Integrating 3-party key sharding, user authorization, a 48-hour transfer‑out delay buffer, and global disaster recovery into a unified asset protection system. As a core pillar of Gate's security matrix, the Vault seamlessly links daily protection, emergency response, and recovery safeguards.

Core Advantages of Gate Vault

Key shard protection, user authorization, delay protection, and disaster recovery to secure your assets in everyday use, during incidents, and through recovery.

Distributed Storage · Co-Signing

Your Device

Gate

Key Custodian

One shard alone can't move your assets.

A More Robust Security Architecture to Resist Single Points of Failure

Key shards are distributed across your device, Gate, and a key custodian. If a single shard is lost or leaked, it can't sign a transaction on its own.

You Initiate & ConfirmPrerequisite for Execution

Co-signing

Execute Transaction

Neither Gate nor the key custodian can move funds alone.

Absolute Control Over Your Assets

Gate and the key custodian each hold only one shard, so neither can act on your funds alone. Transactions are initiated and authorized by you.

48H

Initiate Transfer Out

Freeze → Pause Timer

Arrives After Buffer Completion

Freezing does not cancel the transaction; unfreezing resumes the original buffer timer.

Delay Protection for Greater Peace of Mind

Every transfer out has a 48-hour buffer. If you spot anything unusual, you can freeze the transfer during the delay. After you unfreeze it, the remaining protection time resumes.

Switch Devices

Personal Shard Backup + Password

Backup Unavailable

Gate + Key Custodian

Gate Services Unavailable

Personal Shard + Key Custodian

Complete verification and recovery according to the corresponding process. Availability conditions for each path are subject to the product page.

Global Disaster Recovery Mechanism

Supports cross-device recovery and multi-party backups. Dedicated recovery pathways are designed for scenarios where backups or Gate services become unavailable.

MPC Wallet Benefits

What is an MPC wallet?

Key Shard Custody

MPC wallets manage on-chain crypto assets by leveraging Multi-Party Computation (MPC) to secure keys.

Collaborative Signature Computation

Private key control is split into multiple key shards held by separate parties. During transfers, they co-compute the transaction signature without restoring the full private key.

Why does it provide better assets protection?

A Single Shard Can't Sign

It distributes key risk across multiple participants: leaking a single shard cannot complete a signature on its own. A transaction can only proceed when enough authorized shards collaborate to reach the required threshold. This eliminates the single point of failure caused by storing a full private key in a single location.

Advantages Over Traditional Wallets

Traditional single-signature EOA wallets and hardware wallets rely on a complete private key. If the key or seed phrase is compromised, assets can be stolen. MPC distributes control across multiple parties so that a single compromised shard is insufficient to sign a transaction, mitigating single-point compromise risks.

Trading and Secure Storage, Seamlessly Connected

Quick Links

Gate Vault seamlessly integrates exchange accounts with on-chain MPC storage, enabling effortless fund transfers: move assets to your account for active trading, and back to the Vault for safe keeping.

Simple Interaction

Enjoy a familiar interface without navigating complex configurations, all while benefiting from a 48-hour transfer-out delay buffer for added protection.

Control of One Private Key, Held Separately by Three Parties

A private key can be understood as the credential used to authorize asset transfers.

MPC distributes this control across different participants: parties compute collaboratively during signing, eliminating the need to construct a full private key during normal use.

Your Device

Hold Personal Shard

Gate

Hold Platform Shard

Key Custodian

Hold Third-Party Shard

Collaboratively Compute Transaction Signature

2-of-3 Threshold + Required Authorization & Verification

Outputs signature; standard signing never reconstructs the full private key.

No Single Party Gets Full Control

One shard alone can't sign a transaction. This reduces the risk from a single leaked shard.

2-of-3 Is a Collaboration Threshold

At least two of the three shards must work together. The threshold doesn't mean any two parties can bypass you and move your assets freely.

Key Custodian

The third-party key shard is temporarily held by an independently licensed Gate entity that operates separately from Gate's global platform to mitigate risks. In the future, custody will be transferred to a qualified, more neutral and trusted third-party institution.

Two Ways In, and Transfers Out Return to Your Gate Account

Once your Vault is created and backed up, you can transfer funds from your Gate account or receive assets via on-chain addresses.

