sign a message

[wizardofwhere]

I'm trying to sign a message with the Bitcoin Core version v0.19.0.1 wallet. But when I do I see the message "the entered address does not refer to a key." is there a way to sign a message with the addresses in this wallet? Thx for any help.

[OmegaStarScream]

You can't sign messages using SegWit addresses in bitcoin core but it should be possible to export the private keys of that address, import it to Electrum and then sign a message.

[wizardofwhere]

Thanks.  I'll give it a try.

[bob123]

Keep in mind that there is currently no defined standard to sign and verify messages with segwit addresses.
So any message signed with electrum will only be verifiable with electrum.

If you need a message to be verifiable with multiple tools (wallets / web sites), you need to use a legacy address.

[ABCbits]

You can't sign messages using SegWit addresses in bitcoin core but it should be possible to export the private keys of that address, import it to Electrum and then sign a message.

While you could export your private key from Bitcoin Core to Electrum, it's safer to use sweep feature which available on Electrum or simply send Bitcoin from Bitcoin Core to address generated by Electrum wallet.

[OmegaStarScream]

While you could export your private key from Bitcoin Core to Electrum, it's safer to use sweep feature which available on Electrum or simply send Bitcoin from Bitcoin Core to address generated by Electrum wallet.

That's correct but that's also depend on what he's trying to do. If he wants to prove the ownership of an address (and not the funds), sweeping won't be of too much help because that would only move the funds from his Bitcoin core to one of his Electrum addresses.