Crypto Core Education

What is the difference between a seed phrase and a private key?

A seed phrase is a master backup that can regenerate every private key in a wallet, while a private key controls the funds at a single address. The seed phrase sits one level above individual keys, which is why it can restore an entire wallet, whereas a private key only unlocks one account. For example, losing one private key affects one address, but losing the seed phrase can mean losing access to the whole wallet. Both must be kept secret, since either can authorize spending.