diff --git a/src/aleph_client/__main__.py b/src/aleph_client/__main__.py
index b46ff3ce..26c6e89e 100644
--- a/src/aleph_client/__main__.py
+++ b/src/aleph_client/__main__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Aleph Client command-line interface.
 """
 
+import os
 from typing import Optional
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@
 from aleph_client.types import AccountFromPrivateKey
 from aleph_client.account import _load_account
 from aleph_client.conf import settings
-from .commands import files, message, program, help_strings, aggregate
+from .commands import files, message, program, help_strings, aggregate, account
 
 
 app = typer.Typer()
@@ -30,6 +31,9 @@
     aggregate.app, name="aggregate", help="Manage aggregate messages on Aleph.im"
 )
 
+app.add_typer(
+    account.app, name="account", help="Manage account"
+)
 
 @app.command()
 def whoami(
@@ -44,6 +48,11 @@ def whoami(
     Display your public address.
     """
 
+    if private_key is not None:
+        private_key_file = None
+    elif private_key_file and not os.path.exists(private_key_file):
+        exit(0)
+
     account: AccountFromPrivateKey = _load_account(private_key, private_key_file)
     typer.echo(account.get_address())
 
diff --git a/src/aleph_client/chains/common.py b/src/aleph_client/chains/common.py
index c4092060..86008264 100644
--- a/src/aleph_client/chains/common.py
+++ b/src/aleph_client/chains/common.py
@@ -77,8 +77,10 @@ def get_fallback_private_key() -> bytes:
             private_key = prvfile.read()
     except OSError:
         private_key = generate_key()
+        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE), exist_ok=True)
         with open(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE, "wb") as prvfile:
             prvfile.write(private_key)
+            os.symlink(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE), "default.key"))
 
     return private_key
 
@@ -86,5 +88,6 @@ def get_fallback_private_key() -> bytes:
 def delete_private_key_file():
     try:
         os.remove(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+        os.unlink(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE), "default.key"))
     except FileNotFoundError:
         pass
diff --git a/src/aleph_client/commands/account.py b/src/aleph_client/commands/account.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..79816f62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/aleph_client/commands/account.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import os
+import typer
+import logging
+from typing import Optional
+from aleph_client.types import AccountFromPrivateKey
+from aleph_client.chains.common import generate_key
+from aleph_client.account import _load_account
+from aleph_client.conf import settings
+
+from aleph_client.commands import help_strings
+from aleph_client.commands.utils import setup_logging
+
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+app = typer.Typer()
+
+
+@app.command()
+def create(
+    from_private_key: Optional[str] = typer.Option(
+        None, help=help_strings.PRIVATE_KEY
+    ),
+    debug: bool = False,
+):
+    """Create or import a private key."""
+
+    setup_logging(debug)
+
+    typer.echo("Generating private key file.")
+    private_key_file = typer.prompt("Enter file in which to save the key", settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+
+    if os.path.exists(private_key_file):
+        typer.echo(f"Error: key already exists: '{private_key_file}'")
+        exit(1)
+
+    private_key = None
+    if from_private_key is not None:
+        account: AccountFromPrivateKey = _load_account(private_key_str=from_private_key)
+        private_key = from_private_key.encode()
+    else:
+        private_key = generate_key()
+
+    if private_key is None:
+        typer.echo("An unexpected error occurred!")
+        exit(1)
+
+    os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(private_key_file), exist_ok=True)
+    with open(private_key_file, "wb") as prvfile:
+        prvfile.write(private_key)
+        typer.echo(f"Private key created => {private_key_file}")
diff --git a/src/aleph_client/conf.py b/src/aleph_client/conf.py
index d3f5f12c..d7390c60 100644
--- a/src/aleph_client/conf.py
+++ b/src/aleph_client/conf.py
@@ -1,18 +1,23 @@
+import pathlib
 from pathlib import Path
 from shutil import which
 from typing import Optional
 
 from pydantic import BaseSettings, Field
+import os
+import sys
 
 
 class Settings(BaseSettings):
+    CONFIG_HOME: Optional[str] = None
+
     # In case the user does not want to bother with handling private keys himself,
     # do an ugly and insecure write and read from disk to this file.
     PRIVATE_KEY_FILE: Path = Field(
-        default=Path("device.key"),
+        default=Path("ethereum.key"),
         description="Path to the private key used to sign messages",
     )
-
+    
     PRIVATE_KEY_STRING: Optional[str] = None
     API_HOST: str = "https://api2.aleph.im"
     MAX_INLINE_SIZE: int = 50000
@@ -42,3 +47,17 @@ class Config:
 
 # Settings singleton
 settings = Settings()
+
+if settings.CONFIG_HOME is None:
+    xdg_data_home = os.environ.get("XDG_DATA_HOME")
+    if xdg_data_home is not None:
+        os.environ["ALEPH_CONFIG_HOME"] = str(Path(xdg_data_home, ".aleph-im"))
+    else:
+        home = os.path.expanduser("~")
+        os.environ["ALEPH_CONFIG_HOME"] = str(Path(home, ".aleph-im"))
+
+    settings = Settings()
+
+assert settings.CONFIG_HOME
+if str(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE) == "ethereum.key":
+    settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE = Path(settings.CONFIG_HOME, "private-keys", "ethereum.key")
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_asynchronous.py b/tests/unit/test_asynchronous.py
index 279063d3..5caa81da 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_asynchronous.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_asynchronous.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     create_program,
     forget,
 )
-from aleph_client.chains.common import get_fallback_private_key
+from aleph_client.chains.common import get_fallback_private_key, delete_private_key_file
 from aleph_client.chains.ethereum import ETHAccount
 from aleph_client.conf import settings
 from aleph_client.types import StorageEnum, MessageStatus
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ async def test_create_post():
     _get_fallback_session.cache_clear()
 
     if os.path.exists(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE):
-        os.remove(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+        delete_private_key_file()
 
     private_key = get_fallback_private_key()
     account: ETHAccount = ETHAccount(private_key=private_key)
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ async def test_create_aggregate():
     _get_fallback_session.cache_clear()
 
     if os.path.exists(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE):
-        os.remove(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+        delete_private_key_file()
 
     private_key = get_fallback_private_key()
     account: ETHAccount = ETHAccount(private_key=private_key)
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ async def test_create_store():
     _get_fallback_session.cache_clear()
 
     if os.path.exists(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE):
-        os.remove(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+        delete_private_key_file()
 
     private_key = get_fallback_private_key()
     account: ETHAccount = ETHAccount(private_key=private_key)
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ async def test_create_program():
     _get_fallback_session.cache_clear()
 
     if os.path.exists(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE):
-        os.remove(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+        delete_private_key_file()
 
     private_key = get_fallback_private_key()
     account: ETHAccount = ETHAccount(private_key=private_key)
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ async def test_forget():
     _get_fallback_session.cache_clear()
 
     if os.path.exists(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE):
-        os.remove(settings.PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
+        delete_private_key_file()
 
     private_key = get_fallback_private_key()
     account: ETHAccount = ETHAccount(private_key=private_key)