Zengo Wallet explained: an MPC wallet without a seed phrase

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The Zengo Wallet is a smartphone crypto wallet that works without a seed phrase. Instead of a private key that you have to write down as 12 or 24 words, Zengo creates two separate key shares: one sits on your phone, the other on Zengo's servers. A transaction is only created when both shares compute together, without either ever seeing the other. This technique is called multi-party computation, or MPC.

For you, that means less paperwork but a different kind of dependency. You hold your coins yourself, but to recover them you need your email address, a file in your cloud and Zengo's servers. This guide explains exactly how that works, what it costs and where the limits are. Our software wallet comparison shows the alternatives.

MPC wallet explained: how Zengo signs without a private key

A classic wallet has a single private key. Whoever knows it can control the coins, and whoever loses it loses access. The seed phrase is just a readable form of that key. The industry calls exactly this spot a "single point of failure": one point on which everything depends.

Multi-party computation is a cryptographic method in which several parties jointly compute a result without revealing their secret inputs. In an MPC wallet, this means several key shares together produce a valid signature, but the complete key never exists in one place at any time. Zengo uses so-called threshold signatures with two shares for this.

According to Zengo's description of its security model, the two shares are created independently of each other. One stays on your device, the other on the Zengo server. To make a transfer, you start the process on your phone, and device and server then compute the signature together. On the blockchain, the result looks like a perfectly normal transaction, for example on Bitcoin like any other transfer from an ordinary address.

Zengo stresses that the company cannot trigger a transaction on its own because it lacks the share on your device. A thief with your unlocked phone, by contrast, could start transfers. That is why the app is tied to the device lock, and in the Pro version the Theft Guard feature also requires a face scan above a set limit. Zengo therefore describes its model as "keyless".

Zengo Wallet without a seed phrase: what recovery with the Recovery Kit requires

Zengo replaces the seed phrase with a so-called Recovery Kit. Since May 23, 2024, it has consisted of two mandatory factors: your email address and a recovery file in your cloud storage, meaning iCloud Drive on the iPhone and Google Drive on Android, with Dropbox as an option. Until that date, a third factor was mandatory, a biometric face scan called 3D FaceLock. It is optional today but is recommended by Zengo and remains a requirement for some Pro features.

Technically, recovery works like this: an encrypted copy of your device share sits on the Zengo server, and the key to decrypt it is in the file in your cloud. If you install Zengo on a new phone, you sign in with the same email, confirm a link and access the same cloud. If you have set up 3D FaceLock, the face scan follows. After that, the wallet is back.

Zengo itself names one important restriction: you must never move, rename or edit the file in the cloud. If it is lost, Zengo cannot help. Anyone who also registers a second email address and a second cloud service has a backup. When moving to a new iPhone, iCloud synchronisation can take up to 48 hours according to Zengo; only then can the file be found again.

Seed phrase versus MPC: differences in loss, theft and phishing

Comparing it with a classic wallet shows where MPC helps and where it does not. With a seed phrase wallet such as MetaMask, a piece of paper or a metal plate decides everything. Anyone who photographs the words, types them into a notes app or enters them on a fake website loses the coins. How to store a seed phrase properly is covered in our guide on how to store a seed phrase safely.

The table shows the trade-off: Zengo removes the biggest everyday risk, losing the words. In return, security shifts to your email account and your cloud storage. You should protect both with two-factor login via an app, not via SMS. Since the face scan became optional, email and cloud file are enough for a recovery. Activating 3D FaceLock adds a third hurdle. Zengo itself names one residual case with moderate risk: an identical twin who also has access to the email and the recovery file.

Supported blockchains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and eleven more networks

Zengo's help centre lists 14 blockchains on which the wallet can hold the respective native currency: Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Dogecoin, Solana, Polygon, Arbitrum One, Optimism, Tron, XRP, Litecoin, Base, Toncoin and Tezos. Tokens are supported on most of these networks, but not on Bitcoin, Dogecoin and Litecoin. The app only displays NFTs on Ethereum and Polygon.

Ethereum and Polygon have one peculiarity: Zengo can hold any ERC-20 token but cannot display every one in the app. Via WalletConnect, an open standard for connecting wallets to web applications, these tokens can still be used in DeFi applications. For Bitcoin, Zengo supports several address formats. Anyone depositing coins from an exchange has to choose the right network when withdrawing, for example between Tron and Ethereum for USDT. A wrong network is the most common reason for lost transfers.

Zengo only runs as an app on the iPhone from iOS 12.5.5 and on most Android devices from version 6.0. The help centre does not describe a standalone desktop version. If you prefer to keep your coins separate from your phone, the hardware wallet comparison lists devices that keep the key offline.

Zengo Essentials and Zengo Pro: what is free and what the subscription adds

The basic version is called Zengo Essentials and is free. With it you can create and recover a wallet, send and receive coins, and buy, sell and swap through integrated third-party providers. According to Zengo, it charges no fee for sending, receiving and holding. Only the network fees of the respective blockchain apply, and they go to the network operators, not to Zengo.

