What is a Monero view key?

A Monero view key is a cryptographic key that allows you to see all incoming transactions to your wallet without being able to spend the funds. Every Monero wallet has a private view key (for scanning the blockchain for your payments) and a public view key (part of your address, used by senders to create stealth addresses).

Can I see outgoing transactions with a view key?

No. The private view key only reveals incoming payments. Outgoing transactions require the private spend key or specific transaction proofs (tx_key). This is a common misconception — a view-only wallet shows deposits but not withdrawals, so the displayed balance may be higher than the actual spendable balance.

Is it safe to share my Monero view key?

Sharing your view key does NOT allow anyone to spend your XMR — it only reveals incoming transactions. However, it does expose your financial privacy for that wallet. Share it only when needed (tax audits, payment verification) and consider using per-transaction proofs (prove_payment) instead for more targeted disclosure.

How do I create a view-only wallet?

In Feather Wallet: Wallet > View-Only. In Monero GUI: Create new wallet from keys, enter only the address + view key (leave spend key blank). In CLI: monero-wallet-cli --generate-from-view-key. The view-only wallet can monitor incoming payments but cannot sign transactions.

Can I prove I made a specific payment without revealing my view key?

Yes. Use per-transaction proofs: the tx_key (transaction private key) proves a specific payment without revealing any other transaction data. Monero GUI/CLI: get_tx_key . The recipient or auditor can verify the proof using check_tx_key. This is more targeted than sharing the full view key.

Monero View Key — Selective Transparency Without Spending Risk

How to prove payments, enable audits, and monitor your wallet — without exposing your private spend key.

TL;DR

Your Monero view key lets others see incoming payments only without spending risk. Use it for tax audits, payment verification, or monitoring. For targeted disclosure, use per-transaction proofs (tx_key) instead of sharing the full view key. The view key does NOT show outgoing transactions or true balance.

Monero's Key Hierarchy

Every Monero wallet has four keys, derived from a single 25-word seed phrase:

Private Spend Key

The master secret. Authorizes spending. Never share this. Anyone with it can drain your wallet. Derived from your seed phrase.

Private View Key

Scans the blockchain for incoming payments. Sharing it reveals your deposits but cannot spend funds. Derived from spend key.

Public Spend Key (B)

Part of your Monero address. Used by senders to create stealth addresses. Public and safe to share.

Public View Key (A)

Part of your Monero address. Used with stealth addresses. Public and safe to share.

What the View Key Can and Cannot Do

Capability	View Key	Spend Key
See incoming payments	Yes	Yes
See outgoing payments	No	Yes
See true balance	No (shows cumulative in)	Yes
Spend funds	No	Yes
Create transactions	No	Yes
Generate subaddresses	Yes	Yes
Verify specific payment	Yes (all incoming)	Yes

Critical limitation: A view-only wallet shows all deposits but not withdrawals. If you received 100 XMR and spent 80, the view-only wallet shows "100 XMR received" — not the actual 20 XMR balance. For accurate balance, you need the spend key or key images export.

Use Cases

1. Tax Audits

In Germany, crypto held over 1 year is tax-free (§23 EStG). If a tax authority asks for proof, sharing your view key lets them see deposits without giving spending access. Combined with get_tx_key proofs for outgoing payments, you can provide a complete audit trail.

See our Monero Tax Guide for details on German/EU tax obligations.

2. Payment Verification (P2P Trading)

In P2P trading, you may need to prove you sent a payment. Instead of sharing your view key (which reveals ALL transactions), use a per-transaction proof:

monero-wallet-cli: get_tx_key <txid>
Counterparty verifies: check_tx_key <txid> <tx_key> <address>

This proves a specific payment without revealing anything else. The counterparty sees: "Yes, this transaction sent X.XX XMR to this address."

3. Cold Wallet Monitoring

Keep your spend key in cold storage (hardware wallet, air-gapped laptop). Create a view-only wallet on a connected device to monitor incoming payments. You see deposits in real-time without your spend key ever touching the internet.

4. Merchant Payment Tracking

If you accept Monero payments, a view-only wallet on your server confirms incoming payments automatically. Your hot wallet only needs the view key — the spend key stays offline until you want to move funds.

How to Create a View-Only Wallet

Feather Wallet

Wallet → View-Only → Save. Creates a copy that can only view, not spend.

Monero GUI

Create new wallet → Restore from keys → Enter your address + view key. Leave the spend key field blank.

Monero CLI

monero-wallet-cli --generate-from-view-key wallet-view-only

Enter your address, view key, and restore height when prompted.

Per-Transaction Proofs (Better Than View Key)

For most disclosure scenarios, per-transaction proofs are better than sharing the full view key. They reveal only what you choose:

Proof Type	Reveals	Command
tx_key	Single outgoing payment	`get_tx_key <txid>`
tx_proof	Payment to specific address	`get_tx_proof <txid> <addr>`
spend_proof	Authorship of a TX	`get_spend_proof <txid>`
reserve_proof	Balance at a point in time	`get_reserve_proof all`

P2P trading tip: When trading via Haveno or direct P2P, always save your tx_key immediately after sending. If a dispute arises, the tx_key is your mathematical proof of payment — unforgeable and independently verifiable.

Key Images: Fixing the Balance Problem

View-only wallets can't detect outgoing transactions. To fix this:

On your full wallet: export_key_images keys.bin
Transfer keys.bin to your view-only wallet device
On the view-only wallet: import_key_images keys.bin

After importing key images, the view-only wallet shows the correct balance (including outgoing). You need to repeat this after each spending transaction.