What Is Proof of Funds in Crypto? (And Why Screenshots Don’t Cut It)
Learn why screenshots aren’t enough to prove your crypto holdings and how cryptographic proof keeps your assets secure.
In traditional finance, proving you have money in the bank is simple: provide a statement or ask your bank for a letter.
In crypto, things are different. Your Bitcoin or ETH lives in a wallet you control—often on a hardware device or browser extension—and there’s no branch manager to vouch for you.
Yet lenders, exchanges, and institutions still need to know one thing: Do you really hold the funds you claim to?
This is where proof of funds comes in.
What Is Proof of Funds?
Proof of funds is a verifiable way to show that you control a certain amount of cryptocurrency at a specific moment in time.
It answers two key questions:
- Do you actually control the wallet?
- Does that wallet truly hold the funds you say it does?
Unlike traditional banking, crypto proof of funds doesn’t rely on screenshots or account statements. It’s about cryptographic verification—proving ownership of a wallet without giving up your private keys or moving your assets.
Why Screenshots Don’t Cut It
If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll just send a screenshot of my MetaMask balance,” here’s why that won’t fly:
1. Screenshots Can Be Faked
- A quick browser console edit or Photoshop job can make any balance look impressive.
2. They’re Out of Date
- By the time someone reviews your screenshot, those funds could already be moved.
3. They Prove Nothing About Control
- A screenshot doesn’t verify that you actually own the private keys for that wallet.
Screenshots are fragile, outdated, and untrustworthy—and institutions know it.
How Real Proof of Funds Works
A secure proof-of-funds process has two steps:
✅ 1. Verify Wallet Ownership
You sign a one-time message with your wallet’s private key.
- This doesn’t reveal your key or move your assets.
- It cryptographically proves you control the wallet.
✅ 2. Verify On-Chain Balances
Once ownership is confirmed, the wallet’s balance is fetched and timestamped.
- Institutions can see you held those funds at that exact moment.
- Your assets stay under your control the entire time.
How Accredifi Simplifies Proof of Funds
With Accredifi, crypto users can prove their holdings in minutes:
- Connect your wallet (Trezor, Ledger, MetaMask, and more).
- Sign a secure one-time message to verify control.
- Generate a timestamped proof of funds without moving your crypto.
- Share a view-only link with lenders or institutions for verification.
No screenshots, no spreadsheets—just cryptographic proof of ownership that’s trusted by institutions.
Why It Matters
For crypto users, proof of funds unlocks opportunities:
- Access loans without moving assets to a custodian
- Build credibility with exchanges, OTC desks, and institutions
- Avoid the risk and hassle of sharing screenshots
For institutions, it’s a safer, simpler way to onboard crypto clients:
- No fake screenshots or unverifiable claims
- View balances in real time without taking custody
- Streamlined compliance and risk management
Conclusion
In crypto, trust is built on math, not pictures. Screenshots belong in your camera roll—not your loan application.
With Accredifi, you can prove your holdings securely, instantly, and without ever giving up your keys.
Ready to level up your crypto credibility? Start verifying your wallets with Accredifi today.