what is watch-only wallet?

a wallet that only knows the public key, so it can show balances but cannot spend.

useful for checking balances. it does not test whether your seed phrase backup is correct.

related words

recovery test checking that your written backup really recreates the same wallet, without moving any coins.
checksum a built-in check in a seed phrase that catches many typos.
secret sharing (SLIP-39) a way to split a wallet backup into several shares, where a set number of them restores it.

part of the topic self-custody: free articles, more words and the guide.

checked 2026-10-20. education, not advice. found a mistake? see corrections.