photo or in a cloud service, and never share it with anyone.
- Many modern wallets are deterministic: one backup of the recovery phrase can restore past and future addresses. Bitcoin.org says to check whether your wallet needs regular backups.
- Wallet files that hold private keys can be accidentally deleted, lost or stolen.
- Bitcoin offers very limited recovery options if you lose a wallet password or key. There is no help desk that can reverse it.
| Thing | Real-life comparison |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | A public notebook of who owns what |
| Public address | An account number you can share to receive funds |
| Private key | The key that lets you move the funds |
| Recovery phrase | A master copy of the keyring, stored in a safe place |
- Draw a keyring, a notebook and a mailbox on one page.
- Label the notebook "blockchain", the mailbox "public address" and the keyring "private keys".
- Write one sentence: "The wallet holds keys, not coins."
- Write what could go wrong with the recovery phrase: lost, photographed, shared, stored in the cloud.
- Next to each risk, write how a person could avoid it.
- Explain the picture to a friend in under one minute.
- Check: your friend can say the difference between a public address and a private key.
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
Read the video script
[Host] "A crypto wallet does not hold coins. Here is what it holds instead."
[Text on screen: the wallet holds keys, not coins] "The coins are records on the blockchain. Your wallet holds the keys that control them."
[Text on screen: public address = share / private key = never share] "A public address you can share to receive. A private key you never share, because whoever has it can move the funds."
[Text on screen: recovery phrase: offline, never a photo or cloud] "Back up your recovery phrase offline. Never as a photo, never in the cloud, never with anyone."
[Host] "And remember: there is no help desk that can reverse a lost key."
Draw the keyring picture and write the four risks to a recovery phrase (lost, photographed, shared, cloud). For each, write one protective habit.
ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude
Copy this, open Claude, paste it, and Claude will walk you through the lesson step by step.
For a grown-up: Claude is for adults (18+). Copy this, paste it into Claude, and use the answer to explain the lesson to your child.
I'm learning "Crypto Technology: wallets, security and costs" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Keys, addresses and what a wallet really is". What the lesson teaches: - Bitcoin.org says it plainly: "The wallet does not store coins themselves." The coins exist as records on the blockchain, and the wallet holds the keys that control them. - A public address is like an account number you can share to receive funds. A private key controls the funds, so whoever has it can move them. - Most modern wallets are backed up with a recovery phrase (a list of words). Bitcoin.org says to store it offline, never as a photo or in a cloud service, and never share it with anyone. - Many modern wallets are deterministic: one backup of the recovery phrase can restore past and future addresses. Bitcoin.org says to check whether your wallet needs regular backups. - Wallet files that hold private keys can be accidentally deleted, lost or stolen. - Bitcoin offers very limited recovery options if you lose a wallet password or key. There is no help desk that can reverse it. The exercise I'm working on: Draw the keyring picture and write the four risks to a recovery phrase (lost, photographed, shared, cloud). For each, write one protective habit. I'm stuck. Please: 1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example. 2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step. 3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it. 4. This is for learning only. Remind me to check with a licensed professional before I make a real decision about my own money, health or legal situation.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Keys, addresses and what a wallet really is" from the course "Crypto Technology: wallets, security and costs". Here's what the lesson says: Imagine a giant public notebook that shows who owns which digital coins. Your wallet is not a bag with coins in it. It is a keyring. The keys prove which entries in the notebook are yours and let you move them. The activity: Draw the keyring picture and write the four risks to a recovery phrase (lost, photographed, shared, cloud). For each, write one protective habit. Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time. Keep it general and educational. This is not advice for a real situation.
Sources
- Bitcoin.org, FAQ: bitcoin.org/en/faq
- Bitcoin.org, Secure your wallet: bitcoin.org/en/secure-your-wallet
Types of wallets and custody
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A layered security plan
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Network fees and other costs
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Scams and attacks: how to spot the pattern
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Platforms, registration and rules (Canadian and Philippine examples)
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Putting it together: your records and your security plan
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Final project
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Quiz
What does a crypto wallet actually store?
The keys that control the coins, not the coins themselves.
What is a public address compared to?
An account number you can share to receive funds.
Who holds the keys in a custodial service?
The company.
What does Bitcoin.org say about storing a recovery phrase?
Store it offline, never as a photo or in a cloud service, and never share it.
What is multisignature?
A setup that needs several independent approvals to spend funds.
Which MFA method does the Cyber Centre say to avoid?
SMS codes.
What does a Bitcoin fee depend on?
The size of the transaction in bytes, not the amount sent.
What is the Ethereum fee formula in this course?
Gas used x (base fee + tip).
What is 21,000 gas x (10 + 2) gwei?
252,000 gwei, which is 0.000252 ETH.
Can a government agency ask you to pay in cryptocurrency?
No. No government agency will ever ask for it.
Where do the rules for crypto platforms (virtual asset service providers) come from?
Each country sets its own; check your own country's financial regulator (for example, BSP Circular No. 1108 in the Philippines).
How long should crypto records be kept?
At least six years.
Final exam
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Certificate
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.