Short answer: A Starknet wallet is an account contract with native account abstraction, not merely an Ethereum-style key holder. You can pay network fees in ETH or STRK, but the amount depends on the transaction and network conditions. Recovery may use a seed phrase, Guardians, a hardware-signer recovery delay, or approvals from other account owners. Privacy is selective: STRK20 can shield activity inside its privacy pool, while deposits, withdrawals, timing and some application activity remain observable. Lawful screening and scoped auditor disclosure can still apply.
What a Starknet wallet actually controls
On Starknet, the account itself is a smart contract. This is the practical effect of native account abstraction: account logic can define how signatures are checked, how fees are paid and how recovery works. The account contract must be deployed before it can transact, and deployment is a fee-paying operation.
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This model explains why two wallets that both hold STRK can have different signing, recovery and privacy behavior. A standard account may rely on one seed-derived signer. Another may add Guardians, a hardware signer, multiple owners or custom validation rules. The wallet application is the interface; the account contract and its signers determine what a transaction or recovery action can do.
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Documented account types include OpenZeppelin accounts, ArgentX accounts and Braavos accounts. They are not interchangeable in every dapp or wallet integration, so check the account type and network before sending funds or connecting an application.
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How much do Starknet wallet transactions cost?
There is no universal Starknet fee
No reviewed documentation publishes one stable amount that applies to every wallet, account deployment and transaction. The fee changes with execution work and network conditions. A simple transfer and a contract call can therefore cost different amounts, and the first deployment of an account is a separate fee event.
ETH and STRK are supported fee tokens
Under the documented transaction-v3 and fee-token model, users can pay Starknet network fees in either ETH or STRK. The wallet or dapp must construct a transaction that supports the selected token, and the account needs enough of that token to cover the quoted fee. A wallet may show a fee estimate before signing; treat it as a transaction-specific quote rather than a permanent tariff.
Account deployment is a paid transaction
Because the account is a contract, it cannot be deployed without paying a fee. Starknet.js documentation notes that deployment is normally funded at the account’s precomputed address. In practice, you may need to transfer ETH or STRK to that address before the first deployment, unless the wallet or application provides a supported funding flow. Sending funds to the wrong network or to an address whose deployment assumptions differ can strand the balance.
Wallet-provider charges are separate
A wallet provider can add a service charge on top of the network fee. Argent’s terms call this an “Argent Fee”; the wallet is expected to show whether it applies and the amount before confirmation. Do not assume that a displayed total is only the Starknet protocol fee. Read the confirmation screen for separate network, relayer or wallet-provider line items.
How to estimate a transaction safely
- Confirm the network. Check that the wallet and dapp are on the intended Starknet network, such as mainnet or a test network.
- Choose the fee token. Verify whether the transaction is being paid in ETH or STRK and keep a reserve in that token.
- Review the simulation or estimate. Inspect the wallet’s fee quote and the transaction’s contract call. A quote can change if execution or network conditions change.
- Look for an additional wallet charge. Read the complete confirmation screen for any provider or relayer fee.
- Keep deployment funds separate. If this is the account’s first transaction, ensure the precomputed address has the required fee token before attempting deployment.
A wallet that does not clearly identify the fee token, estimated network fee and any extra charge is harder to audit. Cancel and verify the integration rather than approving an unexplained total.
Can you recover a Starknet wallet after losing a phone?
Recovery depends on the account’s security configuration. Losing a phone is recoverable only if you still possess the credential or recovery path that the account trusts. A new device does not, by itself, recreate an account.
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Seed-phrase recovery
A standard seed signer can generally be imported into a compatible wallet. Argent’s terms warn that the seed phrase may be required in some device-loss or password-loss situations. Store it offline, never enter it into a website or support chat, and verify the wallet application before importing it.
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Importing a seed phrase restores control of the signer represented by that phrase; it does not automatically restore a separate privacy viewing key, a hardware signer, or another owner’s credentials.
