How to get coins from paper wallet/cold storage back onto exchange to sell

[henryreardon]

So I have my bitcoins in a paper wallet/cold storage.  I have both the public and private keys for this.  Now I would like to get some of those into my Bitstamp account so I can sell them.  Unfortunately I have no idea how to do this. 

Help?

[Meuh6879]

you must use a app or exchange that it support wallet.
blockchain.info do this ... or Bitcoin Core.

[Meuh6879]

you can't fight the ...

[Trouble821]

You can use blockchain.info to import the private key into their online wallet, or use the electrum wallet. Download the portable version of electrum, run it, then select the option to make a new wallet by importing a private key. It will give you a text box to paste your key into, and that's all there is to it. After importing your key it will sync in seconds, and you can send your coins to your exchange address.

IMO electrum is safer than blockchain.info because all the software runs on your computer, not their server.

https://electrum.org/#download

[podyx]

You can use blockchain.info to import the private key into their online wallet, or use the electrum wallet. Download the portable version of electrum, run it, then select the option to make a new wallet by importing a private key. It will give you a text box to paste your key into, and that's all there is to it. After importing your key it will sync in seconds, and you can send your coins to your exchange address.

IMO electrum is safer than blockchain.info because all the software runs on your computer, not their server.

https://electrum.org/#download

Doesn't matter if he's gonna send them away immidiately right?

Also I have a question regarding paper wallets. Let's say bitcoin suceeds and is a lot more advanced in 10 years.
How can you be certain that there will still be ways to import private keys?

[doc12]

You can use blockchain.info to import the private key into their online wallet, or use the electrum wallet. Download the portable version of electrum, run it, then select the option to make a new wallet by importing a private key. It will give you a text box to paste your key into, and that's all there is to it. After importing your key it will sync in seconds, and you can send your coins to your exchange address.

IMO electrum is safer than blockchain.info because all the software runs on your computer, not their server.

https://electrum.org/#download

Doesn't matter if he's gonna send them away immidiately right?

Also I have a question regarding paper wallets. Let's say bitcoin suceeds and is a lot more advanced in 10 years.
How can you be certain that there will still be ways to import private keys?

Because private/publics keys are a core element of bitcoin and the blockchain ?

[elyas772]

So I have my bitcoins in a paper wallet/cold storage.  I have both the public and private keys for this.  Now I would like to get some of those into my Bitstamp account so I can sell them.  Unfortunately I have no idea how to do this. 

Help?

This is my experience
im use paperwallet too , after 2month i want to sell it and sell it to fiat
then i download mycellium android wallet https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mycelium.wallet
after succes instalation i import my private keyy with scan it and now you get full acces at your address
then you send your bitcoin to bitstamp deposit address

[jaberwock]

You only need the private key....
Find a way to read it(if it is in bar code you'll need a bar code reader of course) then use the import key selection, move the funds as soon as you can and never use the old address again

[henryreardon]

You can use blockchain.info to import the private key into their online wallet

Can you please dumb this down for me?  Is this right?
1. Go to Blockchain.info
2. Wallet
3. Login
4. Import/Export
5. (ominous "Advanced Warning!" message).  Click "I Understand"
6. Import Private Key

Is that right?  I got through Step 6 and then after that it started recommending that if the Private Key is from a "shared source" I should Sweep instead of Import Directly.  It is not from a "shared source" so I chose Import Directly, but then it gave me another ominous message that basically forced me to click Sweep.  I did and then I got pink highlighted message in the top-right corner of the screen, but nothing happened.  I just checked my paper wallet and all coins are still there.

[Lasergun]

You can use blockchain.info to import the private key into their online wallet

Can you please dumb this down for me?  Is this right?
1. Go to Blockchain.info
2. Wallet
3. Login
4. Import/Export
5. (ominous "Advanced Warning!" message).  Click "I Understand"
6. Import Private Key

Is that right?  I got through Step 6 and then after that it started recommending that if the Private Key is from a "shared source" I should Sweep instead of Import Directly.  It is not from a "shared source" so I chose Import Directly, but then it gave me another ominous message that basically forced me to click Sweep.  I did and then I got pink highlighted message in the top-right corner of the screen, but nothing happened.  I just checked my paper wallet and all coins are still there.

Continue with following steps:
...
6. Re-enter your main password.
7. Import -> Import Private Key -> Enter your private key (or scan it with webcam) and click "Add Private Key".
8. Chose Import Directly, wait for transactions loading.
9. Click on "Send Money", enter your Bitstamp BTC deposit address, than click "Send Payment".
10. Wait until 6 confirmations and sell your BTC on exchange.

[Wilhelm]

Don't forget step -1

Get yourself a few trusted anti-virus and anti-malware scanners and scan your PC.

You don't want some douchebag eavesdropping on you.

[extrabyte]

You should first include that in an software or web wallets where it allows you to import the private key and then from that wallet to send to the exchange address.

