Simpler Social Key Migration

Published Dec 2, 2025

NIP-A1

Key Migration

draft optional

This NIP offers a simple mechanism to evaluate and authenticate a key migration socially.

Users publish kind 39 events when migrating to a new key (p tag).

{
  "kind": 39,
  "pubkey": "<main pubkey>", // The old/main public key
  "tags": [
    ["p", "<new pubkey>"] // The new public key
  ],
  content: "",
  // Other fields
}

Kind 39 events are either a legitimate migration and should be accepted, or a phishing attempt by an attacker, which should be rejected, and the main key unfollowed.

[NIP-22](22.md) comments SHOULD be used to debate if the event is legitimate.

Clients SHOULD offer Web of Trust signals to help users make a decision.

Clients SHOULD emphasize off-line verification procedures when a kind 39 is found.

Clients MAY offer easy functions to switch the user's follow lists to the new public key and revert the transaction if necessary.