Introduction to Shared Accounts

Updated April 7, 2026

Shared Accounts (Multisig)

Shared Accounts in Pera Wallet use Algorand’s native multisignature (multisig) functionality to enable shared control over a single account.

A multisignature account requires multiple designated wallets to approve transactions before they are executed. Think of it as a secure vault with multiple keyholes, a predefined number of keys must be used together to open it.

For example, a multisig can be configured as 2-of-3, meaning any 2 out of 3 approved participants must sign before funds can move.

This structure balances security and operational flexibility.

Common Use Cases

Multisig accounts are well-suited for:

Treasury management – Multiple board members approve expenditures.
Business partnerships – Shared accounts requiring mutual consent.
High-value security – Signing authority distributed across devices or locations.
Access resilience – Backup signers assist if one key is lost.

How Multisig Works on Algorand

Technically, a multisignature account is defined by:

An ordered list of participant addresses
A threshold (minimum signatures required)
A version (multisignature protocol version)

The multisig account address is deterministically derived from these components.

Important Characteristics

Address order matters.

[A, B, C] creates a different multisig address than [B, A, C].
Signature order does not matter.

Signers can approve in any sequence.
No nesting allowed.

A multisig account cannot include another multisig account as a participant.
Funding required.

Like any Algorand account, the multisig address must receive ALGO to initialize on-chain.
Same capabilities as standard accounts.

Multisig accounts can send transactions and interact with applications, including smart contracts.

Benefits and Implications

Benefits	Implications
Enhanced security – Protects against single-key compromise	Coordination required – Multiple signers must approve each transaction
Customizable authorization – Flexible thresholds (e.g., 2-of-3, 3-of-5)	Key management responsibility – Each signer must securely manage their private key
Distributed key storage – Keys can be stored separately across devices or methods	Larger transaction size – Multisig transactions may incur slightly higher fees
Governance-ready – Enables cryptographically enforced shared decision-making	Not always necessary – Single-signature accounts may be simpler for basic use cases
Smart contract compatible – Can integrate with Algorand applications	Best practice – Critical multisig signers should use keys dedicated exclusively for multisig

Managing Multisig in Pera Wallet

Pera Wallet provides tools to create, join, and manage multisig accounts directly within the app.

Create a Shared Account

Set up a multisig account by:

Adding participant wallets
Defining the approval threshold

→ See: Creating a Shared Account (Add Wallets & Set Threshold)

Join a Shared Account

Accept an invitation via your Inbox.

→ See: Joining a Shared Account (Inbox Invite)

Remove a Shared Account

Remove the multisig account from your Pera Wallet interface. Note: This does not remove the account from the blockchain or affect other participants.

→ See: Removing a Shared Account from Pera Wallet

Sign Multisig Transactions

Transactions remain pending until the required threshold is met.

Pera supports:

Synchronous signing – Signer needs to maintain a connection with the dApp while waiting for signatures.
Asynchronous signing – Signer can close Pera while awaiting signatures.

→ See:

View Pending Transactions

Track unsigned or partially signed transactions in your Inbox.

→ See: Viewing Pending Transactions

For additional assistance, visit the Pera Help Center.