<p>The single-sig wallet will still work. Each key can be used in multiple wallets (singlesig or multisig) without interfering with the others. However, for a more secure multisig setup, it's usually better to generate separate keys on different devices or at least different wallets.</p>
<p>It is generally considered malpractice to use your singlesig key in a multisig wallet. If you are distributing your multisig coordination information to cosigners, they will have access to your personal public key which you likely don't want to disclose. Also, if someone gains access to both Key #1 and Key #2, they can control both the singlesig and multisig wallets. Typically, the idea of a multisig setup is to spread keys across different devices or locations to increase security.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-08-24T18:30:23.177Z
2024-08-24T18:30:23.177Z
Myles Sherman
<p>I am new to hardware wallets and self-custody so apologies if I am mixing things up or trying to do something wrong here.</p>
<p>I got a Blockstream Jade and playing around with air-gapped keys and wallets on Nunchuk.</p>
<p>I created a new wallet on the Jade and setup a singlesig wallet on Nunchuk with that key, let's call it Key #1. Did some air-gapped transactions, all good.</p>
<p>I want to setup a 2of2 multisig wallet on Nunchuk now. Can I create just one new wallet/private key on Jade, call it Key #2, and use the two keys I have as the two keys for the multisig? I have two questions here:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Will the singlesig wallet with Key #1 still work as before and independently?</p>
</li>
<li><p>Are there security issues? Both keys are mine and I don't plan to use the original singlesig wallet - it was just for testing.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>I could just create two new keys for the multisig but it got me thinking: &quot;Isn't a recovery phrase/private key the same thing as a wallet?&quot; So if you create n keys for a multisig each of those keys should on their own correspond to separate singlesig wallets in addition to being keys for the totally separate multisig wallet. Is that correct?</p>

<security><private-key><multi-signature>
Is it safe to use a private key for an existing singlesig wallet as one of the keys for a new multisig wallet?
kilgoretrout
# Is it safe to use a private key for an existing singlesig wallet as one of the keys for a new multisig wallet?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-08-24)

I am new to hardware wallets and self-custody so apologies if I am mixing things up or trying to do something wrong here.

I got a Blockstream Jade and playing around with air-gapped keys and wallets on Nunchuk.

I created a new wallet on the Jade and setup a singlesig wallet on Nunchuk with that key, let's call it Key #1. Did some air-gapped transactions, all good.

I want to setup a 2of2 multisig wallet on Nunchuk now. Can I create just one new wallet/private key on Jade, call it Key #2, and use the two keys I have as the two keys for the multisig? I have two questions here:

1. Will the singlesig wallet with Key #1 still work as before and independently?
2. Are there security issues? Both keys are mine and I don't plan to use the original singlesig wallet - it was just for testing.

I could just create two new keys for the multisig but it got me thinking: "Isn't a recovery phrase/private key the same thing as a wallet?" So if you create n keys for a multisig each of those keys should on their own correspond to separate singlesig wallets in addition to being keys for the totally separate multisig wallet. Is that correct?

**Tags:** security, private-key, multi-signature


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-08-24. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

The single-sig wallet will still work. Each key can be used in multiple wallets (singlesig or multisig) without interfering with the others. However, for a more secure multisig setup, it's usually better to generate separate keys on different devices or at least different wallets.

It is generally considered malpractice to use your singlesig key in a multisig wallet. If you are distributing your multisig coordination information to cosigners, they will have access to your personal public key which you likely don't want to disclose. Also, if someone gains access to both Key #1 and Key #2, they can control both the singlesig and multisig wallets. Typically, the idea of a multisig setup is to spread keys across different devices or locations to increase security.


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