Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Glossary

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Wallet Fingerprint

1 min read
Pronunciation
[woll-it fing-ger-prints]
Analogy
Like the last four digits of a credit card—unique shorthand to recognize your wallet.
Definition
A short identifier derived from the master public key (xpub) fingerprint, used to label and verify HD wallets.
Key Points Intro
Fingerprints aid wallet management via:
Key Points

4-byte ID: First 4 bytes of HASH160(xpub).

Labeling: Display in UIs to distinguish wallets.

Verification: Ensures correct xpub imported.

Integrity: Changes if seed or path differs.

Example
Electrum shows wallet fingerprint `3f1a2b4c` when exporting xpub.
Technical Deep Dive
Compute fingerprint = uint32_be(RIPEMD160(SHA256(serialized_xpub))[0:4]). Display in hex. Used in descriptors and PSBT to link keys.
Security Warning
Fingerprint collision extremely unlikely but verify full xpub for critical uses.
Caveat
Fingerprint alone insufficient for security; it’s an identifier only.
Related Terms
Extended Public Key
HD Wallet
BIP-32

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