diff --git a/crypto/configuration/network.py b/crypto/configuration/network.py
index 285fd5d0..c98debc7 100644
--- a/crypto/configuration/network.py
+++ b/crypto/configuration/network.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 class NetworkType(TypedDict):
     epoch: datetime
-    wif: int
+    wif: str
     chain_id: int
 
 network: NetworkType = {
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ def get_network() -> NetworkType:
     """
     return network
 
-def set_custom_network(epoch: datetime, wif: int, chain_id: int) -> None:
+def set_custom_network(epoch: datetime, wif: str, chain_id: int) -> None:
     """Set custom network
 
     Args:
         epoch (datetime): chains epoch time
-        wif (int): chains wif
+        wif (str): chains wif
         chain_id (int): chain id
     """
     global network
diff --git a/crypto/identity/private_key.py b/crypto/identity/private_key.py
index 647c269b..893aca66 100644
--- a/crypto/identity/private_key.py
+++ b/crypto/identity/private_key.py
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 from hashlib import sha256
 from coincurve import PrivateKey as PvtKey
 from Cryptodome.Hash import keccak
+from base58 import b58decode
 
+from crypto.configuration.network import get_network
 from crypto.enums.constants import Constants
 
 def keccak256(data: bytes) -> bytes:
@@ -74,3 +76,24 @@ def from_hex(cls, private_key: str):
             PrivateKey: Private key object
         """
         return cls(private_key)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_wif(cls, wif: str):
+        """Create PrivateKey object from a given wif
+
+        Args:
+            wif (str):
+
+        Returns:
+            PrivateKey: Private key object
+        """
+
+        wif = b58decode(wif).hex()
+
+        version = wif[0:2]
+        if version != get_network()['wif']:
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid network version: {version}")
+
+        private_key = wif[2:66]
+
+        return cls(private_key)
diff --git a/crypto/identity/wif.py b/crypto/identity/wif.py
index c541ceea..a8860dba 100644
--- a/crypto/identity/wif.py
+++ b/crypto/identity/wif.py
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@
 
 from crypto.configuration.network import get_network
 
-def wif_from_passphrase(passphrase: str, network_wif: Optional[int] = None):
+def wif_from_passphrase(passphrase: str, network_wif: Optional[str] = None):
     """Get wif from passphrase
 
     Args:
         passphrase (str):
-        network_wif (int, optional):
+        network_wif (str, optional):
 
     Returns:
         string: wif
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ def wif_from_passphrase(passphrase: str, network_wif: Optional[int] = None):
         network_wif = network['wif']
 
     private_key = hashlib.sha256(passphrase.encode())
-    seed = write_bit8(network_wif) + private_key.digest() + write_bit8(0x01)
+    seed = write_bit8(int(network_wif, 16)) + private_key.digest() + write_bit8(0x01)
 
     return b58encode_check(seed).decode()
diff --git a/crypto/networks/mainnet.py b/crypto/networks/mainnet.py
index d9a22977..921d84a7 100644
--- a/crypto/networks/mainnet.py
+++ b/crypto/networks/mainnet.py
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 
 class Mainnet(object):
     epoch = datetime(2017, 3, 21, 13, 00, 00)
-    wif = 186
+    wif = 'ba'
     chain_id = 10000
diff --git a/crypto/networks/testnet.py b/crypto/networks/testnet.py
index d879ab8c..9796dbcf 100644
--- a/crypto/networks/testnet.py
+++ b/crypto/networks/testnet.py
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 
 class Testnet(object):
     epoch = datetime(2017, 3, 21, 13, 00, 00)
-    wif = 186
+    wif = 'ba'
     chain_id = 10000
diff --git a/tests/configuration/test_network.py b/tests/configuration/test_network.py
index 260b1bef..d16c7847 100644
--- a/tests/configuration/test_network.py
+++ b/tests/configuration/test_network.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 from crypto.configuration.network import get_network, set_custom_network, set_network
 from crypto.networks.testnet import Testnet
 from crypto.networks.mainnet import Mainnet
-from crypto.networks.testnet import Testnet
 
 
 def test_get_network():
@@ -14,22 +13,22 @@ def test_set_network():
     # mainnet
     set_network(Mainnet)
     result = get_network()
-    assert result['wif'] == 186
+    assert result['wif'] == 'ba'
     assert result['chain_id'] == 10000
 
     # testnet
     set_network(Testnet)
     result = get_network()
-    assert result['wif'] == 186
+    assert result['wif'] == 'ba'
     assert result['chain_id'] == 10000
 
     set_network(Testnet)  # set back to Testnet so other tests don't fail
 
 def test_set_custom_network():
     epoch_time = datetime(2017, 1, 1, 13, 00, 00)
-    set_custom_network(epoch_time, 130, 10000)
+    set_custom_network(epoch_time, '82', 10000)
     result = get_network()
-    assert result['wif'] == 130
+    assert result['wif'] == '82'
     assert result['epoch'] == epoch_time
     assert result['chain_id'] == 10000
 
diff --git a/tests/identity/test_private_key.py b/tests/identity/test_private_key.py
index 26f181a7..e7203e08 100644
--- a/tests/identity/test_private_key.py
+++ b/tests/identity/test_private_key.py
@@ -21,3 +21,8 @@ def test_sign_compact(sign_compact):
     assert signature[1:33] == bytes.fromhex(sign_compact['data']['r'])
     assert signature[33:] == bytes.fromhex(sign_compact['data']['s'])
     assert signature.hex() == sign_compact['data']['serialized']
+
+def test_it_should_parse_the_private_key_from_wif(identity):
+    private_key = PrivateKey.from_wif(identity['data']['wif'])
+    assert isinstance(private_key, PrivateKey)
+    assert private_key.to_hex() == identity['data']['private_key']