If your crypto wallet’s seed phrase may have been exposed, treat the wallet as compromised. Use a trusted device to create a new wallet with a newly generated recovery phrase, then move any remaining assets to it as soon as you can. Changing the old wallet’s PIN or app password does not protect a wallet controlled by an exposed phrase.
Wallet steps differ by provider, blockchain, and asset. Follow your wallet provider’s official instructions, reached independently—not through an unsolicited message or link. If the device itself may be infected, disconnect it and use a different trusted device.
What to do first if your seed phrase may have leaked
- Stop using the potentially affected device if it may be compromised. Disconnect it from the internet and switch to a different trusted device. Do not enter your phrase into a website or share it with someone claiming to provide support.
- Create a genuinely new wallet. Generate a new recovery phrase on the trusted device or wallet setup process. Write it down and store it securely offline. Never reuse the exposed phrase, and do not create a replacement account that is still derived from it.
- Move remaining assets to the new wallet. Verify the destination address and the correct network before sending. If the old wallet may have a sweeper script, do not add gas funds to it without wallet-specific official guidance: a sweeper can take newly added funds.
- Stop using the old phrase and its associated accounts once remaining transferable assets have been moved. Review suspicious token approvals and disconnect unknown apps where your wallet and chain support those actions.
- Secure linked accounts and report the incident. From a trusted device, change passwords for affected exchange or sign-in accounts, enable two-factor authentication, and end unfamiliar sessions where available. Save transaction details and contact relevant providers through official channels.
Why a new wallet is necessary
A recovery phrase—also called a seed phrase or Secret Recovery Phrase—can give someone control of the wallet accounts derived from it. If you entered the phrase into a suspicious site or app, stored it somewhere others can access, or shared it with anyone, changing the wallet app password or PIN does not make the phrase safe. MetaMask and Phantom both advise treating an exposed phrase as a compromised wallet and moving assets to a new wallet with a new phrase. MetaMask’s security guidance and Phantom’s wallet-drained guidance describe their own processes; exact steps vary by wallet and chain.
Possible exposure routes include phishing pages, fake wallet apps, malware or malicious browser extensions, and storing a phrase in a screenshot, notes app, email, or cloud service. Identify and address the likely route, but do not delay protecting remaining assets while investigating.
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Move assets carefully—and avoid adding gas to a compromised wallet
Use a trusted device and verify the transfer
If the device might be compromised, make the transfer from a separate trusted device. Check the new wallet’s recipient address and select the correct blockchain network for each asset. Sending to the wrong address or network can make funds inaccessible; do not assume a transfer can be reversed.
Do not top up a wallet that may be swept
Some attackers use automated scripts to move funds out of a compromised wallet as soon as they arrive. If a transfer fails because the old wallet lacks gas, adding more may simply fund the attacker. Ask the wallet provider for its official procedure rather than sending extra gas on your own.
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Distinguish a phrase leak from a suspicious approval
A suspicious token approval gives a smart contract permission to access specified tokens; reviewing and revoking that permission may help address that particular risk. It does not protect a wallet whose phrase has been exposed, because the phrase can provide direct control of the wallet. If you approved something suspicious but are confident the phrase was never exposed, follow wallet- and chain-specific guidance to review approvals, and assess whether your device or phrase may also have been compromised.
Secure related accounts and preserve evidence
Protect exchanges and sign-in accounts
A self-custodial wallet and a custodial exchange account are different: a wallet provider generally cannot take control of or freeze a wallet secured by your phrase, while an exchange may have limited options if stolen funds reach an account on its platform. For any linked exchange, email, or other sign-in account that could be affected, use a trusted device to change its password, enable two-factor authentication, and sign out unknown sessions where that option is available. Contact each provider using an official channel you locate independently.
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Record what happened
Save transaction hashes, wallet addresses, screenshots, dates, amounts, and relevant communications. Contact an exchange promptly if you can identify that funds reached an account on its platform; it may be able to flag or freeze that account, but recovery is not assured. Report the theft to the relevant authorities in your jurisdiction.
What can be recovered—and what cannot
Confirmed blockchain transfers are generally irreversible. As ethereum.org puts it in its “Scam help & reporting” guidance, last updated June 6, 2026: “No one can reverse blockchain transactions.” A provider or exchange may have limited steps it can take in particular circumstances, but neither a report nor a request guarantees reimbursement or return of funds.
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Keep the two situations separate: move assets that remain under your control to the new wallet; document and report assets that have already been transferred. Do not keep using the old phrase in an attempt to recover funds already gone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Watch for recovery scams
After a theft, fake investigators, support agents, and “recovery experts” may contact you. Do not pay an upfront recovery fee, disclose a phrase or private key, or grant remote access to your device. Ethereum.org warns that a fee-based recovery approach is almost certainly a second scam; the European Supervisory Authorities’ 2025 factsheet also warns about recovery-room fraud. Verify any contact through an independently located official channel.
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Prepare a safer wallet for the future
Once the immediate transfer is complete, consider how you will protect the new phrase: keep it offline and inaccessible to other people, and never provide it to a website, person, or support agent. A hardware wallet is one option for future wallet setup and offline private-key storage; it is not a fix for an already exposed phrase. The important immediate step remains creating a new wallet and moving remaining assets out of the compromised one.
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