To hold Pearl (PRL) yourself, you need a wallet that gives you a seed phrase and a prl1p address. This guide shows how to create a Pearl wallet with Oyster, in Chrome or on your phone, and how to back it up properly. It takes about two minutes, and most of that is writing down 12 words.
Before you start
- A pen and paper for your seed phrase. Not your notes app, not a screenshot.
- A password of at least 8 characters. It locks the wallet on this device. It is not a backup: only the seed phrase can restore the wallet.
- A private moment. Nobody should see your screen while the seed phrase is showing.
Step 1: install Oyster
Oyster is a free, self-custody Pearl wallet. Pick where you want to use it:
| Where | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Chrome, Brave, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, Arc | Add the extension from the Chrome Web Store |
| iPhone or iPad | Open the web app in Safari, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen |
| Android | Open the web app in Chrome, tap the menu, then Install app |
Both run the same wallet with the same screens. The Pearl mobile wallet guide covers the phone version in more detail.
Step 2: create your Pearl wallet
- Open Oyster and choose Create a new wallet.
- Set a password. Oyster shows how strong it is and asks you to confirm that it cannot reset the password for you.
- Write down the 12-word seed phrase on paper, in order, with the numbers.
- Prove your backup: Oyster asks you to pick three of the words from a set that includes decoys.
- The wallet locks. Enter your password to open it for the first time.
That is it. There is no account, email or ID check. Your seed phrase is stored on your device in an encrypted vault (scrypt, then AES-256-GCM) and is never sent anywhere.
Step 3: find your prl1p address
Tap Receive. You will see a QR code and your address, which starts with prl1p. That is what you give to an exchange, a mining pool or a friend who is paying you. You can also tap Ask for a set amount to turn the QR code into a payment link.
prl1 address. Wrapped PRL (wPRL) on Ethereum is a different asset and will not arrive if sent there.Keep your Pearl seed phrase safe
The seed phrase is the wallet. Anyone who has those 12 words can take your PRL from any device, and if you lose them along with your device, nobody can recover your coins. Not Oyster, not anyone.
- Keep it offline, on paper or metal, somewhere safe from fire and water.
- Never type it into a website, a form or a chat. No real support team will ever ask for it.
- Consider a second copy in a separate place. Read about common Pearl scams so you can spot seed phrase phishing.
Settings worth checking
- Auto-lock: Oyster locks itself after 1, 5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes without use. The default is 15.
- Backup file: Settings, Back up wallet file saves an encrypted copy of your vault plus your settings and address book. It is a convenience, not a replacement for the seed phrase.
- More wallets: tap the wallet name at the top to add another wallet from the same seed (no new backup needed), import a different seed, or follow an address watch-only.
Already have a Pearl wallet?
If you set up the official Pearl Wallet desktop app or a mining payout wallet earlier, you do not need a new one. Choose I already have a seed phrase instead and enter your 12 or 24 words. The seed phrase import guide explains what to expect.
What to do next
- Get some PRL: how to buy Pearl (PRL).
- Mining? Turn on miner mode for a fixed payout address. See the best wallet for mining payouts.
- Everything else Oyster does is in the docs.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to create a Pearl wallet?
Yes. Creating a wallet and receiving PRL costs nothing. Oyster, the official Pearl Wallet desktop app and most other wallets are free to install. You only pay the Pearl network fee when you send PRL.
What does a Pearl (PRL) address look like?
Mainnet Pearl addresses start with prl1p and are long bech32m Taproot strings. Testnet addresses start with tprl1. If an address starts with anything else, it is not a mainnet Pearl address.
Can I use the same seed phrase in Oyster and the official Pearl Wallet?
Yes. Oyster uses the same BIP-39 seed phrases and the same BIP-86 derivation path as the official Pearl Wallet desktop app, so a seed from one shows the same addresses in the other.
What happens if I forget my wallet password?
The password only unlocks the wallet on that device. If you forget it, choose Restore from seed phrase on the unlock screen and set a new one. Without the seed phrase, nobody can recover the wallet.
Do I need to verify my identity to create a Pearl wallet?
No. A self-custody wallet like Oyster needs no account, email or ID. The seed phrase is the only thing that proves the wallet is yours.