Key features
API-driven
Create wallets and send transactions with Circle APIs and SDKs. No node
setup or low-level signing for supported chains; or bring your own node with Signing APIs.
You retain custody
Your
stays with you: built-in encryption, registration, rotation, and recovery
keep compliance and custody clear.
Web3 for users
Run transfers, smart contract interactions, and other onchain actions on
behalf of your users so they get Web3 benefits without managing keys or
understanding the blockchain.
Scalability
Scale to many wallets across chains from a single Entity Secret. Support for
unified EVM addresses and high throughput.
What you can build
Use dev-controlled wallets when you need funds you control, automation, or many wallets from a single API. Here are some common use cases:Custodial wallets
Custodial wallets
You hold and manage assets on behalf of users; they don’t control keys
directly. You create and fund wallets per user or account, execute
withdrawals and transfers when users request them, and enforce your own
policies (limits, KYC, fraud checks) before any onchain action.
Treasury and liquidity management
Treasury and liquidity management
Manage platform reserves, liquidity pools, and rebalancing from programmatic
wallets. You hold and move funds between pools or protocols, execute
rebalancing or yield strategies, and keep operational and reserve wallets
under one Entity Secret and API surface.
Automated payouts
Automated payouts
Run scheduled or event-driven disbursements to many recipients. You trigger
payouts (payroll, rebates, refunds, incentives) to a list of addresses or to
wallets you create per recipient, with full control over timing, amounts,
and auditability.
Exchange or marketplace infrastructure
Exchange or marketplace infrastructure
Use programmatic wallets for deposits, withdrawals, and settlement. Incoming
funds land in wallets you control; you move assets between hot/cold or
operational wallets, process withdrawals to user addresses, and settle
marketplace or P2P trades without handing keys to end users.
Gaming or rewards systems
Gaming or rewards systems
Power in-game or loyalty balances and automated distribution. You create and
fund wallets for players or reward recipients, credit and debit balances via
your logic, and run batch payouts or airdrops without each user managing
their own keys.
How it works
Dev-controlled wallets follow this general flow:Register and manage your Entity Secret
Your backend generates and holds the
, registers it with Circle, and uses it to authenticate API calls that
require signing. Circle never stores the secret.
Create wallet sets and wallets
You create
and wallets within them. Multichain and unified addressing are supported as needed.
Initiate transactions or interact with contracts
You call Circle APIs to send transfers, deploy contracts, or execute other
onchain actions.
As a developer, you’re responsible for generating and managing the Entity
Secret; Circle never stores it. To learn more about Entity Secret generation,
rotation, and recovery, see Entity secret
management.
Account types
On EVM chains, dev-controlled wallets support two account types:| Account Type (EVM) | Description | Gas Model |
|---|---|---|
| EOA (Externally Owned Account) | Simple externally owned accounts that require native gas to send transactions. | Requires native gas paid by the source wallet |
| SCA (Smart Contract Account) | Programmable accounts with advanced features: gas sponsorship, batch execution. | Gas paid by relayer or platform; programmability |
EOA
Select when the source wallet can hold native token for gas, you want simple
key-controlled accounts, and you don’t need multiple operations in one
transaction (batch execution).
SCA
Select when you need gas paid by a relayer or platform (gas sponsorship),
batch execution, or other programmable behavior.
Non-EVM chains, such as Aptos and Solana, use their account model. For a full
breakdown by blockchain, see Account Types.For gas sponsorship, Circle offers Gas Station.