Shamir's Secret Sharing is a method for splitting a secret into multiple parts, so no single part can unlock it on its own.

A good analogy is a "two keys to open the vault" system, but more flexible. Instead of needing all keys, you can set a threshold like "any 2 out of 3" or "3 out of 5."

In crypto, the "secret" is often something like a recovery key or the ability to reconstruct a wallet backup. With Shamir Secret Sharing, you generate several shares. Each share looks like random data by itself. But when you combine enough shares (the threshold), you can reconstruct the original secret.

This is powerful because it reduces single points of failure:

• If one share is lost, you can still recover (as long as you have enough remaining shares).
• If one share is stolen, it is useless alone.

Shamir Secret Sharing is different from just making copies. Copies multiply risk: if any copy is exposed, the whole secret is exposed. Shamir splits the secret so partial exposure does not break security.

People often use it to distribute recovery across:

• Separate physical locations
• Trusted contacts
• A mix of home storage and off-site storage

Why this matters for your security

Most self-custody failures come down to backups. Shamir Secret Sharing lets you create a recovery setup that is both safer (harder for attackers) and more resilient (less fragile if something gets lost).

Ryder One's TapSafe Recovery uses Shamir Secret Sharing to split your backup into multiple parts, so no single backup can unlock your wallet.

We make self-custody simple. Set up in 60 seconds for a lifetime of stress-free crypto security.

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Related: What is a crypto backup · What is a seed phrase · What is self-custody · What is a hardware wallet