Guardians and social recovery
Argent documentation describes Guardians and social recovery. Guardians are designated accounts or contacts that participate in a recovery procedure according to the account’s rules. The exact threshold and waiting behavior are configuration-dependent, so review them while the wallet is working and record who the Guardians are and how a recovery request is initiated.
Hardware-signer recovery
Braavos documents a distinct path when hardware signing is enabled. Removing the hardware signer during recovery includes a four-day delay. That interval is specific to the documented Braavos flow; it is not a universal Starknet recovery period. During a delay, monitor the account and reject any recovery request you did not authorize.
Multi-owner accounts
A multi-owner account can recover through proposals and approvals from the remaining owners. Losing one owner’s device does not necessarily block the account if the configured approval threshold can still be met. Conversely, losing enough owners to fall below that threshold can make recovery impossible without a separately configured mechanism.
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Privacy-enabled balances introduce another credential. STRK20 wallets use a viewing key to discover and decrypt shielded balances. The viewing key can read private state but cannot authorize spending; moving funds still requires the account signature. If the viewing key is lost, shielded balances may become undiscoverable even when the normal signing key remains available. Back up the viewing key separately and test that the backup can restore balance discovery before relying on it.
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Does Starknet support Ledger and other hardware wallets?
Hardware support exists through wallet integrations rather than through a blanket chain-wide guarantee. A compatibility FAQ lists Ledger workflows through compatible wallets such as Argent, Braavos or Ready. The exact Ledger model, firmware, wallet version, account type and dapp transaction must all be supported.
Check compatibility before moving funds
- Confirm that the wallet explicitly supports your Ledger model and current firmware.
- Verify that the account was created with the signer type the hardware device can authorize.
- Connect to the target dapp in a test account first; signing a message is not the same as signing every contract call.
- Keep the hardware recovery and any Starknet account recovery procedure documented offline.
A hardware wallet protects the signing key from ordinary phone or browser compromise, but it does not eliminate smart-contract risk, malicious transaction data or the need to back up account recovery information.
Can MetaMask be used with Starknet?
Starknet’s setup guidance describes MetaMask interaction through a Starknet Snap. This is an integration layer, not evidence that a normal Ethereum account can directly operate every Starknet account. Starknet accounts are contracts, while Ethereum externally owned accounts are key-address pairs with different execution assumptions.
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How private is a Starknet wallet?
Ordinary Starknet activity remains observable
A conventional Starknet account and its contract calls are not automatically private. Addresses, transactions and interactions that occur outside a privacy system can be inspected through the network and application tooling. Wallet privacy therefore depends on the assets and contracts involved, not just on the wallet brand or interface.
What STRK20 can hide
STRK20 provides shielded balances, private transfers and private DeFi flows for supported assets. Inside the privacy pool, the sender, receiver, amount, token type and spent notes can be hidden from ordinary observers. The wallet API handles note discovery, proof generation and submission.
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What remains visible
Deposits and withdrawals use public ERC-20 legs. Observers can see that funds entered or left the pool, along with timing and the public transaction details. Pool interaction patterns and activity in an external application can also reveal context. Shielding an amount does not erase the public history of funding the shielded position or withdrawing from it.
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Available privacy actions vary by wallet and integration. A dapp should detect the wallet’s capabilities instead of assuming that every wallet can discover notes, generate proofs or submit every STRK20 operation. If a privacy action is missing, do not improvise by signing an unfamiliar contract call; confirm that the wallet and dapp support the operation on the selected network.
Can compliance or regulators see private Starknet transfers?
Privacy does not mean exemption from lawful review. STRK20 registration can store an encrypted copy of a viewing key for an authorized auditor. Under lawful process, that mechanism can decrypt the relevant user’s history while leaving unrelated users’ data private. The viewing key grants read access, not spending authority.
Starknet launch material describes a compliance and auditing path alongside shielded balances and private transfers. In practice, screening rules, disclosure scope, record retention and reporting duties depend on the integrating wallet or application and the user’s jurisdiction. A service may screen an address before allowing a deposit, require identity checks, or disclose only the transaction history covered by a valid legal request.
