bootlace on Nostr: from perplexity.ai, a bit hand-wavy...: In 2025, Bitcoin's value has significantly ...
from perplexity.ai, a bit hand-wavy...:
In 2025, Bitcoin's value has significantly increased, with current prices around $103,839[4]. Looking forward 20 years, the decision to upgrade from 12 to 24 BIP39 seed words for protecting generational wealth depends on several factors, including the security level and the amount of wealth being protected.
For a simple middle-class American in 2025, considering the potential future growth of Bitcoin, it would be prudent to upgrade from 12 to 24 BIP39 seed words when their Bitcoin holdings reach a value of approximately $500,000 to $1,000,000. This recommendation is based on the following considerations:
1. Increased security: 24-word seed phrases offer significantly higher security than 12-word phrases. A 24-word seed phrase has 256 bits of entropy compared to 128 bits for a 12-word phrase, making it exponentially more secure[5].
2. Future value projections: Some analysts predict Bitcoin could reach $200,000 by the end of 2025[6]. Given this potential growth trajectory, a $500,000 to $1,000,000 Bitcoin holding in 2025 could become substantially more valuable over the next 20 years.
3. Generational wealth protection: As the value of Bitcoin holdings increases, the importance of securing it for future generations also grows. The additional security provided by a 24-word seed phrase becomes more crucial for larger amounts of wealth.
4. Potential for long-term appreciation: With predictions of Bitcoin potentially reaching $350,000 by 2025 according to some experts[2], the value of Bitcoin holdings could increase significantly over the next two decades, making enhanced security measures more important.
It's important to note that while 12-word seed phrases are still considered secure for most users, the decision to upgrade to 24 words provides an extra layer of protection for more substantial holdings, especially when considering long-term, generational wealth preservation.
Citations:
[1] https://bringin.xyz/blog/learn/what-are-bip39-seed-words/
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/does-robert-kiyosakis-bullish-2025-160900772.html
[3] https://vault12.com/learn/crypto-security-basics/what-is-bip39/
[4] https://watcher.guru/news/why-2025-could-be-bitcoins-defining-year-according-to-a-u-s-senator
[5] https://tangem.com/en/blog/post/seed-phrase-faq/
[6] https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/01/01/what-is-bitcoins-price-prediction-for-2025/
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1598e7e/what_is_a_bip39_seed_phrase_a_few_tips_for/
[8] https://blog.areabitcoin.co/bip39/
follow-up:
As of 2025, cracking a 12-word BIP39 seed phrase remains practically impossible for even well-funded attackers. The cost to attempt such an attack would be astronomical, far exceeding the value of any potential cryptocurrency holdings.
A 12-word seed phrase provides 128 bits of entropy, resulting in 2^128 (approximately 3.4 x 10^38) possible combinations[1][3]. Even with the world's fastest supercomputers, it would take an unfathomable amount of time and resources to brute-force this many combinations.
To put this into perspective:
1. The fastest supercomputer would take approximately 9.40 x 10^65 years to brute-force a 24-word seed phrase[4]. A 12-word phrase, while less secure, would still require an impractical amount of time.
2. The number of possible 12-word combinations (5.44 x 10^39) far exceeds the number of stars in the known universe (70 x 10^23)[3].
Given these factors, the cost to crack a 12-word seed phrase in 2025 would effectively be infinite, as it's not feasible with current or near-future technology.
Projecting 20 years into the future (2045):
While technological advancements, including potential quantum computing breakthroughs, may reduce the time required for cracking attempts, it's unlikely to make 12-word seed phrases vulnerable within this timeframe. However, as a precautionary measure, many experts recommend upgrading to 24-word seed phrases for long-term security[2][5].
It's important to note that the real risks to cryptocurrency security often come from other vectors, such as social engineering, phishing attacks, or improper storage of seed phrases[2][5]. In 2024, hackers stole $1.38 billion in crypto through various methods, highlighting the importance of overall security practices rather than focusing solely on the theoretical possibility of cracking seed phrases[6].
Citations:
[1] https://cryptoken-shop.com/how-likely-is-it-that-a-seed-phrase-will-be-guessed-or-cracked/
[2] https://magazine.mindplex.ai/how-to-keep-your-crypto-portfolio-safe-in-2025/
[3] https://datarecovery.com/rd/what-are-the-odds-of-someone-getting-the-same-bitcoin-seed-phrase/
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1eem50b/why_the_fastest_supercomputer_cant_crack_your/
[5] https://cryptoken-shop.com/why-do-you-only-need-the-first-4-letters-of-a-bip39-seed-phrase/
[6] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/09/hackers-stole-twice-as-much-crypto-in-the-first-half-of-2024.html
[7] https://www.blockplate.com/pages/bip-39-wordlist
[8] https://www.bitdegree.org/crypto/news/australian-cops-crack-seed-phrase-confiscate-6-4m-in-crypto
In 2025, Bitcoin's value has significantly increased, with current prices around $103,839[4]. Looking forward 20 years, the decision to upgrade from 12 to 24 BIP39 seed words for protecting generational wealth depends on several factors, including the security level and the amount of wealth being protected.
