A passkey is a way to log in without a password. Instead of typing a password, you confirm the login on your phone or computer, usually with a fingerprint, face recognition or the device's PIN. Passkeys are built on open standards from the FIDO Alliance, a group of technology companies, and Apple, Google and Microsoft all support them.
How do they work?
A passkey is a key pair, much like the keys in a crypto wallet. The private key stays on your device, or in a keychain linked to your Apple or Google account, and the service only stores the public keyPublic keyA key calculated from your private key that others use to verify your signatures, and that is safe to share.. When you log in, your device proves that it holds the private key without sending it anywhere.
What makes passkeys special is that each one is tied to the service's web address. If you land on a fake site that looks exactly like the real one, the passkey won't work, because the address is different. There are also no passwords that could leak from the service's database.
Why do they matter?
Most account takeovers start with a stolen password or a code that someone was tricked into handing over through PhishingPhishingA scam where criminals pretend to be a trusted company or authority to get you to hand over passwords, card details or your seed phrase.. A passkey closes both routes. The Icelandic police say passkeys are safer than passwords.
- Use passkeys wherever they are offered, especially for your email.
- Keep two-factor authenticationTwo-factor authentication (2FA)A login that needs two different proofs of who you are, such as a password and a code from an app, so a stolen password isn't enough. on accounts that don't support passkeys yet.
- Make sure you can still get in if you lose your phone, for example with a second device or backup codes.
A passkey isn't the same as the private keyPrivate keyA secret number that proves you own the crypto in your wallet. Whoever holds the private key controls the crypto. to a crypto wallet. It gives access to an account with a service, not directly to crypto on a blockchain.
Everything in Myntkaup Learn is written and regularly reviewed by the Myntkaup editorial team. It is for education and is not investment advice. Editorial policy. Updated 2 November 2026.