ECDSA

Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm: a public-key method for creating and verifying digital signatures.

PLAIN-ENGLISH DEFINITION

In more detail

ECDSA is used by Bitcoin's legacy signatures and conventional Ethereum accounts with the secp256k1 curve. Signing uses a private key; others verify with the public key. Correct signature-nonce handling is critical. This cryptographic nonce is separate from Ethereum's transaction counter, which is also called a nonce.

IN THE WILD

How you might use it

Your Ethereum transaction carries an ECDSA signature that nodes can verify without receiving the private key from your wallet.

WORD NOTES

Written out: Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm

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By Crypto Dictionary · Published Oct 9, 2026 · Updated Oct 10, 2026

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