Do not describe STRK20 as invisible money or as a way to avoid sanctions, tax or anti-money-laundering obligations. Keep records of your own transactions and understand the terms of the wallet, exchange or dapp that handles the public deposit and withdrawal legs.
Wallet comparison checklist
Compare an integration on the following dimensions rather than choosing solely by interface:
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| Decision area | Questions to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fee handling | Does it support ETH and STRK under transaction-v3, and does it separate network and provider fees? | You need the correct token balance and a clear approval total. |
| Recovery | Is recovery seed-based, Guardian-based, hardware-delayed or multi-owner? What threshold and waiting period apply? | Phone loss is only recoverable through the configured path. |
| Account and dapp support | Which account type, network and contract calls are supported? | Starknet contract accounts are not interchangeable with Ethereum EOAs. |
| Hardware signing | Does it support your Ledger model, firmware and intended dapps? | Hardware protection is useful only when the complete signing flow works. |
| Viewing-key backup | Can you export, restore and securely back up the STRK20 viewing key? | Signing-key recovery alone may not restore shielded-balance discovery. |
| Privacy leakage | Which deposit, withdrawal, timing and external-app details stay public? | Pool shielding does not hide the public entry and exit legs. |
| Compliance controls | What screening and scoped auditor-disclosure process applies in your jurisdiction? | Privacy features do not remove legal duties or service restrictions. |
Safe setup and operating procedure
- Install from the wallet’s official distribution channel. Check the application name and publisher before creating an account.
- Record the account type and network. Write down whether the account is OpenZeppelin, ArgentX, Braavos or another supported type, and distinguish mainnet from testnet.
- Create redundant offline backups. Store the seed phrase, Guardian or owner configuration, and hardware recovery information separately. Never photograph or cloud-sync them.
- Back up the viewing key separately. If you use STRK20, confirm that the wallet can rediscover and decrypt a shielded balance after restoring the backup.
- Fund the precomputed address carefully. Send only the required fee token on the correct network before first deployment, and verify the address in the wallet.
- Make a small test transaction. Confirm the recipient, fee token, estimated total and resulting account state before sending a large amount.
- Connect dapps selectively. Review requested permissions and contract calls; disconnect sessions you no longer need.
- Document recovery contacts and delays. Record Guardian identities, owner thresholds and any hardware-signer waiting period while you still have access.
Common failure cases and fixes
The wallet says the account is undeployed
Confirm that the precomputed address holds enough ETH or STRK for deployment, that the wallet is on the intended network and that the dapp supports the account type. Do not resend funds to a newly generated address without checking the derivation and network.
A transaction has an unexpectedly high total
Inspect the execution details and separate network fee from any wallet or relayer charge. Cancel if the fee token or provider charge is not clearly identified, then retry only after the wallet displays a new, understandable estimate.
The seed phrase restored the account but not private balances
Restore the STRK20 viewing key through the wallet’s documented backup flow. The signing key authorizes spending; it does not necessarily contain the data needed to discover and decrypt shielded notes.
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Hardware recovery is still pending
If the flow is the Braavos hardware-signer removal process, the documented delay is four days. Keep the device and remaining credentials secure, monitor for unauthorized proposals and do not approve an unfamiliar recovery request.
A dapp connects but cannot perform a privacy action
Check wallet capability detection, account type, network and wallet version. The connection alone does not prove that note discovery, proof generation or private submission is supported.
Bottom line for Starknet users
Choose a Starknet wallet by its account and recovery design first, then by convenience. Budget for a variable transaction fee in ETH or STRK and a separate deployment fee; verify any provider charge. Keep seed, Guardian, hardware-owner and viewing-key backups distinct. Treat STRK20 as selective privacy with visible entry and exit context, and assume that lawful screening or scoped auditor disclosure can apply.
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