Ethereum Private Keys: Format, Range and Representation
The range of Ethereum private keys, their 64-character hex form, how Keccak-256 turns a key into an EIP-55 address, keystore JSON files and HD derivation paths. Example hex-format keys follow.
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- Keywords:
- Ethereum private key · secp256k1 · Keccak-256 · EIP-55 · keystore JSON
Guides on the same subject
- EVM Address Format Explained: Structure & Usage
An EVM address is 0x plus 40 hex characters: the last 20 bytes of the Keccak-256 hash of a secp256k1 public key, with an EIP-55 checksum.
- Ethereum Keystore File (JSON Wallet): Structure and Security
An Ethereum keystore file, or JSON wallet, holds one private key encrypted with a password via scrypt or PBKDF2 and AES-128-CTR. Fields, wallets, Python code.
- Bitcoin Private Key Format: WIF, Base58 and Hex Explained
A Bitcoin private key is a 256-bit number, usually shown in WIF: Base58 with a version byte, compression flag and checksum. Encoding steps and test vectors.
One of the documents in the Private Key PDF Archive, listed on archive page 2.