What Is a Derivation Path?
What Is a Derivation Path?â
Your Secret Phrase can create millions of addresses on many networks. A derivation path is the recipe a wallet app uses to pick one of them. It's written like this:
m/44'/60'/0'/0/0
The same phrase with a different path gives a different address and a different private key. That's normal: it's how one backup can cover all your accounts on every network.
What Each Part Meansâ
Using Gem Wallet's Ethereum path, m/44'/60'/0'/0/0, as an example:
| Part | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
m | Master | Starts from your Secret Phrase |
44' | Purpose | The standard the path follows. 44' is the general standard, 84' is used for Native SegWit Bitcoin addresses, 49' for Nested SegWit |
60' | Coin type | The network family. 60' is Ethereum and EVM networks, 0' is Bitcoin, 501' is Solana, 195' is TRON |
0' | Account | Lets one phrase hold separate accounts. The first account is 0' |
0 | Change | 0 for receiving addresses, 1 for change addresses on Bitcoin-style networks |
0 | Address index | Which address in the account. The first address is 0 |
An apostrophe (') marks a hardened step, an extra protection so a leaked key can't be used to work out others.
Which Paths Gem Wallet Usesâ
Gem Wallet uses one fixed path per network: the first address of the first account. For example:
- Ethereum and all EVM networks:
m/44'/60'/0'/0/0 - Bitcoin:
m/84'/0'/0'/0/0, a Native SegWit address starting withbc1q - Solana:
m/44'/501'/0'/0'
You can't choose a different path when you import a wallet. See the full list in Gem Wallet's Derivation Paths.
Why My Address or Balance Is Different After Importingâ
When you import a Secret Phrase from another wallet app, Gem Wallet creates the addresses on its own paths. If the other app used a different path, your funds are on an address Gem Wallet isn't showing. Common reasons:
- You used account 2 or later in the other app, such as a second MetaMask or Ledger Live account.
- Your Bitcoin was on a Legacy (
1âĻ) or Nested SegWit (3âĻ) address, while Gem Wallet uses Native SegWit (bc1qâĻ). - The app used its own path for a network, which some apps do for Solana and other networks.
Your funds aren't lost. They're still on the blockchain, controlled by the same Secret Phrase, at an address on a different path.
Before you migrate, open your old wallet app and note the address that holds your funds on each network. After importing, compare it with the address Gem Wallet shows on Receive.
How to Reach Funds on a Different Pathâ
You have two options:
- Send them from your old app. Keep the old app until you've sent the funds to your Gem Wallet address on the same network. This works for every network.
- Import that address's private key. Derive the private key for the other path and import it into Gem Wallet as a single-network wallet. This works for most networks, but not Bitcoin-family networks or Cardano. See How to Get Your Private Key from a 12-Word Recovery Phrase.
Only derive keys offline, and never enter your Secret Phrase on a website or share it with anyone. Gem Wallet support will never ask for it.