How to Backup Your Seed Phrase Securely (Without a Ledger)

The Problem: Your seed phrase is a single point of failure. Lose it = lose everything. But storing it in one place is risky.

The Solution: Split it into 3 parts. Lose one? No problem. You can still recover.

Why Paper Backups Are Terrible

Most crypto holders write their seed phrase on a piece of paper and put it in a safe.

This is a terrible idea. Here's why:

1. Paper Degrades

Ink fades. Paper tears. Water damage. Fire. Mold.

Your seed phrase written in 2020 might be unreadable in 2030.

2. Safes Get Stolen

Home invasions happen. Burglaries happen. Safes get cracked.

If someone steals your safe, they have your seed phrase. Game over.

3. You Forget Where You Put It

You move houses. You reorganize. You forget which safe. Which drawer. Which box.

I've heard this story a dozen times: "I know I wrote it down. I just can't find it."

4. Your Family Doesn't Know

You die. Your family knows you have crypto. They don't know where the paper is. They don't know the safe combination.

Your crypto is lost forever.

Why Ledger Isn't the Answer

"Just buy a Ledger!" people say.

Ledger is great for security. But it doesn't solve the backup problem.

Ledger Still Requires a Seed Phrase Backup

When you set up a Ledger, it generates a seed phrase. You write it down.

You're back to the paper backup problem.

Ledger protects you from hackers. It doesn't protect you from: - Losing the paper - House fires - Forgetting where you put it - Dying without telling anyone

What If Ledger Goes Out of Business?

Ledger could disappear tomorrow. Your device could break.

You need the seed phrase to recover. And if that seed phrase is on a single piece of paper... you're back to square one.

The Right Way to Backup Your Seed Phrase

Step 1: Use Shamir's Secret Sharing

Instead of storing your seed phrase in one place, split it into 3 shards.

How it works: - Shard A + Shard B = Full seed phrase ✓ - Shard A + Shard C = Full seed phrase ✓ - Shard B + Shard C = Full seed phrase ✓ - Shard A alone = Useless ✗ - Shard B alone = Useless ✗ - Shard C alone = Useless ✗

Any 2 shards can recover your seed. But 1 shard reveals nothing.

Step 2: Distribute the Shards

Shard A: Store in your password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, etc.) - Encrypted - Backed up to cloud - Accessible from anywhere

Shard B: Give to your heir - USB drive (encrypted) - Or print it and put it in their safe - They can't access your crypto with just this shard

Shard C: Store encrypted on Shardium's servers - Released to your beneficiary if you die (dead man's switch) - Useless alone - Open source, client-side encryption

Step 3: Test Recovery

Don't just set it up and forget it.

Test it once a year: 1. Get Shard A from your password manager 2. Get Shard B from your heir 3. Recover your seed phrase 4. Verify it matches

If it works, you're good. If it doesn't, fix it now (not when you need it).

Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: You Lose Your Password Manager

Your 1Password account gets hacked. You lose access.

No problem. You still have Shard B (with your heir) and Shard C (on Shardium). Recover your seed phrase with those two.

Scenario 2: Your House Burns Down

Your safe is destroyed. Everything in it is gone.

No problem. You still have Shard A (password manager) and Shard C (Shardium servers). Recover your seed phrase.

Scenario 3: You Die

You get hit by a bus tomorrow.

No problem. Shardium's dead man's switch activates after 90 days. Shard C is emailed to your beneficiary. They combine it with Shard B (which you already gave them). They recover your seed phrase and inherit your crypto.

Scenario 4: Someone Steals One Shard

A hacker gets into your password manager and steals Shard A.

No problem. One shard is useless. They can't do anything with it. Your crypto is safe.

How to Set This Up (Step-by-Step)

Option 1: Use Shardium (Easiest)

1. Go to shardium.xyz
2. Enter your seed phrase (encrypted client-side)
3. It splits into 3 shards automatically
4. Save Shard A in your password manager
5. Give Shard B to your heir (USB or print)
6. Shard C stays encrypted on Shardium's servers
7. Enter your email + beneficiary email
8. Done (5 minutes)

Cost: $49/year or $129 lifetime

Option 2: Self-Host (Free, More Technical)

1. Clone the Shardium repo: github.com/pyoneerc/shardium
2. Run it on your own server
3. Same process, but you control everything
4. Open source, MIT license

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Storing All 3 Shards in the Same Place

Defeats the purpose. If your house burns down and all 3 shards are in it, you're screwed.

❌ Not Telling Your Heir About Shard B

If they don't know they have it, they can't use it.

Tell them: "I gave you a USB drive with part of my crypto backup. If I die, you'll get an email with the other part. Combine them to access my crypto."

❌ Using a Weak Password Manager

If your password manager is "password123", you're not secure.

Use a strong master password. Enable 2FA. Use a reputable service (1Password, Bitwarden, etc.).

❌ Never Testing Recovery

Set a calendar reminder. Test recovery once a year. Make sure it works.

The Bottom Line

Paper backups are risky. Ledger doesn't solve the backup problem. Single points of failure are dangerous.

Shamir's Secret Sharing eliminates single points of failure.

• Lose one shard? Recover with the other two.
• Die? Your family inherits automatically.
• Get hacked? One shard is useless.

Secure your seed phrase backup →

Max Comperatore is the founder of Shardium. He's been paranoid about seed phrase backups since 2017.