BIP-39 Recovery Phrase Explained: 12 Words That Control Your Crypto

The 2048-word dictionary

BIP-39 uses a fixed English wordlist of 2048 words. Wallets generate 12 or 24 words with a mathematical checksum — you cannot invent a valid phrase from random vocabulary. That's why "made up" words fail import in Metrust and every serious wallet.

From phrase to private keys

Your mnemonic seeds a master key. HD derivation paths like m/44'/60'/0'/0 for Ethereum and m/44'/501' for Solana produce addresses deterministically. Same phrase, same addresses — across Metrust, MetaMask, Ledger, and Trezor.

Importing from another wallet

Copy the exact phrase from your old wallet. One typo breaks checksum validation. Metrust shows which words aren't in the BIP-39 list to help you fix mistakes fast.