---
title: "Generate a new private key"
section: posts
description: "Create wallet addresses quickly with OpenSSL: just run `openssl rand -hex 32` to generate a secure private key. Remember to keep it safe!"
tags: ["blockchain", "crypto", "wallet", "private-key", "openssl", "security", "web3"]
created: 2024-04-06T12:34:00Z
updated: 2025-05-24T16:58:00Z
cid: bafkreibwlmltz6uvguxvyjr65juqwpykmbyf7w7k44iklaydjbop357amm
html: https://iammatthias.com/posts/1712432046964-generate-a-new-private-key
---

# Generate a new private key

Sometimes you just want to quickly generate a new wallet address without jumping through a bunch of hoops.

Provided you have OpenSSL installed on your system, you can create a new private key in one simple command: `openssl rand -hex 32`

This will generate 32 random bytes in hexadecimal format, which can be used as a private key. The output will be a 64-character hexadecimal string, like this:

```
e1d4f2c8a1b9c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d1e2f3a4b5c6d7e8f9a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0
```

You can then use this private key to derive a public key and generate a wallet address. Just remember to keep your private key secure, anyone who has access to it can control your wallet and the associated funds.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> The private key used in this example is valid, but should not be used by anyone, as it has been shared publicly in this post.

---

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