Custody Starter Architecture: Set Up Standby Wallet (MPC)

Create an MPC standby wallet as intermediate buffer. See the Guide.

Generate a self-custody MPC wallet using BitGo Express or the SDK. This creates the wallet and keys in one step. The standby wallet is a self-custody wallet that serves as an intermediate buffer between your custody wallet (cold storage) and your deposit/withdraw wallet (daily operations).

This response contains critical key material. Save the backup keychain in a secure place. Save the wallet ID and backup keychain from the response. You need the wallet ID to configure whitelist policies.

API Reference

// 1. Create Standby Wallet
export BITGO_EXPRESS_HOST="<YOUR_LOCAL_HOST>"
export COIN="<ASSET_ID>"
export ACCESS_TOKEN="<YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN>"
export ENTERPRISE_ID="<YOUR_ENTERPRISE_ID>"
export WALLET_PASSPHRASE="<YOUR_WALLET_PASSPHRASE>"
export LABEL="<YOUR_DESIRED_WALLET_NAME>"

curl -X POST \
  http://$BITGO_EXPRESS_HOST/api/v2/$COIN/wallet/generate?includeKeychains=true \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -d '{
    "enterprise": "'"$ENTERPRISE_ID"'",
    "passphrase": "'"$WALLET_PASSPHRASE"'",
    "label": "'"$LABEL"'",
    "type": "hot",
    "multisigType": "tss",
    "walletVersion": 5
}'

// 1. Create Standby Wallet
const { BitGo } = require('bitgo');

const accessToken = '<YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN>';

const bitgo = new BitGo({
  accessToken: accessToken,
  env: 'prod',
});

async function createStandbyWallet() {
  const newWallet = await bitgo.coin('<ASSET_ID>').wallets().generateWallet({
    label: 'Standby Wallet - Hot',
    passphrase: '<YOUR_WALLET_PASSPHRASE>',
    enterprise: '<YOUR_ENTERPRISE_ID>',
    multisigType: 'tss',
    type: 'hot',
    walletVersion: 5
  });

  console.log('Standby Wallet Created:');
  console.log('Wallet ID:', newWallet.wallet.id());
  console.log('Receive Address:', newWallet.wallet.receiveAddress());

  // IMPORTANT: Save the backup keychain securely
  console.log('Backup Keychain (SAVE SECURELY):', newWallet.backupKeychain);
}

createStandbyWallet();

Response

// 1. Create Standby Wallet Response
{
  "wallet": {
    "id": "665e33f768f9b4b1cc2ca87a6b87cdfb",
    "users": [
      {
        "user": "660d7c9fa6fbf0d00b415146cf70405a",
        "permissions": ["admin", "spend", "view"]
      }
    ],
    "coin": "eth",
    "label": "Standby Wallet - Hot",
    "m": 2,
    "n": 3,
    "keys": [
      "665e33f6fcf87cac817eb3b2ed964042",
      "665e33f6e7331ba062e62c48c6ccaf98",
      "665e33f6fcf87cac817eb3b01c6b4c36"
    ],
    "keySignatures": {
      "backupPub": "2068a68569154bd290750ee27c4ce005...",
      "bitgoPub": "20119f72ea457cb041a0df35fb4ec314..."
    },
    "enterprise": "66325011d4b1ff58feae3b311d669aae",
    "organization": "66325011d4b1ff58feae3b321d669aaf",
    "bitgoOrg": "BitGo Trust",
    "tags": [
      "665e33f768f9b4b1cc2ca87a6b87cdfb",
      "66325011d4b1ff58feae3b311d669aae"
    ],
    "disableTransactionNotifications": false,
    "freeze": {},
    "deleted": false,
    "approvalsRequired": 1,
    "isCold": false,
    "coinSpecific": {},
    "admin": {
      "policy": {
        "date": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
        "id": "665e33f768f9b4b1cc2ca87b6b87cdfc",
        "label": "default",
        "rules": [],
        "version": 0,
        "latest": true
      }
    },
    "clientFlags": [],
    "walletFlags": [],
    "allowBackupKeySigning": false,
    "recoverable": false,
    "startDate": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
    "type": "hot",
    "buildDefaults": {},
    "customChangeKeySignatures": {},
    "hasLargeNumberOfAddresses": false,
    "multisigType": "tss",
    "hasReceiveTransferPolicy": false,
    "creator": "660d7c9fa6fbf0d00b415146cf70405a",
    "walletFullyCreated": true,
    "config": {},
    "balanceString": "0",
    "confirmedBalanceString": "0",
    "spendableBalanceString": "0",
    "receiveAddress": {
      "id": "665e33f868f9b4b1cc2ca87c6b87cdfd",
      "address": "0x1a52b70e708f4aec9d92260aa035b3c71e51df84",
      "chain": 0,
      "index": 0,
      "coin": "eth",
      "wallet": "665e33f768f9b4b1cc2ca87a6b87cdfb",
      "coinSpecific": {}
    },
    "pendingApprovals": []
  },
  "userKeychain": {
    "id": "665e33f6fcf87cac817eb3b2ed964042",
    "source": "user",
    "type": "tss",
    "encryptedPrv": "{...}"
  },
  "backupKeychain": {
    "id": "665e33f6e7331ba062e62c48c6ccaf98",
    "source": "backup",
    "type": "tss",
    "encryptedPrv": "{...}"
  },
  "bitgoKeychain": {
    "id": "665e33f6fcf87cac817eb3b01c6b4c36",
    "source": "bitgo",
    "type": "tss",
    "isBitGo": true
  },
  "responseType": "WalletWithKeychains",
  "warning": "Be sure to backup the backup keychain -- it is not stored anywhere else!"
}