Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Glossary

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Lightweight Wallet

1 min read
Pronunciation
[lahyt-wayt woll-it]
Analogy
A lightweight wallet is like using online banking—you trust the bank’s servers to show your balance and process transactions.
Definition
A wallet that does not run a full node but relies on remote nodes or servers (SPV or API) to fetch balances and broadcast transactions.
Key Points Intro
Lightweight wallets trade trustlessness for usability via:
Key Points

Remote data: Queries full nodes or APIs for blockchain state.

Fast sync: No need to download entire chain.

Lower resource: Minimal storage and CPU requirements.

Trust assumptions: Relies on remote node honesty.

Example
Electrum wallet connects to public Electrum servers to fetch UTXO sets and broadcast transactions.
Technical Deep Dive
SPV wallets download only block headers, verify Merkle proofs for relevant transactions. API‑based wallets call REST or GraphQL endpoints. Transaction signing remains local.
Security Warning
Malicious servers can feed false balances or censor transactions; use multiple servers or trusted endpoints.
Caveat
Less private—remote servers see your addresses and queries.
Related Terms
SPV Wallet
Full Node Wallet

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