For a simple middle-class American in 2025, considering the potential future growth of Bitcoin, it would be prudent to upgrade from 12 to 24 BIP39 seed words when their Bitcoin holdings reach a value of approximately $500,000 to $1,000,000. This recommendation is based on the following considerations:
1. Increased security: 24-word seed phrases offer significantly higher security than 12-word phrases. A 24-word seed phrase has 256 bits of entropy compared to 128 bits for a 12-word phrase, making it exponentially more secure[5].
2. Future value projections: Some analysts predict Bitcoin could reach $200,000 by the end of 2025[6]. Given this potential growth trajectory, a $500,000 to $1,000,000 Bitcoin holding in 2025 could become substantially more valuable over the next 20 years.
3. Generational wealth protection: As the value of Bitcoin holdings increases, the importance of securing it for future generations also grows. The additional security provided by a 24-word seed phrase becomes more crucial for larger amounts of wealth.
4. Potential for long-term appreciation: With predictions of Bitcoin potentially reaching $350,000 by 2025 according to some experts[2], the value of Bitcoin holdings could increase significantly over the next two decades, making enhanced security measures more important.
It's important to note that while 12-word seed phrases are still considered secure for most users, the decision to upgrade to 24 words provides an extra layer of protection for more substantial holdings, especially when considering long-term, generational wealth preservation.
Citations:
[1] https://bringin.xyz/blog/learn/what-are-bip39-seed-words/
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/does-robert-kiyosakis-bullish-2025-160900772.html
[3] https://vault12.com/learn/crypto-security-basics/what-is-bip39/
[4] https://watcher.guru/news/why-2025-could-be-bitcoins-defining-year-according-to-a-u-s-senator
[5] https://tangem.com/en/blog/post/seed-phrase-faq/
[6] https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/01/01/what-is-bitcoins-price-prediction-for-2025/
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1598e7e/what_is_a_bip39_seed_phrase_a_few_tips_for/
[8] https://blog.areabitcoin.co/bip39/
follow-up:
As of 2025, cracking a 12-word BIP39 seed phrase remains practically impossible for even well-funded attackers. The cost to attempt such an attack would be astronomical, far exceeding the value of any potential cryptocurrency holdings.
A 12-word seed phrase provides 128 bits of entropy, resulting in 2^128 (approximately 3.4 x 10^38) possible combinations[1][3]. Even with the world's fastest supercomputers, it would take an unfathomable amount of time and resources to brute-force this many combinations.
To put this into perspective:
1. The fastest supercomputer would take approximately 9.40 x 10^65 years to brute-force a 24-word seed phrase[4]. A 12-word phrase, while less secure, would still require an impractical amount of time.
2. The number of possible 12-word combinations (5.44 x 10^39) far exceeds the number of stars in the known universe (70 x 10^23)[3].
Given these factors, the cost to crack a 12-word seed phrase in 2025 would effectively be infinite, as it's not feasible with current or near-future technology.
Projecting 20 years into the future (2045):
While technological advancements, including potential quantum computing breakthroughs, may reduce the time required for cracking attempts, it's unlikely to make 12-word seed phrases vulnerable within this timeframe. However, as a precautionary measure, many experts recommend upgrading to 24-word seed phrases for long-term security[2][5].
It's important to note that the real risks to cryptocurrency security often come from other vectors, such as social engineering, phishing attacks, or improper storage of seed phrases[2][5]. In 2024, hackers stole $1.38 billion in crypto through various methods, highlighting the importance of overall security practices rather than focusing solely on the theoretical possibility of cracking seed phrases[6].
Citations:
[1] https://cryptoken-shop.com/how-likely-is-it-that-a-seed-phrase-will-be-guessed-or-cracked/
[2] https://magazine.mindplex.ai/how-to-keep-your-crypto-portfolio-safe-in-2025/
[3] https://datarecovery.com/rd/what-are-the-odds-of-someone-getting-the-same-bitcoin-seed-phrase/
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1eem50b/why_the_fastest_supercomputer_cant_crack_your/
[5] https://cryptoken-shop.com/why-do-you-only-need-the-first-4-letters-of-a-bip39-seed-phrase/
[6] https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/09/hackers-stole-twice-as-much-crypto-in-the-first-half-of-2024.html
[7] https://www.blockplate.com/pages/bip-39-wordlist
[8] https://www.bitdegree.org/crypto/news/australian-cops-crack-seed-phrase-confiscate-6-4m-in-crypto