Use of a PGP key with Ethereum: is it possible?
Bitcoin and encrypted emails may seem very different from technologies, but both depend on public key cryptography. However, they use different implementations, which raise an intriguing question: Can you use a PGP key as a Bitcoin address?
For these foreigners, public key cryptography is a safe communication method that uses key pairs: a private password and a corresponding public key. When the data with the private password, only the owner has access to it; Any other person would need private password to decipher.
PGP encryption (quite good confidentiality) is one of these implementations of public key cryptography. In this context, PGP keys can be considered a digital equivalent from a person’s password or a token allows them to encrypt and decipher messages with their private key.
Now, with regard to Bitcoin, each direction is linked to a specific “currency” (in this case, Bitcoin) using a unique combination of characters. When sending some parts to someone or receives it from another user, the recipient’s bitcoin portfolio receives a transaction which contains the recipient’s public PGP key (known as “seed”). This seed allows the sender to decipher its own transactions and access these funds.
So, is it possible to use a PGP key as a Bitcoin address? The short answer is: not directly. Here is why:
When you create a new Bitcoin address, it is created using a unique character combination (generally 34 characters). This code is linked to a specific public PGP key, which serves as a “seed” of the recipient. To access a Bitcoin wallet, you must use this seed, which requires the corresponding private PGP key.
Although it can generate their own PGP keys and store them safely, the use of their public keys directly because Bitcoin addresses would not work. Here are some reasons why:
- Seeds are necessary for access : the recipient’s bitcoin portfolio must know the seed (PGP key) associated with its management to decipher the transactions containing this address.
- Private keys are necessary to decipher : to access a specific balance or transaction, you must use its own private PGP key (the “owner” of the corresponding public PGP key).
- The seed is not reusable : The seed used for a Bitcoin address cannot be reused for another direction. It is exclusive to each recipient.
That said, if you want to generate a bitcoin address with a portfolio configuration based on PGP, there are alternatives:
* PGP portfolios that support Bitcoin transactions: some popular PGP portfolios, such as Ledger Live or Electrum, allow you to create Bitcoin addresses using its public PGP key (SEED). However, these portfolios may not be as easy to use or rich in functions such as dedicated Bitcoin wallets.
* Software based on PGP for Bitcoin
transactions: there are third part software options that make up PGP encryption in its Bitcoin transaction processing pipe. These solutions can generate PGP keys and Bitcoin addresses using your public key, but may require a more technical experience to configure.
In summary, although you can use a PGP key such as the “owner” of a Bitcoin portfolio generating a corresponding seed, the direct use of a PGP key as Bitcoin address is not possible. If you want to explore portfolios based on PGP for Bitcoin transactions, investigate and understand the underlying technical requirements and possible limitations before making a decision.