Seedphrase Showdown | BIP39 vs. SLIP39: Which is Tougher to Crack?
By
John Lee
Edited By
Marco Rossi
A heated discussion has emerged within the cryptocurrency community, pitting BIP39's 24-word seedphrase against SLIP39's 20-word option. Enthusiasts are debating just how tough these seedphrases are to crack as of July 2025.
Understanding Seedphrases
Seedphrases serve as the keys to your crypto wallet, linking you to your digital assets. BIP39's 24-word seedphrase boasts an impressive 256 bits of entropy, while SLIP39's 20-word variant offers 128 bits.
One user confidently stated, "A 24-word seedphrase is uncrackable. Even 12 words are tough to guess." The comparisons don’t stop there; users have likened the odds of cracking a seedphrase to winning the Powerball jackpot.
The Odds Are Stacked
According to user comments, the chance of guessing a 12-word Bitcoin seedphrase is:
1 in 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456.
For a 24-word phrase, it jumps to an astronomical:
1 in 115,792,089,237,316,195,423,570,985,008,687,907,853,269,984,665,640,564,039,457,584,007,913,129,639,936.
Some argue these numbers are hard to even comprehend.
Commenters suggest a lottery analogy to illustrate this complexity. With only 2,048 possible words in the Bitcoin dictionary, the sheer volume of combinations makes successful guessing virtually impossible.
What Does This Mean for Users?
The community's consensus is clear: it takes extreme computational power—beyond current capabilities—to crack these seedphrases. A user explained,
“There’s nothing to crack because each combination leads to a new wallet.” This means brute forcing would result in endless attempts without success.
Many also flag the use of passphrases for additional security, as combining these layers makes it even tougher.
Key Insights from the Community
High Entropy Matters: BIP39 holds 256 bits while SLIP39 has 128 bits.
Improbable Odds: Comparing seedphrases to lottery odds emphasizes their security.
Brute Force is Futile: The astronomical number of combinations makes guessing impractical.
Curiously, this debate hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. As wallets evolve, so do concerns about security.
Whether you lean towards BIP39 or SLIP39, the community agrees: the odds of anyone cracking a standard seedphrase remain astronomically low.
For more insights on crypto security practices, check out CoinDesk.
Stay secure!
Security Trends Ahead
As the debate between BIP39 and SLIP39 continues, experts predict a strong chance that cryptocurrency security measures will advance significantly in the coming years. With approximately a 70% probability, it's expected that wallet providers will incorporate even more robust encryption techniques, such as multi-factor authentication and biometric safeguards, as users seek enhanced security. Moreover, as awareness grows around risks like hacking, the utilization of unique passphrases will likely increase, with around 60% of people adapting to these practices to protect their assets further. Given the monumental increase in digital currency ownership, the need for users to stay informed on evolving security practices is sure to dominate conversations in forums and user boards.
Drawing Parallels to Aviation History
Consider the evolution of aviation safety measures post the Air France Flight 447 crash in 2009. Following that disaster, the aviation industry faced enormous scrutiny, leading to groundbreaking advancements in technology and regulations to safeguard against similar occurrences. In many ways, today's discussions around cryptocurrency wallets mirror that scenario; just as airlines prioritized passenger safety through innovations, the crypto community is increasingly focusing on security strategies in response to growing concerns. The stakes are high, and history shows that transformative change thrives under pressure, leading to a future where security in the digital realm takes precedence.