Wallet Descriptor

Overview

In Bitcoin, output script descriptors can specify script types, public keys, extended keys, derivation paths, multisignature policies, and checksums. A descriptor wallet can derive the correct receive and change outputs without requiring every private key in monitoring systems.

Descriptors may contain public information only or include private keys, depending on their contents. Importing an incomplete range, wrong network, incorrect derivation, or descriptor without necessary origin data can hide funds or prevent signing. A descriptor backup does not always include labels, transactions, or unrelated wallets.

Users should identify whether a descriptor is watch-only or signing-capable and protect it accordingly. Network, checksum, key origins, ranges, and change branches must be preserved. Restoration should be tested with independent software and verified addresses. Private descriptors require secret-level handling, while public descriptors still expose wallet structure and privacy-sensitive address relationships.

Material risks for Wallet Descriptor include credential compromise, malicious destinations, unsupported assets, wrong-network transfers, stale balances, compromised software, provider outage, privacy leakage, and inaccessible recovery material. For Wallet Descriptor, controls should reflect value, automation, reversibility, and whether the organization or a third party controls signing.

Wallet Descriptor should be distinguished from the asset balance and from the application that displays it. For example, a customer-facing success message does not prove that the intended transaction executed on the correct network; operations should verify execution and reconcile the result before irreversible fulfillment.

Production ownership for Wallet Descriptor should identify the user or legal entity, supported assets and networks, address model, custody boundary, signing authority, recovery method, and systems permitted to request or observe transactions. For Wallet Descriptor, these fields determine who can act and which evidence is authoritative.