Breez, a company specializing in Bitcoin Lightning Network (LN) solutions, announced on March 18th of this year that passkey. This update allows developers to build self-custodial Bitcoin wallets that can be created and used using only a fingerprint or facial recognition. Users don’t need to generate or write down a seed phrase to get started.
In daily use, the new Breez implementation allows users to No need to manage 12 or 24 word seed phrases. These words are the primary access and recovery mechanism for this type of wallet and are generated according to BIP-39 and BIP-32 standards. In this model, passkeythe process happens automatically for each authentication. Keys are never stored on your device or on external servers.
Losing that seed phrase is the same as losing permanent access to your funds. That risk has historically been one of the main obstacles to mass adoption of self-custodial wallets.
a passkey it is Digital authentication method to log into your account You can run applications without using a password. It works using public key cryptography, linking an account directly to a device (such as a mobile phone or computer) and verifying the user’s identity through biometric data (fingerprint or facial recognition) or a screen lock PIN. to be passkey immune to Phishingprovides a better layer of security than traditional keys.
Breez said they aim to remove hurdles in managing recovery seeds in everyday use. The team summed up the announcement in one sentence: “The future of Bitcoin user experience is here.”
How does it work?
According to the Breez repository, when a user authenticates using biometrics, passkey Enables an encryption function called PRF (Pseudorandom Function). This function always generates the same root key when combined with the same root key. passkey And the same wallet.
As a result, Rebuild your Bitcoin key at any time No need to save in advance. of passkey As such, they are credentials stored in a secure enclave on the device, a hardware component isolated from the rest of the system specifically designed to protect sensitive information (there is a recent history of vulnerabilities to information storage systems in midrange mobile phones).
From this root key, Bitcoin keys are derived according to BIP-39 and BIP-32 standards. process Repeat from the beginning every time you authenticate Additionally, keys are not stored on your device or on external servers.
The Breez kit also lets you: Manage multiple wallets in one passkeyEach is identified by a different label, such as “work” or “savings.”
These tags are registered with Nostr, a decentralized messaging network, so you can retrieve them from any device without relying on a central server. The seed phrase still exists mathematically and can be exported as an optional backup, but the user does not need to see or annotate the seed phrase in order to interact with it.
however, passkey Do not sign Bitcoin transactions directly. Its role is to activate the PRF functionality that generates Bitcoin keys. It is these keys that ultimately authenticate each transaction, just like in a traditional wallet. Biometrics are the key that starts the process, not the signature that seals the operation.
What do users get and what do they expect?
Breez’s proposal can be summed up in his own slogan. “No seeds, no sweat” (No seeds or sweat). The initial configuration process is simplified to the level of opening the application.
Users don’t see or interact with 12 words on a daily basis. Self-management remains complete, as the keys are derived directly into the device’s secure enclave and never leave it or reach the server. For new users, this eliminates one of the most common mistakes in the crypto ecosystem: lost or mismanaged seed phrases.
Russ passkey they can Sync in the cloud If users maintain access to their accounts through a service like iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager, they can restore them on a new device.
However, if you lose both your device and access to your account, and you do not export your seed phrase as a backup, you will lose access to your funds permanently. Additionally, if that cloud account is compromised, the derived keys may also be compromised.
Finally, support for PRF extensions is not universal. As stated in the repository, it works well on iOS 18 and later versions, and Android with Google Password Manager. Support is more limited on Windows.
History of Breez and its simplification in Lightning and Bitcoin
This release joins the Breez development line. As reported by CriptoNoticias, in April 2025, the company added support for WebAssembly (WASM) to its SDK. WASM is a technology that allows code to run faster in a web browser.
This update brings Lightning payments to the web environment without requiring users or developers to run a full Bitcoin node.
new support for passkey Extend the same logic to access issues. Fingerprints allow developers to offer self-managed Bitcoin wallets that are created, used, and recovered without users ever seeing the seed phrase.
Breez’s stated goal is to make trading Bitcoin and Lightning as easy as using traditional financial apps.
(Tag translation)Bitcoin (BTC)
