You can migrate safely without transferring funds, provided you have the wallet's seed phrase or private key. When a wallet service shuts down, your assets don't simply disappear — they live on the blockchain, not inside the wallet application. The key is to restore your account in another actively maintained wallet using the seed phrase, rather than transferring assets via a transaction.
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1. First, distinguish between "app delisting" and "service shutdown"
Before taking any action, confirm which situation your wallet is facing.
Removed from the app store, but the wallet still opens: You can still view your assets and initiate transactions normally. You have plenty of time to proceed calmly. Back up your seed phrase first, then consider migrating.
Wallet service has announced a shutdown with a deadline: For example, Ctrl Wallet has announced it will permanently cease operations on August 3, 2026, at which point all transfer and interaction functions will be disabled, but the seed phrase export feature will remain available. Make sure to export your seed phrase and complete the migration before the deadline.
Prerequisite: You can open the wallet app, or at least access your seed phrase backup.
2. The safest migration method: Restore with a seed phrase, not by transferring funds
This is the safest and lowest-cost approach. You don't need to pay any on-chain transfer gas fees — you're simply moving the "control of the account" from one app to another.
Step 1: Export the seed phrase (Recovery Phrase) from your current wallet
What to do: Go to wallet settings and find the "Backup Seed Phrase" or "Export Recovery Phrase" option.
How to do it: In an offline, private environment, write down the 12 or 24 English words by hand. Never take screenshots, copy them to a note app, or send them to any online tool.
Completion criterion: You have a complete, correctly ordered paper seed phrase backup.
Step 2: Find a reputable new wallet that is still being maintained
What to do: Choose a mainstream, open-source wallet that receives regular updates.
How to do it: Download the official version (from the official website or official app store), and beware of fake "migration tools" or phishing links.
Completion criterion: The new wallet app is installed and opened.
Step 3: Select "Import Wallet" in the new wallet
What to do: Launch the new wallet, choose "Import Existing Wallet," and enter the seed phrase you wrote down.
How to do it: Set a new password as required. Throughout the process, your assets are "restored" from the blockchain — no on-chain transaction is ever initiated.
Completion criterion: The new wallet displays the same addresses and balances as your old wallet.
Risk reminder: Never trust any third party that claims to "migrate on your behalf" or "recover your assets." The Ctrl Wallet team has explicitly warned that numerous phishing scams will appear around the wallet shutdown period — any such offer is fraudulent.
3. If the wallet can still be opened, should you make a test transfer first?
If you are not familiar with the seed phrase recovery process, you can first perform a "recovery drill" with a wallet holding a small amount of assets. Once you are comfortable with the steps, proceed with your main wallet.
However, if you already have a hardware wallet (such as Bitkey), it may offer a dedicated "Emergency Exit Kit" rather than relying directly on seed phrase recovery. In that case, consult the official migration guide first.
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Common reasons for failure
"The balance shows 0 after importing the seed phrase" — this does not mean your assets are lost. It may be that the new wallet does not display that token by default; you need to manually add the token contract address. Alternatively, you may have exported the wrong seed phrase (if you created multiple wallets inside the old wallet, each one has its own seed phrase).
After completing the steps above, how do you confirm the migration is successful?
In your new wallet, tap "Receive" and verify that the generated receiving address is exactly the same as the one in your old wallet. Matching addresses indicate a successful migration. Then go through the asset list chain by chain to check that all assets are intact. If some tokens are not displayed, simply add the corresponding contract addresses manually.
