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Create your wallet

What happens the first time you open Arca, the sign-in options, and how you know your wallet is ready to use.

Creating an Arca wallet takes about 30 seconds. You open the app, pick how you want to sign in, and you are done. There is no form to fill out, no document to upload, no waiting for approval. This page walks through exactly what you see.

Before you begin

Install Arca from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Open the app and you land on the Welcome screen.

The Welcome screen

You will see:

  • The Arca logo at the top.
  • Welcome to Arca as the heading.
  • A short line underneath: Your dollar wallet.
  • A quick list of what Arca does: Your money, your control / Send dollars in seconds / Save on your terms.
  • A single button at the bottom: Continue.

Tap Continue. A sign-in screen appears.

Sign in

You have three sign-in options:

  • Google — sign in with a Google account you already have.
  • Apple — sign in with Apple, including Hide My Email if you prefer.
  • Email — type your email, get a code, paste or type the code to verify.

Pick whichever is easiest. Your wallet is tied to the login you choose, so use something you will still have access to later. If you use email, pick one you check regularly. Security is covered in a separate guide on How Arca keeps your wallet safe.

By continuing, you agree to Arca’s Terms and Privacy Policy. Both are available on the Arca website.

While your wallet is being set up

After you sign in, Arca sets up your wallet in the background. You do not have to do anything. There is nothing to copy down, no recovery phrase to memorize, no screenshot to take.

Most wallets make you back up 12 words. Arca handles that for you. Your login is what lets you get back into your wallet on any device, so keeping your login secure is the important step. Under the hood, Arca uses Privy to tie your wallet to your login account.

You’re all set

When setup finishes, you see a confirmation screen:

  • A green check mark at the top.
  • You’re all set! as the heading.
  • Welcome to Arca. Your wallet is ready. below it.
  • A button at the bottom: Go to Wallet.

Tap Go to Wallet and you land on the Wallet tab. Your balance is $0.00 to start. The three action buttons under it (Buy, Receive, Send) are the quickest way to do something next.

Where to go next

  • Add funds to your wallet — buy your first dollars through a partner.
  • Tour of the app — get oriented before you start moving money.
  • Verify your identity — complete the optional identity check for supported partners that request it.

Your wallet is live from this point on. You can send and receive dollars right away. Verification is not required to get started, but supported partners may ask for it when you are ready to use those flows.