Your seed phrase
Your 12 words create the keys to your wallet, and Blitz doesn’t store them. Anyone who gets your 12 words can control your wallet, so keep them private and offline.
How Blitz Wallet recovery work
How recovery works, what that means, and what happens if operators go offline.
The trust model
Three things to understand
Owning your keys, making everyday payments, and recovering funds are related, but each works differently.
Spark operators
Spark transfers are signed by you together with a group of Spark operators. Spark’s trust model assumes at least one operator behaves honestly during each transfer. If operators go offline or refuse to sign, normal Spark payments can be delayed or stop.
Unilateral exit
Spark includes a unilateral exit: pre-signed Bitcoin transactions that let you withdraw to the Bitcoin blockchain without operator permission. Today it’s a technical process that isn’t built into the Blitz app.
Recovery options
What recovery looks like today
Lost your phone
Install Blitz on a new device and enter your 12 words. Your wallet and its accounts come back. Like normal payments, this works with Spark operators online.
Blitz app or servers unavailable
The open-source spark-recover tool lets you enter your seed, see your balance, and send funds without the Blitz app. It still relies on Spark operators to move funds.
Spark operators unavailable
The unilateral exit is the fallback. It currently means using Spark’s command-line tool, paying Bitcoin network fees from on-chain Bitcoin you already hold, and waiting for timelocks.
Open source
The Blitz app and recovery tool are public on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 license, so anyone can review how keys and payments are handled.
Common questions
Security and recovery
Does Blitz know my seed phrase?
No. Blitz doesn’t store your 12 words. Keep your backup private: anyone who has it can control your wallet.
Can Spark operators stop a payment?
Yes. Operators co-sign Spark transfers, so if they go offline or refuse to sign, normal Spark payments can be delayed or stop. They don’t hold your seed phrase.
What if Spark shuts down?
Spark’s unilateral exit lets you withdraw to the Bitcoin blockchain without operators. Today that means a command-line process with on-chain fees and waiting periods, and small balances aren’t worth exiting.
Read before you choose
Protect your 12 words, understand how Spark works, and choose a wallet that fits how much you plan to hold.