Wallet
Wasabi Wallet Recovery Service
Locked out of Wasabi? We help when the passphrase is forgotten, recovery words are missing or out of order, a multi-share backup will not combine, or a restore shows no balance. Free assessment; no recovery, no fee.
Request an assessment+31 85 109 1211
- Since 2019Recovery specialist
- KvK 75927276Registered in the Netherlands
- AmsterdamPhysical office
- Non-custodialYou move the coins
Quick answers
What is the Wasabi backup format?
The backup may be a 12-word BIP-39 phrase or SLIP-39 shares of 20 words each. SLIP-39 requires the configured threshold of complete shares. Keep the original passphrase if one was set. A Wallet.json backup is another route; it is not the same format as either word-based backup.
Is the Wasabi password the same as the passphrase?
Yes. Since version 2.0.7 Wasabi calls its password the passphrase, and it is used as the BIP-39 passphrase. Restoring the recovery words without that exact passphrase opens a different, empty wallet, so if one was set, the passphrase is needed for every recovery.
Why does my restored balance look wrong?
CoinJoin outputs and account indexes can hide balances until the right path and gap limit are used. Check those before concluding loss.
Our Wasabi recovery services
Forgotten Wasabi password or passphrase
In Wasabi, the password you set for the wallet is the passphrase: it works as the BIP-39 passphrase with the 12 recovery words and encrypts the private key in the wallet file. Without it, neither the words nor the file give access, which makes it the hardest common Wasabi case.
Remembered fragments, habits and the period you used it focus a structured search, run offline against a copy of the wallet file or against an address you know. Forgotten wallet passphrase
Missing or unreadable recovery words
If some of the 12 words are missing, unreadable or uncertain, a search tests candidate phrases against the BIP-39 word list and checksum, then checks the resulting addresses against known wallet data, using the original passphrase. We reconstruct phrases with up to four missing words. Which positions are known, and whether an address is available to check against, decide the search time. Incomplete recovery phrase
Words in the wrong order or on several papers
A backup noted on different papers, or words whose order is in doubt, can sometimes be put back together. The BIP-39 checksum rules out most wrong combinations before any address is derived, and the remaining candidates are checked with the original passphrase against an address you know. How much is uncertain decides whether the search is practical. Recovery words in the wrong order
Multi-share Backup (SLIP-39) that will not restore
Wasabi's Multi-share Backup splits the wallet into several sets of 20 words, up to 16 shares, with a threshold set when the backup was created. A restore needs that number of complete shares plus the original passphrase, if one was set. The shares are not a BIP-39 phrase, so a BIP-39 wallet or checker rejects them.
We establish the backup format, the threshold and which shares you hold before assessing recovery. Seed standards compared
Restored wallet shows no balance
A restore that shows nothing across the standard address range does not by itself mean the coins are gone. At recovery, Wasabi cannot check the passphrase, so a wrong or missing one opens a different, empty wallet without an error. The gap limit can also end the scan too early; it can be raised in Wasabi's advanced recovery options. We check these against an address you know before anyone concludes the funds are gone. Zero balance after a restore
Wallet file without the recovery words
If the words are gone but the wallet file survives, the file plus the passphrase is a full recovery route: the file holds the encrypted private key, so the passphrase is all you need to spend. Wasabi keeps each wallet as a .json file in the Wallets folder of its data folder and imports it through Add Wallet and Import a wallet. If the passphrase is also forgotten, the search runs against a copy of the file. How to recover a Wasabi wallet
Before you contact us
Common mistakes to avoid
- Never enter a Wasabi seed into a website or app that offers to "check" your balance.
- Don't conclude the coins are gone after a restore with a guessed passphrase. Wasabi cannot tell whether the passphrase is right, so a wrong one opens a different, empty wallet.
- Don't delete or clean up the Wasabi data folder before you have copied its Wallets folder. The wallet file may be the only route left.
- Don't type multi-share (SLIP-39) words into a wallet or tool that only accepts BIP-39 phrases.
- Don't install Wasabi or a "recovery tool" from an ad or a link in a message. Get Wasabi from wasabiwallet.io.
- Never share your recovery words or passphrase with anyone, including us, to get an assessment.
Information that helps the assessment
- Which backup you made: 12 recovery words, a Multi-share Backup (SLIP-39), or only the wallet file.
- For a multi-share backup: how many shares were made, how many you still have, and the threshold if you remember it.
- Whether the wallet file still exists, and on which computer or drive.
- What you remember about the passphrase, such as fragments, length, habits and the period you used it. Describe it; don't send it.
