Getting Started: What is Recap? → Signing Up → What is my secret phrase?
Signing up to Recap is quick and free — no credit card required. Here's how to create your account.
Create your account
Go to the sign up page, enter your email address and choose a suitable password.
Verify your email address by following the instructions in the verification email we send you.
Tip: If you don't see the verification email within a few minutes, check your spam or junk folder.
Choose your account type
During sign-up, you'll be asked to choose an account type:
Personal — for individual crypto investors filing Self Assessment
Company (UK only) — for UK businesses holding crypto assets, with company-specific tax rules
Choose carefully, as this determines which tax logic Recap applies to your account. If you're unsure, select Personal — most users will need this option. For more on the Company plan, see Recap Company Plans.
Back up your secret phrase
After creating your account, Recap will generate a 12-word secret phrase. This is the key that encrypts all of your data — it's essential that you save it.
You can copy it to save it to your computer, or download a PDF recovery kit file
Store it somewhere safe — treat it like a very important password
Recap does not store your secret phrase and cannot recover it if you lose it
Important: Your secret phrase is used by Recap to encrypt your data. Without it you could lose access to your account. You'll need it to sign in on new devices and occasionally when logging in. Learn more in our What is my secret phrase? guide.
What's next?
Once you've signed up and saved your secret phrase, you're ready to start importing your data. Head to our Importing Your Data guides to connect your exchanges and wallets.