<p>Yes, when you use an online wallet service, you are trusting the website operator to generate and maintain your private key(s) for your account. </p>

<p>There is a saying that goes something like, "Unless you hold your own private keys, your bitcoins aren't really yours."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-06T04:23:58.790Z
2014-03-06T04:23:58.790Z
Greg Hewgill
<p>No computer at the moment, so I have Wallets at two independent websites.  I sent millibits from one wallet to the other.  I hear that you have to use your private key to do that.  So, I guess that site created the private key for me, and they control it?  I certainly don’t know what it is.</p>

<private-key>
What is my private key?
WGroleau
# What is my private key?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-03-06)

No computer at the moment, so I have Wallets at two independent websites. I sent millibits from one wallet to the other. I hear that you have to use your private key to do that. So, I guess that site created the private key for me, and they control it? I certainly don’t know what it is.

**Tags:** private-key


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-03-06. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Yes, when you use an online wallet service, you are trusting the website operator to generate and maintain your private key(s) for your account.

There is a saying that goes something like, "Unless you hold your own private keys, your bitcoins aren't really yours."


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