use-circle-wallets

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name: use-circle-wallets description: "Choose and implement the right Circle wallet type for your application. Compares developer-controlled, user-controlled, and modular (passkey) wallets across custody model, key management, account types, blockchain support, and use cases. Use whenever blockchain wallet integrations are required for onchain application development. Triggers on: which wallet, choose wallet, wallet comparison, EOA vs SCA vs Modular Wallet, custody model, programmable wallets." requirements: runtimes: [] connectors: []

Overview

Circle offers three wallet types -- developer-controlled, user-controlled, and modular -- each with different custody models, account types, key management, and capabilities. This skill helps you pick the right one.

Quick Comparison

	Developer-Controlled	User-Controlled	Modular (Passkey)
Custody	Developer	User	User
Auth	API key + entity secret (backend)	Social login / email OTP / PIN	Passkey (WebAuthn)
Account types	EOA, SCA	EOA, SCA	Modular Wallet SCA (ERC-6900)
Gas sponsorship	SCA via Circle Paymaster	SCA via Circle Paymaster	Circle Paymaster or third-party paymaster
Custom modules	No	No	Yes
Architecture	Backend SDK only	Backend + frontend SDKs	Frontend SDK only

Decision Guide

For the latest supported account types on different blockchains: https://developers.circle.com/wallets/account-types

For the latest supported features on different blockchains: https://developers.circle.com/wallets/supported-blockchains

1. Who controls the keys / who is the custodian?
   • Developer controls -> Developer-controlled wallets -> step 3
   • End user controls -> step 2
2. Auth method?
   • Passkey (WebAuthn biometric) with extensible modules -> Modular wallets -> step 4
   • Social login, email OTP, or PIN -> User-controlled wallets -> step 3
3. Account type?
   • Solana, Aptos, or NEAR -> EOA (only option)
   • Ethereum mainnet -> EOA (SCA gas costs prohibitive, Modular Wallet not supported)
   • L2 (Arbitrum, Base, Polygon, Optimism, etc.) -> EOA if max TPS needed; SCA if gas sponsorship or batching needed; Modular Wallet if passkey or other modular plugins needed
4. Chain check (Modular wallets)
   • Supported: Arbitrum, Avalanche, Base, Monad, Optimism, Polygon, Unichain
   • NOT supported: Ethereum, Solana, Aptos, NEAR. Fall back to user-controlled wallets with SCA.

Example scenarios

READ references/example-scenarios.md for common scenarios mapped to a wallet-type decision and the skill to implement it.

Implementation Patterns

Once a wallet type has been determined, TRIGGER the corresponding skill:

• Developer-controlled -> use-developer-controlled-wallets skill
• User-controlled -> use-user-controlled-wallets skill
• Modular (Passkey) -> use-modular-wallets skill

Strict Rules

• ALWAYS select the wallet type before starting implementation using the comparison table and decision guide above.
• ALWAYS use EOA on Ethereum mainnet (SCA gas prohibitive, Modular Wallet not supported) and on Solana, Aptos, NEAR (SCA/Modular Wallet not available).
• ALWAYS prefer SCA or Modular Wallet on L2 chains (Arbitrum, Base, Polygon, Optimism, etc.) when gas sponsorship or batch operations are needed.
• NEVER mix wallet types in a single user flow -- pick one and use its corresponding skill.
• ALWAYS delegate to the specific wallet skill (use-developer-controlled-wallets, use-user-controlled-wallets, or use-modular-wallets) for implementation.

Safety & Escalation

This skill only recommends a wallet type; it performs no on-chain writes, transfers, signing, or key operations itself. Every side effect — creating a wallet, signing, sending funds, deploying a contract — happens in the delegated implementation skill, which owns confirmation for those actions.

Escalate before delegating when:

• Missing context — the custody model, target chain, or auth method is unclear. Ask the user; do not guess a wallet type.
• Missing access — the user lacks a Circle account, an API key + entity secret (developer-controlled), or a configured passkey domain (modular). Direct them to set that up first.
• Unsafe effects — the selected path will move real funds on mainnet. Flag that the implementation skill must obtain explicit user confirmation before any mainnet transaction.
• User approval — confirm the chosen wallet type with the user before handing off to the implementation skill.

Reference Links

• Account Types
• Choosing Your Wallet Type
• Key Management
• Circle Developer Docs -- Always read this first when looking for relevant documentation from the source website.

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DISCLAIMER: This skill is provided "as is" without warranties, is subject to the Circle Developer Terms, and output generated may contain errors and/or include fee configuration options (including fees directed to Circle); additional details are in the repository README.