> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.socket.fi/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Embedded Wallets: What They Are and Why They Matter

> Learn how SocketFi embedded wallets eliminate seed phrases and wallet extensions, giving every user a non-custodial smart wallet on first sign-up.

SocketFi embedded wallets are Soroban smart contract wallets that live entirely inside your application. Instead of asking users to install browser extensions, write down seed phrases, or switch to an external wallet app, SocketFi creates and manages a fully non-custodial wallet the moment a user authenticates. The wallet address — a stable `CDXXXXX...` identifier — never changes, and your users never need to know it exists unless they want to.

## Traditional Flow vs SocketFi Flow

Most blockchain applications send users through an onboarding gauntlet before they can do anything useful. SocketFi collapses that into a single step.

**Traditional wallet onboarding**

```text theme={null}
User opens app
  ↓
Install wallet extension
  ↓
Create wallet account
  ↓
Save 12–24 word seed phrase
  ↓
Connect wallet to app
  ↓
Use application
```

**SocketFi embedded wallet onboarding**

```text theme={null}
User opens app
  ↓
Authenticate with passkey
  ↓
Wallet is ready — use application
```

The wallet is deployed and bound to the user's passkey automatically. Everything below the authentication surface is invisible to the user.

## Five Core Principles

SocketFi embedded wallets are built around five guarantees that every integration inherits by default.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="User Ownership" icon="lock">
    Users own their wallets and assets. SocketFi is non-custodial and cannot move funds on a user's behalf.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Strong Authentication" icon="fingerprint">
    Passkeys replace passwords and seed phrases. Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello, Android Passkeys, and hardware security keys are all supported.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Smart Wallet Infrastructure" icon="microchip">
    Every wallet is a Soroban smart contract with programmable policies, replay protection, and built-in recovery support.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Application Native" icon="window">
    Wallet functionality is embedded directly in your UI. No extensions, no redirects, no external apps required.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Recoverability" icon="rotate">
    Users can regain access to their wallet after losing a device. Recovery updates credentials only — the wallet address, assets, and ownership are always preserved.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Use Cases

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Fintech">
    Payments, savings, cross-border remittances, and investment products that need compliant, auditable wallets without burdening users with key management.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Consumer Applications">
    Social platforms, creator economies, rewards programs, and loyalty systems where onboarding friction is the difference between retention and churn.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Gaming">
    In-game asset ownership, peer-to-peer marketplaces, and on-chain inventories where players care about items, not wallet infrastructure.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Web3">
    DeFi protocols, NFT platforms, DAO tooling, and decentralized applications that want mainstream-friendly onboarding without sacrificing programmability.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## How the Layers Fit Together

Your application talks to the SocketFi SDK. The SDK handles authentication and surfaces wallet operations. Under the hood, every action flows through the Soroban smart contract that *is* the wallet.

```text theme={null}
Your Application
  ↓
SocketFi SDK
  ↓
Authentication Layer   ← identity verification, session management
  ↓
Smart Wallet           ← authorization, policies, recovery, execution
  ↓
Soroban Network        ← on-chain execution
```

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is SocketFi a custodial wallet provider?">
    No. SocketFi is entirely non-custodial. Users authorize every transaction with their own passkey. SocketFi infrastructure cannot access wallet funds, execute transactions, or move assets on behalf of users.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do my users need seed phrases?">
    No. SocketFi uses passkeys as the primary authentication and authorization credential. There are no seed phrases to generate, store, or lose.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if a user loses their device?">
    Account recovery lets users regain wallet access by verifying their identity and registering a new passkey. The wallet address, assets, and ownership are completely preserved — only the authentication credential changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can SocketFi wallets interact with Soroban smart contracts?">
    Yes. Every SocketFi wallet is itself a Soroban smart contract, so it is natively compatible with the entire Soroban ecosystem. Contract interactions are authorized the same way as any other wallet operation.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does every user get their own wallet?">
    Yes. Each authenticated user receives an independent wallet with a unique, globally stable `CDXXXXX...` address. Users never share wallets.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>