Will the Popularization of Passkeys Eliminate Mnemonic Phrases?
Direct answer: Passkeys will drastically reduce how often mnemonic phrases appear in daily use, but they will not completely eliminate them in the short term. The two will coexist long-term – daily interactions will move towards "seamless signing", while critical backup and cross-platform recovery will still rely on mnemonic phrases as the last escape hatch.
What Passkeys Actually Change
Passkeys are based on the FIDO Alliance's WebAuthn standard. They store private keys in the secure chip of your phone or computer, unlocked with a fingerprint or Face ID, eliminating the need to write down or manage any string of words.
This mechanism has three capabilities that mnemonic phrases cannot offer:
Private keys never leave the device – even if you land on a phishing site, the system won't let you "input" fingerprint data, and attackers cannot steal it remotely.
Mandatory domain verification – a passkey is cryptographically bound to the specific domain of an application, so a fake website simply cannot trigger your signing request. This is system-level defense that doesn't depend on visual identification.
Cloud sync recovery – through iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager, passkeys can be securely synced between devices. If you lose your phone, you can restore access on a new device simply by signing into your Apple ID.
Why Mnemonic Phrases Won't Disappear Immediately
The core reason is that passkeys are locked within specific ecosystems.
Your passkeys are tied to your Apple/Google account. If you use an iPhone and a Windows computer at the same time, or need to sign large transactions with a Ledger hardware wallet, passkey synchronization and compatibility still have gaps.
More importantly, there's the issue of cross-wallet migration. Mnemonic phrases follow the BIP-39 standard and can be imported into any wallet. In contrast, the private keys for passkeys cannot be exported by default – imToken explicitly states that "private keys from Passkey accounts cannot be exported".
This means that if you rely solely on passkeys and want to move from Wallet A to Wallet B one day, your mnemonic phrase is your only migration tool. The Breez SDK retains an optional 12-word mnemonic export feature as an escape hatch for wallet interoperability. Organigram Passkey Wallet follows the same logic – using passkeys for daily unlocking but retaining mnemonic phrase export for disaster recovery.
What You Should Do Now
Step 1: Check if Your Device and Operating System Support Passkeys
What to do: Check whether your device and system version meet the requirements for running a passkey wallet.
How to do it:
iPhone users: Requires iOS 16 or later, with iCloud Keychain and two-factor authentication for Apple ID enabled.
Android users: Requires Android 9 or higher, with the password manager and sync function turned on.
Desktop: Use a browser that supports WebAuthn (Safari, Chrome, Edge). Over 95% of smartphones and 97% of browsers already offer support.
Note: Some Android models (certain Huawei, Xiaomi, vivo, and OPPO models) do not yet support passkeys. Please check with your device manufacturer for details.
How to know it's done: Confirm that your device can successfully use a fingerprint or Face ID to unlock system-level password services.
Common failure reason: Sync is enabled, but iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager isn't properly configured. Check the individual setting in your system preferences to make sure it is turned on.
Step 2: Choose a Wallet Type That Fits Your Scenario
What to do: Based on your usage habits and risk tolerance, choose either a mnemonic-based wallet or a passkey wallet.
How to do it, by situation:
Scenario A – frequent small-value interactions, prioritizing convenience:
Consider wallets that support passkeys. imToken Web already supports Passkey accounts, allowing you to create and log in using biometrics without writing down a mnemonic phrase.
Currently, imToken Web supports Arbitrum network accounts, with more networks coming soon.
Scenario B – multi-chain interactions, large assets, need for cross-wallet migration:
Continue using a mnemonic-based wallet, or choose a wallet that supports both "passkey + mnemonic export" (such as Breez SDK, Organigram Passkey Wallet).
These wallets allow you to use fingerprint signing every day, but you should still back up a set of mnemonic words during setup and store it offline in a secure location.
How to know it's done: You can clearly articulate why you chose your current wallet type – whether for convenience or compatibility.
Risk reminder: Passkey recovery depends on Apple/Google cloud services. If your Apple ID or Google account is compromised, the associated passkeys are also at risk. Do not log into your system account on someone else's device to recover your wallet.
Step 3: Establish a Backup Strategy for Passkey Accounts
What to do: Even though passkeys don't require you to write down a mnemonic phrase, you still need a recovery plan in case you lose your device.
How to do it:
Make sure your iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager sync is working correctly.
If your wallet supports mnemonic phrase export (e.g., Breez SDK, Organigram Passkey Wallet), export the phrase, write it down, and store it offline.
If your wallet does not support export (e.g., a pure passkey account), ensure your Apple ID/Google account itself has a separate strong password and two-factor authentication.
How to know it's done: You can answer the question "If I lose my phone tomorrow, how many ways do I have to recover this wallet?" and at least one of those ways is actually viable.
Common failure reason: Users assume that turning on iCloud sync is all it takes, but some wallets explicitly warn that "opening inside the imToken App is not supported; please visit in a browser". Using the wrong path will prevent the passkey from being called up.
Make sure you correctly understand the role of passkeys: the next time you log into your wallet, if there is a "Sign in with a passkey" option, it serves as an alternative to a mnemonic phrase. But do not throw away the mnemonic phrase you previously backed up just because you have started using a passkey – when it comes to compatibility and cross-platform recovery, the mnemonic phrase remains the ultimate safeguard. Think of the passkey as your daily access card, while the mnemonic phrase is the physical key stored in a safe – the card is convenient for everyday use, but the safe key must never be discarded.
