Comparison Table
| Method | Complexity | Standard | Calculator | Theft | Loss | Deniability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIP39 Passphrase | BIP39 | Not needed | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ||
Shamir Secret Sharing | SLIP39 | Required | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ||
SeedShift | — | Required | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ||
Simple Split | — | Not needed | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ||
XOR Encryption | — | Required | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Method Security
| Method | Stolen | Info for thief | Crack time |
|---|---|---|---|
BIP39 Passphrase | Seed without passphrase | 0 bits | > 10³⁰ years (12+ chars) |
Shamir Secret Sharing | 1 share of 3 | 0 bits (mathematically) | ∞ (impossible) |
SeedShift | OSF + KD | 0 bits | > 10³⁷ years (16+ words) |
XOR Encryption | Encrypted | 0 bits | ∞ (impossible) |
Simple Split | 12 words | 128 bits | > 10²⁵ years |
Recommendations by Scenario
| Scenario | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First wallet (up to $1,000) | BIP39 Passphrase | Supported by all wallets, no calculator needed, simple recovery |
| Personal storage ($1K–$50K) | SeedShift or Shamir Secret Sharing | Open storage of OSF or fault tolerance (K of N) |
| Significant amounts (>$50K) | Method combination | Shamir Secret Sharing + BIP39 Passphrase or XOR Encryption + Shamir Secret Sharing |
| Family / Partners | Shamir Secret Sharing 3-of-5 | No one can access alone |
| Inheritance | Shamir Secret Sharing 2-of-3 | Notary + heir + bank |