When buying through the app, up to four types of cost can apply: a percentage fee from the partner, the spread as the gap between market price and purchase price, fees from the payment provider and currency conversion costs. Zengo shows all items before you confirm. Comparing with the fees of a regulated crypto exchange is worthwhile before larger purchases, because buying through an in-app integration is rarely the cheapest option.

Zengo Pro is a paid subscription taken out via the App Store or Google Play. Zengo lists the price on its website, and it can vary by country and term. According to the help centre, Pro includes, among other things:

Theft Guard: withdrawals above a limit, $1,000 by default, must also be confirmed with the face scan.
Zengo Vaults: a time lock that blocks withdrawals for a set period.
Web3 Firewall: the ClearSign feature assesses transactions with DeFi and NFT applications for risks before approval.
Up to five separate wallets in one account, plus a privacy mode that generates a new address for every transaction on Bitcoin and Dogecoin.
Up to 50 percent off Zengo's purchase fee and a commitment to answer support requests within one hour.

Legacy Transfer: crypto inheritance with an inactivity timer in the Zengo Wallet

One feature that classic wallets do not offer in this form is Legacy Transfer. It is part of Zengo Pro and determines what happens to your coins if you do not open the wallet for a long time. You name a person by email, set an inactivity timer, for example six months, and share a file with them via Dropbox. If you do not open Zengo during that period, the transfer is triggered. A month before the deadline, Zengo sends you several reminders.

The recipient only needs a free Zengo account and sees neither balances nor transactions beforehand. So far, only one person can be named. For heirs, this does not replace a will: anyone leaving coins to someone should also record the arrangement in writing, because under inheritance law it is the last will that counts, not a setting in an app.

Risks of the MPC wallet: server dependency, closed app and biometrics

Zengo advertises that it has never been hacked since its launch in 2018 and says it regularly has its apps audited by external firms. The MPC cryptography is published as open source on GitHub. These are plus points. There are nevertheless three things you should know.

Server dependency: because every signature needs the Zengo server, you cannot move coins without it. In case Zengo ceases operations, the company promises guaranteed access through independent trustee and software escrow firms that can trigger a recovery via a public GitHub repository. Whether this route works smoothly in an emergency has not yet been tested in practice.

Closed app: only the cryptography is open, not the app itself. You therefore have to trust that the app does exactly what the company describes. With open-source wallets, anyone can verify that.

Biometric data and cloud: anyone using 3D FaceLock hands over an encrypted face scan. And anyone who does not properly secure email and cloud weakens precisely the factors that replace the seed phrase. There is no deposit protection like that of a bank account for coins in a wallet anyway. The fundamental difference between internet-connected wallets and offline storage is explained in our guide on hot wallets and cold wallets. A wallet also keeps no tax records for you, so document purchase dates and prices yourself; how transfers and swaps are taxed depends on your country of residence.

Zengo Wallet: no seed phrase, but never without email and cloud

Zengo solves the seed phrase problem with two key shares and recovery via email and cloud. That suits beginners who do not want to manage words, and holders of medium-sized amounts looking for a time lock or an inheritance tool. The price is dependence on Zengo's servers and on the security of your online accounts. Here is how to proceed:

Compare wallets: check whether Zengo supports your coins and how other apps compare. The overview is in the software wallet comparison.
Store larger amounts offline: whatever you hold for the long term belongs on a device without a permanent internet connection. Suitable models are shown in the hardware wallet comparison.
Buy cheaply, then transfer: buy coins where fees and spreads are low, and send them to your wallet afterwards. The terms are in the comparison of crypto exchanges.

(As of November 14, 2026. This article is not investment advice. Prices and fee structures change; check the terms with the provider before you buy.)

Frequently asked questions about the Zengo Wallet

The Zengo Wallet replaces the private key with two shares on the phone and the Zengo server that sign together via multi-party computation, so there is no seed phrase to steal. Zengo says it has never been hacked since 2018; security, however, also depends on your email account and your cloud storage.

Since May 23, 2024, recovering the Zengo Wallet requires your email address and the recovery file in iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Dropbox. If you have set up the 3D FaceLock face scan, it is added as a third factor.

The basic version, Zengo Essentials, is free; sending, receiving and holding only incur network fees. Zengo Pro is a paid subscription in the App Store or on Google Play with features such as Theft Guard, a time lock and Legacy Transfer.

Zengo does not hold the coins itself but needs its server for every signature. In case operations cease, Zengo has set up guaranteed access through independent trustee and escrow firms, which has not yet been tested in practice.

Zengo supports 14 blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, Tron, Base and Toncoin. Tokens are available on most of these networks, and the app only displays NFTs on Ethereum and Polygon.

Partner links: some links on this page are partner links. If you become a customer through one of them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Selection, ratings and ranking are decided independently by our editorial team. Ethics and Independence · Ownership and Funding

Transparency note: This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by our editorial team before publication. All figures and claims were checked against the primary sources linked in the text. The feature image was generated with AI.

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