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Topic: Types of BTC addresses (Read 195 times)

hero member
Activity: 1316
Merit: 727
November 25, 2020, 11:02:32 PM
#13
Documents from Bitcoin Wiki

Invoice Address
List of address prefixes
Testnet (there are 3 generations of testnet)

From different types of addresses, you can do different types of transactions
How Bitcoin transactions work and what are their types?

copper member
Activity: 2856
Merit: 3071
https://bit.ly/387FXHi lightning theory
November 25, 2020, 06:41:53 PM
#12
The above list does not represent a complete list of all addresses on the network. We have:

Code:
xpub BIP32 pubkey xpubXXXX or
xpvt
Multi-signature address start with 5

[ quote]

Public keys (including extended public keys aren't addresses)...

Also when does multisig begin with a 5? I didn't think it did and its not listed in the docs I've seen but it could be (for nested segwit multisig?) legacy multisig looks like nested segwit and native segwit multisig looks like native segwit.
jr. member
Activity: 49
Merit: 5
November 25, 2020, 05:41:01 PM
#11
I do not understand a little why and what this information is for, it is unlikely that beginners will need it, or indeed anyone. Feed me if I'm wrong

I don't get that either. So far I've only known that there are native and segwit enabled addresses. I'm not sure that this is the information that the average user needs, other than as an interesting read.
member
Activity: 233
Merit: 10
November 25, 2020, 03:59:52 PM
#10
I do not understand a little why and what this information is for, it is unlikely that beginners will need it, or indeed anyone. Feed me if I'm wrong
legendary
Activity: 1582
Merit: 1284
November 25, 2020, 01:41:03 PM
#9
The above list does not represent a complete list of all addresses on the network. We have:

Code:
xpub BIP32 pubkey xpubXXXX or
xpvt
Multi-signature address start with 5

i talked more about it here https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.54794708

You need to add more details such as the amount of fees that you will contribute to reducing when using the correct address. sign message. verify it

copper member
Activity: 2856
Merit: 3071
https://bit.ly/387FXHi lightning theory
November 25, 2020, 10:22:38 AM
#8
Also, aren't public key and private key both just btc addresses with different representation ?

Addresses are compressed public keys to add an extra layer of security.
It's literally a hash algorithm run on the public keys.

legendary
Activity: 1512
Merit: 7340
Farewell, Leo
November 25, 2020, 10:16:29 AM
#7
Also, aren't public key and private key both just btc addresses with different representation ?
Let's define what is a bitcoin address. A bitcoin address is an identifier of 26-35 alphanumeric characters that represents a possible destination for a bitcoin payment. Once we make a transaction we "lock" the amount of bitcoins to an address. In some way, a public key is an address representation. If we make some hashes and other changes to a public key, yes we can get our address. Whether you give someone your public key or your address is [...]within some limits the same thing.

A bitcoin private key must not be represented as an address in no way. Address is the locker, private key is the unlocking key. Knowing a private key means you are the owner of an address. Otherwise, you can't prove you own bitcoins.

[...] Not exactly the same. For example, if someone gives you a public key you can instantly know the address. If someone gives you an address that has never spent funds, you can't know his public key. So what? Well, not big deal. Although, knowing someone's public key may be a problem in the next decade.
legendary
Activity: 1512
Merit: 4795
November 25, 2020, 10:04:49 AM
#6
...
You are just right, only four addresses are valid which two of them are native segwit. But there is another one coming soon after the implementation of taproot into bitcoin core, it is bc1p.

You are probably right. I posted it because it mentioned in the article I read. Also, aren't public key and private key both just btc addresses with different representation ?
Private keys and public keys are not addresses. Private keys generate the public keys, public keys generate the addresses. I just briefed it for you to understand. You can use mastering bitcoin to know more about it.

Should I remove all the private keys from OP ?
Yes, remove it. They are not addresses. Also, remove the public key.
hero member
Activity: 2674
Merit: 713
Nothing lasts forever
November 25, 2020, 10:02:34 AM
#5
Well that's not entirely right. First of all, you should differentiate testnet prefixes with mainnet's. It is confusing seeing different networks.
Thanks for suggestion. Updated OP.


Quote
Secondly, I don't understand why you have written private keys and public keys too, they're not addresses. They are just written on different wallet import format. Every private key is just a random 256-bit hexadecimal on an elliptic curve. Public key is the x and y of that point.

You are probably right. I posted it because it mentioned in the article I read. Also, aren't public key and private key both just addresses with different representation ?
Should I remove all the private keys from OP ?
legendary
Activity: 1512
Merit: 7340
Farewell, Leo
November 25, 2020, 09:44:38 AM
#4
Well that's not entirely right. First of all, you should differentiate testnet prefixes with mainnet's. It is confusing seeing different networks. Secondly, I don't understand why you have written private keys and public keys too, they're not addresses. They are just written on different wallet import format. Every private key is just a random 256-bit hexadecimal on an elliptic curve. Public key is the x and y of that point.

After all, I only see 4 types of addresses.
  • P2PKH (1)
  • P2SH (3)
  • P2WPKH (bc1 short)
  • P2WSH (bc1 long)
copper member
Activity: 2856
Merit: 3071
https://bit.ly/387FXHi lightning theory
November 25, 2020, 09:43:00 AM
#3
The segwit ones beginning with bc1q may need labelling "native segwit".

You could then label the p2wsh one as multisig native segwit and the p2pkh one as native segwit.

Afaik multisig native segwit and native segwit look the same until they're used as well as multisig legacy and standard segwit.

I think encrypted keys with bip39 encryption begin with a U. And there's also:
Xpub - legacy extended public key
ypub - segwit extended private key
zpub native segwit extended public key

(with similar prv versions of each).
legendary
Activity: 1662
Merit: 1050
November 25, 2020, 09:40:20 AM
#2
Not sure why Testnet addresses are mentioned. Testnet chain is different than Bitcoin blockchain. Moreover, apart from WIF, Hex format is an important format of Bitcoin private key representation.
hero member
Activity: 2674
Merit: 713
Nothing lasts forever
November 25, 2020, 09:32:53 AM
#1
Although there are basically 3 major types of bitcoin addresses as we all know, they can be further derived as below and I got to know this today when I was surfing the internet on crypto articles. I stumbled upon one and was quite surprised to see there are so many prefixes for bitcoin addresses. Below is the full list of bitcoin address prefixes. Newbies can read it through and experienced ones can reiterate their memory with the below addresses  Tongue



Full List of Bitcoin address prefixes

Example use
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