Bitcoin Forum

Hi,

An year ago I created BTC wallet address on GreenAddress Bitcoin Wallet. I have 36 characters long wallet address with a passphrase.

Is there a way I can verify that its a legitimate and valid BTC wallet address.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Regards,

Rizwan

Pretty sure that any bitcoin address is a legitimate address...as far as I know there can't be fake addresses on the blockchain that doesn't make any sense. I could be wrong but this is my understanding right now.

If you created a Bitcoin address in greenaddress wallet of course that is a valid address, but the easiest way to check if a Bitcoin address is a valid one is to check it on blockchain.info, just copy the address and paste it on the search bar of the site, if the address is valid you will see the previous transaction, if not valid it won't show anything or error will be displayed. Another option is use the passphrases/private key and import it to other wallet that supports importing passphrase/private key, if you will have the access to it then that is a valid Bitcoin address, if you can't import it, it means that the passphrase is not legit.

for address (which starts with 1 or 3):
simple way:
go to a block explorer like blockchain.info and search the address, if there is something wrong with it, the website will show you an error.
you can also import it in bitcoin wallets that allow "watch-only" and see if they show you any error.

harder way:
bitcoin addresses need to have a specific format which is a specific encoding usually called Base58Check, it is a set of characters and a checksum https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Base58Check_encoding there are libraries in different programming languages you can use. there is a tool at the bottom of that wiki page which you can also use http://lenschulwitz.com/base58

for bech32 address (which starts with bc1):
https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0173.mediawiki

Blockchain.info is the only place I use to verify whether an address is valid or not. Even if there hasn't be any transaction gone through is possible you will see zero value, meaning is valid. If there has been a transaction too,  you will see the previous and current balance.

so that's why you should be in the legit bitcoin wallet and try lots of other wallets that you do not know yet and have not been tested by others, because bitcoin wallets are just priests and there is nothing to change because the bitcoin just changes when the price increases its price drops, so I do not know what else to choose wallet because you do not know that I'm a scam or not.

A non-technical way to verify if the Btc wallet address is legit and valid will have been to send a very small fraction of bitcoin to it and out of it but the current hike in transaction fees makes that method not usable.

Meanwhile, the wallet provider should indicate when an address that was inputted is incorrect or invalid. All the bitcoin wallets I have used both web and cold storage does that for me.

Thanks. My address starts with 9.

I used http://lenschulwitz.com/base58. I got the following result:

Invalid bitcoin address! Address is not 25 bytes!

What is the legit BTC wallet?

If the bitcoin address was generated by a wallet, then we can assume that the address is legitimate and valid. If you are willing to lose some bitcoin for the confirmation of the address, then try sending a small amount to that address. Besides from that, you can also try confirming it in blockchain.info

I have not seen any reports from bitcoins users that they are using fake bitcoins wallet. But, my advise to you is choose the best and legit bitcoins wallet that are the most trusted by the users.

Im sure, GreenAddress are trusted of wallet bitcoins. GreenAddress is an userfriendly,multi-signature wallet with improved security and privacy.  then don't forget to set 2FA.
A few reference if you'd to seen what's the best of wallet bitcoin and have enough trust. https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet

Look man, just think about it. What would be the benefits of making a fake bitcoin wallet address? I just don't think that any troll would waste so much time making apps and buying dpmains just to make a fake waller. Just doesn't make sense. But hey, i understand. And i don't think that there is anything wrong with being sure. So if you really wanna know, just go to blockchain.info and paste the address. If it isn't an error, then it is legit.

the easiest way to check if a Bitcoin address in greenwallet is valid is to check it in blockchain.info, just copy the address and paste it on the search. bar of the site, if the valid address you will see the previous transaction, if not valid then it will not show anything or error will be displayed. Another option is to try to send bitcoin to another greenwallet address, can be sent / valid or failed to be sent, meaning your address is invalid.

Just one of them is blockchain.info, you just need to put your Bitcoin wallet address into any BTC blockchain browser for querying, and if the information matches, it's natural to prove everything

technically you can see an address in hexadecimal format (hash160) too (not common at all), in which case it may start with 9. if you search that in a blockexplorer like blockchain.info you should see your address in base58.
for example this is the address in my profile: f469e999ee690b532ae085a8ee3631938bcaa7df

otherwise it is impossible for a bitcoin address to start with 9. you are confusing something else with your "address" then.

That cannot be right, suppose someone makes a mistake or a typo in the address, how to know if its right or now? Is there a way to verify or validate an address before sending out coins? There must be.

If you try to send Bitcoin to an invalid/nonlegit address then it won't work.

why shouldn't it be legit since its your own....

If you downloaded a wallet that alrrady has key for to and wouldn't allow you change it, even make it a pass phrase, try discardig it may be legit, but oyhets will also have your key, and if they won't allow you to use 2fa for security, during my first weeks studtying bitcoin i had encountered sites like that, the walley will always be legit, but the private is also known by others, always be careful.

for certain, I think you should use address in blockchain.info bro

there is way to verify that your address is legit or fake is try sending bitcoins on that address and see the results or check the address on blockchain.info if that address is valid or not you anyways since you created bitcoin address on GreenAddress which is a trusted website and it was recommended in bitcoin.prg's site i don't you will have problems using it.

If GreenWallet generated it then it should be a legit one and you can use it.
You can also check your transactions (if you have any) at:
https://blockchain.info/
enter the address you want to check and follow your transactions.
If you have the private key you can import it to a local wallet like electrum but keep it safe and never share it with anyone.