Starknet wallets are smart-contract accounts, not ordinary Ethereum-style accounts. That design enables native account abstraction, flexible signers, social recovery and, with compatible software, shielded STRK20 transfers. It also means account deployment and transactions can incur network fees, recovery depends on your wallet’s security setup, and privacy is selective rather than absolute. This FAQ explains the practical details: what you may pay, how to recover access, which wallets and hardware signers work, what STRK20 hides, and what compliance controls can still reveal.
How Starknet wallets differ from ordinary crypto wallets
A Starknet account is a smart contract. Documented account types include OpenZeppelin, ArgentX and Braavos accounts, rather than Ethereum-style externally owned accounts (EOAs). The contract account applies the account’s validation and recovery rules whenever it authorizes a transaction.
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This is Starknet’s native account-abstraction model. A wallet can therefore support features such as alternative signers, guardians, multi-owner approval and hardware-signer policies at the account level. The trade-off is that deploying the account contract is itself an on-chain operation and must be funded.
What Starknet wallet transactions cost
Fee tokens and transaction versions
Under Starknet’s documented transaction-v3 model, network fees can be paid in either ETH or STRK. The token you select and the amount available in the account must satisfy the transaction’s fee requirements. A wallet may present the token choice during confirmation, but the exact controls depend on the wallet and account implementation.
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Why there is no universal Starknet fee
There is no stable fee number that applies to every Starknet wallet transaction. The amount varies with the transaction’s execution, calldata and network conditions. A simple transfer, contract deployment and a multi-step DeFi operation can therefore produce very different estimates. Treat any quoted figure as an estimate for that specific transaction, not as a standing Starknet price.
Account deployment is a separate cost
A new account contract cannot be deployed for free. Starknet.js documentation explains that deployment normally has to be funded at the account’s precomputed address before the deployment transaction succeeds. If you are setting up a wallet for the first time, send enough ETH or STRK to that address for the deployment fee, then confirm the deployment in the wallet.
Wallet-provider charges
Network fees are not the only possible charge. Argent’s terms state that a third-party crypto-platform transaction may carry an “Argent Fee.” The wallet displays whether that fee applies and its amount before you confirm. Read the final confirmation screen for both the network fee and any wallet or service charge.
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Practical fee checklist
- Confirm whether the transaction is paying fees in ETH or STRK.
- Check the estimated network fee and the total amount leaving the account.
- For a first-time account, fund the precomputed address before attempting deployment.
- Look for a separately disclosed wallet or third-party service fee.
- Keep a fee-token balance after the operation; a successful transfer that leaves no fee token can make the next transaction fail.
How to recover a Starknet wallet after losing a phone
Recovery is determined by the account’s signer and security configuration, not by Starknet alone. Before an emergency, identify which of the following models your account uses and store the required material offline.
Standard seed-signer recovery
A standard seed-based account can generally be restored by importing its seed phrase into a compatible wallet. The phrase is the signing authority: anyone who obtains it can authorize transactions. Never type it into a website, support chat or form, and do not photograph or store it in an unencrypted cloud account.
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Guardians and social recovery
Argent accounts can use Guardians and social recovery. Guardians are trusted people or devices designated to help restore control when the primary device or signer is unavailable. The exact threshold and waiting rules are part of the account’s configuration, so review them while you still have access and confirm that each guardian can complete the required action.
Hardware-signer recovery
Braavos documents a separate path when hardware signing is enabled. Recovering the account by removing the hardware signer includes a four-day delay. That interval is specific to this Braavos recovery flow; it should not be assumed for other wallets or hardware integrations. During the delay, monitor the account and cancel or challenge the recovery if it was not authorized.
Multi-owner accounts
A multi-owner Starknet account can recover through proposals and approvals from the remaining owners. Losing one owner’s device does not automatically give a single remaining owner unilateral control if the configured threshold requires more approvals. Keep each owner’s signing material and the threshold documentation available to the people responsible for recovery.
Viewing-key backup is a different recovery task
Privacy-enabled STRK20 balances introduce a second secret: the viewing key. The wallet uses it to discover and decrypt shielded balances. It can read private state but cannot authorize spending; moving funds still requires the account signature.
If the signing key is recovered but the viewing key is lost, the account may be able to spend while the shielded balance remains undiscoverable or appears inaccessible. Export and back up the viewing key separately, using the wallet’s documented backup process, and protect it with the same care as other sensitive wallet data.
Recovery preparation checklist
- Record the account address and the wallet/account type.
- Identify whether signing uses a seed, hardware signer, guardians or multiple owners.
- Store the seed phrase, owner keys and guardian details offline according to the account’s rules.
- Export the STRK20 viewing key if the account holds shielded assets.
- Test a small recovery or read-only restoration before an emergency, where the wallet supports it.
Which wallets and signers work with Starknet?
Browser wallets and account implementations
Starknet’s setup guidance names Braavos and Argent as compatible browser wallets. Starknet wallet compatibility documentation also lists Argent, Braavos and OpenZeppelin account implementations. Compatibility is not just a brand-level label: a wallet may support one account type, network or dapp flow while lacking another.
