Bitcoin wallet: which address to choose for secure transactions

Straight to the point: a bitcoin wallet address is your unique identifier in the Bitcoin network. Think of it as a bank account number, only instead of strings of digits, there are letters and symbols. An example of such an address: 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa.

Interesting fact: this specific address belonged to Satoshi Nakamoto and contains 50 BTC from the first Bitcoin block created on January 3, 2009. Since then, this address has not been touched.

Three types of addresses: choosing the optimal option

As of today, there are three main formats of wallet address for Bitcoin, and each has its own characteristics:

Legacy (P2PKH) — classic, but expensive

• Format: start with “1”
• Example: 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa
• This is the original Bitcoin standard, widely spread, but the fees are higher and the speed is lower.

SegWit (P2SH) — golden mean

• Format: starts with “3”
• Example: 3J98t1WpEZ73CNmQviecrnyiWrnqRhWNLy
• Introduced to reduce fees through Segregated Witness technology, operate faster than Legacy

Bech32 (Native SegWit) — the future today

• Format: starts with “bc1”
• Example: bc1qwes635e7dl0dxzlc2q044arj5h0e6n4z06pl4a
• The most efficient and secure, shorter than others, minimal fees

Mechanics: how an address actually works

Getting bitcoins is simple — you need a wallet address, just like you need an email for an email account. The address is the public part of your wallet that you can show to anyone without worries. It is derived from the public key and uniquely identifies you on the blockchain.

But remember: the address is public, while the private key should remain only with you. The private key is the password that grants access to the funds. If you lose the key or the seed phrase, you lose access to BTC forever.

Address Compatibility: Can Formats Be Mixed

Good question: does Bitcoin support transactions between different types of addresses? Yes, it does. You can send from Legacy to SegWit, from Bech32 to P2SH — no problems. The network is backward compatible.

However, there are nuances:

Fees: if you send from a Legacy address, the fee will be higher than from SegWit or Bech32. The new formats are simply more efficient.

Wallet support: old applications may not fully work with Bech32. Update your software before your first transaction.

Exchange Policy: some cryptocurrency platforms do not accept all types of addresses. Please confirm before transferring if your exchange supports the required format.

Security when transferring: if you change the wallet — make sure you have the private key or seed phrase of the new wallet, otherwise the deposit may hang or be lost.

How to get your address

Create a wallet - and the address will be generated automatically. There are several options:

• Hardware — physical gadgets like Ledger or Trezor, store BTC offline, the safest option.
• Software — applications or desktop programs, convenient for regular operations
• Web wallets — browser services, quick access, but potentially less secure

Most wallets allow the creation of multiple addresses. This is convenient for separating funds and protecting privacy — each sender has their own address.

An address lives forever, but it should not be reused.

The address has no expiration date. The old address will remain active as long as you need it. Technically, you can use one address a hundred times, but it's not the best idea.

Why? Because every time you publish an address, you reveal information about your transactions. On the blockchain, everything is transparent - if an address has been used twice, it is clear that it is the same person. For privacy, it is better to generate a new address for each payment. Some wallets do this automatically.

Conclusion: manage addresses wisely

A Bitcoin wallet address is a key for interacting with the network. Choose the right format ( for beginners, we recommend SegWit or Bech32), do not share private keys with anyone, and use a separate address for each important transaction. Cryptocurrency is your responsibility, so take wallet address management seriously.