Currently, Vault transfers out are supported only to your Gate account. Transfers out go through the 48-hour delay protection.

Before you transfer in, check the network and address, For supported coins, networks, and the actual arrival status, please refer to the Vault page.

Transfer In

Create Vault

Complete Backup

Gate Account

Internal Transfer In

On-Chain Assets

Send to Vault Address

Vault

Receive and Store Assets

Transfer Out

Vault

You Initiated Transfer Out

48h

Delayed Arrival Protection

Your Gate Account

Arrives After Buffer Completion

Pause Anytime If You Spot Anomalies

Starting a transfer out doesn't mean funds arrive immediately. During the delay, you can freeze the transfer out. After you unfreeze it, the original process and the remaining protection time continue.

Delay Protection Active

You can still freeze the transfer out during the delay.

You Initiated Transfer Out

Transfers out go through the 48-hour delay protection.

Protection Completed · Credited

Credited to Your Gate Account

FreezeNot Frozen: Timer Continues

Frozen

Transfer-Out and Timer Paused

Unfreeze & Continue

Remaining Timer Continues

48H

Giving You Time to Detect and Handle Anomalies

If you notice an unauthorized withdrawal or have doubts about a transfer, you can freeze it during the delay period to halt its execution.

Freezing pauses the transfer out and protection timer. Funds are not returned to the Vault while frozen.

Delay Begins After You Start

48 hours is the protection period for a transfer out. Freezing extends the actual waiting time.

Frozen ≠ Canceled or Refund

Freezing pauses the original transfer out. It does not return funds to your Vault.

Timer Resumes After Unfreezing

For example, if 12 hours have passed, you freeze and then unfreeze, the remaining 36 hours continue.

Switch Phones Anytime, but Prepare Your Recovery in Advance

Backups save your device key shard. When switching devices, you will need a valid backup and the correct backup password, then complete verification via the recovery process.

Save Your Personal Shard Backup First

Back up promptly after creation.

QR Code

Cloud Drive

Gate Cloud

Cloud drive options vary by platform: Google Drive on Android and iCloud on iOS. The backup password is used to encrypt your device key shard. Gate does not store this password and cannot recover it for you.

Restore from Backup When Switching Devices

Backup + Password + Recovery Verification

1Select a cloud backup or scan your backup QR code
2Enter the password set during backup creation.
3Follow the prompts to complete verification and restore Vault access.

Keep your backup somewhere you can find it. Save the QR code on a different device from your Vault, and keep your backup password safe. If you forget your password, you will not be able to restore from this backup.

A Unique Solution Spanning Protection, Incident Response, and Recovery

What makes Gate Vault unique is how it connects key protection, user authorization, the transfer-out buffer, and disaster recovery: your assets are protected while stored, can be frozen when something looks wrong, and have a recovery path if a device or service is unavailable.

Spread the Risk, Authorize Every Action

Three parties hold key shards separately, so no single party can move funds alone.

Daily Protection

Catch Anomalies with Time to Intervene

The 48-hour delay protection lets you freeze a transfer out during the delay.

Incident Response

Clear Recovery Pathways When Unexpected Events Occur

Use your shard backup and multi-party failovers to recover assets when switching phones or facing service downtime.

Recovery Protection

*Recovery requires fulfilling specified procedures and conditions; exact availability is subject to the live product page.

You may also want to know

Can Gate or the third party move my assets on their own?

By design, Gate and the third party each hold only one shard, so neither can move funds alone. A normal transfer out must be started and authorized by you, and meet the product's signing and verification process.

When shards work together, is the full private key put back together?

In normal use, transaction signing is done through MPC collaborative computation, with no need to reconstruct the full private key. 2-of-3 is a cryptographic collaboration threshold. Each action must also go through the relevant authorization and verification process.

If I freeze and then unfreeze, will I have to wait another 48 hours?

If I have a cloud backup, do I still need to remember my password?

If my backup isn't available, are there other ways to recover?

Do I still need to look after my account security when I use Vault?

VIP3 and Above: Limited-Time Free Vault Activation

Go to Gate App, navigate to [Assets] ‑ [Overview] to find the Vault entry, then activate it and complete your backup to add a layer of protection to your assets.

View Feature Guide