- Which recovery words are missing, unreadable or out of order. Describe them; don't send the words.
- Roughly which Wasabi version you used, and when the wallet was created.
- A receiving address or a transaction you know belongs to the wallet.
Boundaries
What we do not do
Theft, scams or a wrong address
A confirmed blockchain transaction cannot be reversed, cancelled or redirected, by us or by anyone.
A completely lost recovery phrase
With no phrase, wallet file, device, backup or partial information left, there is nothing to reconstruct from.
Guaranteed outcomes
No honest service can guarantee success. Whether recovery is possible depends on what you still have, and the assessment tells you before you commit.
We tell you honestly what is realistic before you commit — including when the answer is no.
How it works
A clear process from first contact to handover.
Tell us what happened
Share the wallet or software name, approximate year, device, problem and what material still exists. Do not send a seed phrase, private key, password, wallet file or ID document.
Initial feasibility view
Once we have enough information, we usually explain the likely recovery route, the main uncertainties and an initial indication of duration.
Verify and agree
We verify identity and ownership or legal authority. Scope, working method, fee and sensitive-material handling are agreed in writing before sensitive work begins.
Transfer or hand over material
PGP, our secure encrypted upload environment, in-person handover or agreed shipment may be used. We request only what is needed and work with copies where possible.
Technical recovery
We test the agreed recovery route in a controlled environment. You receive meaningful updates when findings affect the outlook, scope or next decision.
Client-controlled handover
Access is handed back through the agreed route. You open the wallet and move the assets to a wallet you control; case material is then handled according to the agreement and privacy policy.
Trust
A real company with a verifiable process.
Registered & named
Registered in the Netherlands (KvK 75927276) with a named team and a physical office in Amsterdam.
A written agreement first
Scope, fee and security measures are agreed in writing before any work. If you prefer, we can sign an NDA before you share substantive case details.
Always non-custodial
We restore access; you move the coins yourself. We never hold, manage or transfer your assets.
Ownership is verified
Identity, ownership and legal authority are verified with risk-based KYC/AML checks.
Good to know about Wasabi recovery
- Unlimited attempts. Wasabi does not lock you out after a wrong passphrase, so trying the variants you remember is safe. Keep a list of what you have tried; it shortens any later search.
- Search speed. Testing a candidate against the wallet file means decrypting a BIP-38 key, which uses scrypt to make brute-force attempts slow. A precise candidate list matters more than raw computing power.
- Labels and history. Restoring from the recovery words brings back the keys but not your address labels. Importing the wallet file also restores labels and cluster history.
- What cannot be recovered. With no usable recovery words, too few SLIP-39 shares, no wallet file and no other copy of the keys, there is no key material to recover from. A forgotten passphrase always needs a case-specific assessment.
- Bitcoin only. Wasabi is a privacy-focused desktop wallet for bitcoin, built around CoinJoin, and stores no other coins. See Bitcoin wallet recovery.
Wasabi wallet recovery FAQ
Can I restore Wasabi recovery words in another wallet?
Yes, in a wallet that supports BIP-39 with a passphrase. Use the same passphrase and the paths Wasabi uses: m/84'/0'/0' for SegWit and m/86'/0'/0' for Taproot addresses. Without the matching passphrase and paths, the other wallet shows a different or empty wallet.
What if I have fewer multi-share backup shares than the threshold?
A restore needs the number of complete shares chosen when the backup was created. With fewer, there is no key material to rebuild the wallet from, and no service can change that. If a share is damaged rather than lost, describe what remains in the assessment.
How long does Wasabi recovery take?
It depends on what is missing. A passphrase search against the wallet file is slow by design, so the quality of the candidate list matters. Most cases take a few days to a few weeks; complex searches can take months. After the free assessment you get a realistic estimate.
How much does crypto wallet recovery cost?
It depends on the wallet's value and how complex the case is: our success fee runs from 20% of the recovered amount down to 2%. The exact rate is agreed in writing before any work starts — no hidden costs and no hourly rates.
Do you take custody of the assets at any point?
No. We restore access; you open the wallet and move the funds yourself. We cannot initiate a transaction on your behalf.
Do I need to send my seed phrase or password?
No — first contact needs no sensitive material, and we never ask for it through forms or chat. Under a written agreement we can work with copies of wallet files in a controlled environment, so your keys stay under your control.
What if my wallet was stolen or I was scammed?
We do not take stolen-crypto or scam cases, and blockchain transactions cannot be reversed. That is a police and legal matter.
