"The Bitcoin Memory Map" is an innovative, open-source project designed to help individuals securely store and memorize their Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrency) seed phrases without writing the actual words in plain text. Instead of relying solely on physical paper backups that can be lost or compromised, this system enables users to encode their seed phrase into a series of easily memorizable coordinates within a standardized grid.
This repository contains the full draft of the "Bitcoin Memory Map" book, which serves as a reference tool for this mental encoding system. The book is intended for self-publication via platforms like Amazon KDP, making it globally accessible.
The traditional method of writing down seed phrases on paper carries inherent risks: loss, theft, damage, and a lack of plausible deniability. This project addresses these pain points by offering a method that leverages the standardized nature of BIP-39 word lists to create a secure, personal, and recoverable memory system.
Key Benefits:
- Enhanced Security: Your seed phrase is never written in plain text in the book.
- Plausible Deniability: If the book is found, it's just a word list; your personal encoding method remains private.
- Global Recoverability: The BIP-39 word list is standardized. Even if you lose your physical book, you can acquire a new copy or recreate the grid from the public word list anywhere in the world, as long as you remember your personal encoding cipher.
- Memory-Friendly: Encourages active memorization through creative, personalized ciphers.
The book is structured to guide users step-by-step:
- Introduction: What a seed phrase is, its importance, and the problem with insecure storage.
- Instructions: Detailed guide on how to use the grid system (Page, Column, Row) and how to develop personal encoding ciphers.
- The Word Grid Pages: The full 2048 BIP-39 English word list, organized into 32 pages of 8x8 grids.
- DIY Encoding Toolkit: Blank grid templates and more cipher examples to help users create their unique memory map.
- My Encoding Notes: Blank pages for users to record their cipher legend (NOT their seed words!).
- Security & Resilience: Important disclaimers and tips for maximizing security.
- Glossary: Key terms explained for non-technical users.
The BIP-39 standard uses 2048 words in a fixed, alphabetical order. This book maps each of these words to a unique location (Page, Column, Row). Instead of memorizing words, you memorize a personal sequence of these locations, or a "path" through the book. Your unique method for generating this path (your "cipher") is the secret.
Example:
If your first seed word is "abandon", its location is Page 1, A1. You'd remember "P1,A1" using your cipher, not the word "abandon" directly.
To use this project:
- Explore the book_content.md file: This contains the full text of the book, ready for formatting and publishing.
- Reference bip39_wordlist.txt**:** The raw, official BIP-39 English word list for verification and other uses.
- Read the LICENSE**:** Understand the open-source terms.
We welcome contributions to improve this project! Whether it's enhancing the clarity of instructions, suggesting new encoding methods, or translating the book into other languages, your input is valuable. Please refer to the CONTRIBUTING.md file (coming soon!) for guidelines.
This project was developed by the team at bitcoinforengineers.com. Visit our website for further education on Bitcoin security, advanced recovery tools, and to join a community dedicated to Bitcoin sovereignty.
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.