Passkey Wallets

Passkeys are a modern, secure, and user-friendly way to create and access your Aura wallet. They eliminate the complexity of traditional crypto wallets while maintaining full self-custody of your funds.

What Are Passkeys?

Passkeys are a passwordless authentication standard (FIDO2/WebAuthn) supported by all major devices and browsers. Instead of remembering a seed phrase or password, your device's built-in security (Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello, fingerprint, or PIN) acts as your key.

When you create a passkey wallet on Aura:

  • A cryptographic keypair is generated securely on your device

  • The private key is stored in your device's secure enclave (never leaves your device)

  • The public key is used to derive your Alephium wallet address

  • Only you can authorize transactions using your biometrics or device PIN

How Passkeys Work

  1. Create Your Wallet: Choose a username and authenticate with your device (Face ID, fingerprint, etc.)

  2. Your Keys, Your Control: A unique cryptographic keypair is generated and stored in your device's secure hardware

  3. Sign Transactions: Every trade, deposit, or withdrawal requires your biometric confirmation

  4. Cross-Device Access: Passkeys can sync across your devices via iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, or Windows Hello

Are Passkeys Non-Custodial?

Yes, absolutely. Passkeys are fully non-custodial:

  • Your private key is stored only on your device's secure enclave

  • Aura never has access to your private keys

  • Only you can authorize transactions with your biometrics

  • You maintain complete control over your funds at all times

This is the same level of security as traditional self-custody wallets, but without the risk of losing a seed phrase.

Security Benefits

  • No Seed Phrase Risk: Nothing to write down, lose, or have stolen

  • Phishing Resistant: Passkeys are bound to the specific website domain, making phishing attacks ineffective

  • Hardware-Level Security: Keys are protected by your device's secure enclave (TPM, Secure Enclave)

  • Biometric Protection: Every transaction requires your face, fingerprint, or PIN

  • No Browser Extensions: Reduces attack surface compared to browser-based wallets

Creating Your Passkey Wallet

  1. Visit Testnet.Aurabets.ioarrow-up-right and click "Connect"

  2. Select "Create Passkey Wallet"

  3. Enter a username (this is just for your reference)

  4. Authenticate with your device (Face ID, Touch ID, or Windows Hello)

  5. Done! Your wallet is created and you're ready to deposit funds

Recovering Your Wallet

Since passkeys sync across your devices:

  • Apple Devices: Synced via iCloud Keychain

  • Android: Synced via Google Password Manager

  • Windows: Synced via Microsoft account

To access your wallet on a new device, simply click "Sign In" and authenticate. Your passkey will be available if you're signed into the same account.

Important: If you lose access to all devices and your cloud account, you will lose access to your wallet. Consider adding your passkey to multiple devices as a backup.

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