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|---|---|
| Native Starknet browser wallets | Braavos and Argent are named in Starknet setup guidance. |
| Documented account types | OpenZeppelin, ArgentX and Braavos accounts are documented. |
| MetaMask access | MetaMask can interact with Starknet through a Starknet Snap. |
| Hardware-wallet workflows | Ledger workflows are available through compatible wallets such as Argent, Braavos or Ready. |
Using MetaMask
MetaMask does not natively turn a Starknet account into an Ethereum EOA. Starknet’s setup documentation describes interaction through a Starknet Snap, which adds Starknet-specific account and signing support. Before depositing funds, verify that the Snap version, selected network and target dapp all support the operation you intend to perform.
Using a Ledger hardware wallet
A Ledger hardware wallet can keep signing keys offline, but support depends on the exact Starknet wallet integration and hardware model. The compatibility FAQ identifies Ledger workflows through wallets such as Argent, Braavos or Ready. Install only the wallet and device software documented by the integration, confirm the account address shown on the hardware screen, and perform a small test transaction before moving a large balance.
Check compatibility before moving funds
- Confirm the dapp supports your wallet and account type.
- Check that the wallet is connected to the intended Starknet network.
- Verify whether the operation requires ETH or STRK for fees.
- For hardware signing, verify the exact Ledger model and integration version.
- For privacy operations, confirm that the wallet exposes STRK20 note discovery, proof generation and submission.
Is a Starknet wallet private?
A normal Starknet account address and its public transactions are visible on-chain. Privacy depends on the asset and application. STRK20 adds a shielded pool for supported assets, but it does not make every part of a transfer invisible.
What STRK20 can hide inside the pool
Within the privacy pool, STRK20 can hide the sender, receiver, amount, token type and spent notes. It supports shielded balances, private transfers and private DeFi flows for supported assets. The wallet API handles note discovery, proof generation and transaction submission so that the account can create and spend private notes.
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What remains public
Deposits and withdrawals are public ERC-20 legs. Observers can see when funds enter or leave the pool, the public token contract interaction and the timing of those events. Pool interaction patterns and activity with external applications can also provide context that narrows the set of plausible private actions. Privacy therefore reduces information disclosed inside the pool; it does not erase the surrounding transaction history.
Wallet capability is not universal
Available STRK20 actions vary by wallet. One wallet may support shielded deposits and withdrawals while another supports additional private DeFi operations or exposes viewing-key export. Dapps should detect the wallet’s advertised capabilities rather than assume that every Starknet wallet can perform every privacy operation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can compliance or regulators see private Starknet transfers?
Privacy does not exempt a user, wallet or application from lawful screening and disclosure requirements. STRK20’s compliance design allows an authorized auditor to receive an encrypted copy of a user’s viewing key during registration. Under lawful process, that mechanism can decrypt the relevant user’s history without automatically exposing unrelated users’ private data.
The viewing key grants read access only. It does not authorize spending; an account signature remains necessary to move funds. Starknet launch material describes compliance and auditing alongside shielded balances and private transfers, so “private” should be read as scoped confidentiality rather than immunity from review.
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The practical scope depends on the integrating wallet or application and your jurisdiction. Screening may occur at onboarding or during deposits and withdrawals, and an application may be required to disclose records under a valid legal request. Read the wallet’s privacy notice and terms before using a shielded pool for business or regulated activity.
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Choosing a Starknet wallet for your priorities
| Priority | Questions to ask before choosing |
|---|---|
| Low-friction transactions | Does the wallet support ETH and STRK fee payment, and does it show the complete fee before confirmation? |
| Recovery after device loss | Is recovery seed-based, guardian-based, hardware-removal based or multi-owner, and are there delays or approval thresholds? |
| Hardware security | Does the exact Ledger model work with the wallet, account type and target dapp? |
| Shielded balances | Can the wallet discover notes, generate proofs, submit STRK20 operations and export a viewing key? |
| Privacy and compliance | What is visible at deposits and withdrawals, and how are screening and auditor disclosures handled? |
| Dapp coverage | Does the target application support the wallet, network and account implementation you plan to use? |
Troubleshooting common Starknet wallet problems
“Insufficient funds” during account setup
Check that the precomputed account address was funded and that the wallet is using the fee token you supplied. Deployment requires its own fee; a token balance intended only for the eventual transfer may not cover deployment.
A transaction fee looks different from an earlier one
Execution, calldata and network conditions change. Reopen the confirmation screen, verify the current estimate and check whether a wallet-provider fee is included. Do not rely on a fee copied from a previous transaction.
The wallet restored, but shielded funds are missing
Confirm that the STRK20 viewing key was restored in addition to the signing key. The signing key proves authorization, while the viewing key lets the wallet discover and decrypt private notes. Without the latter, shielded balances may remain undiscoverable.
A dapp cannot see the privacy feature
The wallet may not advertise the required STRK20 capability, or the dapp may not detect it correctly. Update only through the wallet’s official release channel, select the intended network and check whether the operation is supported for the specific asset.
Hardware recovery is pending
If the account uses the Braavos hardware-signer recovery flow, the documented removal delay is four days. Keep the original signer secure during that period and monitor the account for an unauthorized recovery attempt.
Quick Recap
Safe operating practices
- Confirm the full destination address on the wallet or hardware display, not only in a browser tab.
- Keep fee funds separate from long-term holdings so routine transactions do not consume the entire balance.
- Back up signing credentials and the STRK20 viewing key as separate items.
- Document guardian identities, owner thresholds and hardware-recovery delays for trusted successors.
- Assume deposits, withdrawals, timing and external dapp activity can reveal context around a private transfer.
- Review the wallet’s current terms and compliance disclosures for your jurisdiction before using shielded transactions for regulated funds.
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