1

I know that to create a view only wallet you have the following option using the secret view key:

./monero-wallet-cli --generate-from-view-key wallet-name

Standard address: 4jkshetduseokd...

View key: ffgksijdmniod...

Someone with your XMR wallet will be able to see the funds you have in you wallet.

If I share the XMR wallet and the public view key, what could anyone do with that information and how can it be used (which are the steps https://xmr.llcoins.net/checktx.html)?

Thank you :).

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3

A view only wallet only allows seeing incoming transactions.

https://src.getmonero.org/resources/user-guides/view_only.html

A view-only wallet can only see which incoming transactions belong to you. It can not spend any of your Monero, in fact it can't even see outgoing transactions from this wallet. This makes view-only wallets particularly interesting for

  • Developers writing libraries to validate payments End users validating
  • incoming transactions to cold wallets

To check a transaction on the blockchain (like with your linked service), you need either the transaction private key or the wallet private view key.

To be clear, you cannot track transactions on the blockchain with only a wallets public view key.

Improve this answer
3
  • Also see: monero.stackexchange.com/questions/2053/…
    – jtgrassie
    Commented Dec 18, 2018 at 19:09
  • Thanks for the answer. So the public view key is "useless". I know this is used for the wallet to receive transactions. Can someone do anything with the public view key, or is this a Monero blockchain only thing? If I hand over the public view key, what can you do with it? Anything? Thank you for the answer of the private key and link, it's pretty useful. :)
    – Luis Herrera
    Commented Dec 20, 2018 at 20:07
  • A sender uses the receivers public spend and view keys when creating a transaction (specially creating the stealth address). So public (view and spend) keys are not "useless".
    – jtgrassie
    Commented Dec 22, 2018 at 16:57

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.