[ranochigo]

You can use blockchain.info to import the private key into their online wallet, or use the electrum wallet. Download the portable version of electrum, run it, then select the option to make a new wallet by importing a private key. It will give you a text box to paste your key into, and that's all there is to it. After importing your key it will sync in seconds, and you can send your coins to your exchange address.

IMO electrum is safer than blockchain.info because all the software runs on your computer, not their server.

https://electrum.org/#download

Doesn't matter if he's gonna send them away immidiately right?

Also I have a question regarding paper wallets. Let's say bitcoin suceeds and is a lot more advanced in 10 years.
How can you be certain that there will still be ways to import private keys?

Because if it succeeds, more people will be using offline storage as a cheap and cost effective way to store Bitcoin safely.
If you have android or IOS device, download mycelium and select the cold storage spending feature. It is fast and supports various decryption method like bip38.

[henryreardon]

Don't forget step -1  Get yourself a few trusted anti-virus and anti-malware scanners and scan your PC.
You don't want some douchebag eavesdropping on you.

Great advice.  I have AVG AntiVirus FREE -- is that ok?  It says everything -- Computer, Web, Identity, and Email -- are "Protected."  Firewall is greyed and it says "Upgrade to Activate". 

I ran a full scan just now and it came back totally clean

[ranochigo]

Don't forget step -1  Get yourself a few trusted anti-virus and anti-malware scanners and scan your PC.
You don't want some douchebag eavesdropping on you.

Great advice.  I have AVG AntiVirus FREE -- is that ok?  It says everything -- Computer, Web, Identity, and Email -- are "Protected."  Firewall is greyed and it says "Upgrade to Activate". 

I ran a full scan just now and it came back totally clean

It should be fine. If you don't remember running any suspicious programs or going to any shady websites. Arguably, antivirus does provide some protection against malware attacks but the main problem is that they cannot detect every single virus out there. With crypters, it can avoid antivirus detections. The best protection is still to not running any suspicious program.

I personally never had any virus infections and never got a single satoshi stolen and I don't have an anti virus either. But yeah, I would go for a smart phone with mycelium for spending it and wipe the phone before doing so. Mycelium has a cold storage feature. After spending, the keys are completely forgotten by the wallet which is ideal.

[Amph]

Don't forget step -1  Get yourself a few trusted anti-virus and anti-malware scanners and scan your PC.
You don't want some douchebag eavesdropping on you.

Great advice.  I have AVG AntiVirus FREE -- is that ok?  It says everything -- Computer, Web, Identity, and Email -- are "Protected."  Firewall is greyed and it says "Upgrade to Activate". 

I ran a full scan just now and it came back totally clean

i would do this setup to be more secure about infection

malwarebytes + hitmanpro(for casual scanning) + zemana antilogger, and avira is better than avg

[xinzark]

May be this would help you if above replies by other users didnt solved your problem : https://blockchain.info/wallet/paper-wallet-tutorial-web
It also didn't require any kind of wallets to download to your computer. Straight online

[henryreardon]

8. Chose Import Directly, wait for transactions loading.
9. Click on "Send Money", enter your Bitstamp BTC deposit address, than click "Send Payment".
10. Wait until 6 confirmations and sell your BTC on exchange.

I did step 8 correctly, there are now zero coins showing at my paper wallet Public Key address.  But there are still zero showing in my Blockchain wallet.  Is this a normal delay?

Re: step 9, I can send to Coinbase just as well right?

[Lasergun]

8. Chose Import Directly, wait for transactions loading.
9. Click on "Send Money", enter your Bitstamp BTC deposit address, than click "Send Payment".
10. Wait until 6 confirmations and sell your BTC on exchange.

I did step 8 correctly, there are now zero coins showing at my paper wallet Public Key address.  But there are still zero showing in my Blockchain wallet.  Is this a normal delay?

Re: step 9, I can send to Coinbase just as well right?

Step 8. Zero ballance in your Blockchain wallet means that you not did step 8 or that there are no coins corresponding to this private key. Zero ballance in your paper wallet address means that you/somebody already send this coins. You can check all transaction history here: https://blockchain.info/, just enter your address and click on "Search" button.
Step 9. Yes, of course, you cand send them anywhere.

[a7mos]

I recommend you to use mycelium app for android as it is so easy to spend your paper wallet by scanning the qr code and send it to the address that you want to fund.
I believe it is easier and faster than blockchain

[gerald-80]

Claiming the funds on a paper wallet requires another wallet visit blockchain.info to start a new web wallet.

[calkob]

[/quote]

Doesn't matter if he's gonna send them away immidiately right?

Also I have a question regarding paper wallets. Let's say bitcoin suceeds and is a lot more advanced in 10 years.
How can you be certain that there will still be ways to import private keys?
[/quote]

I think your missing something here without public keys Bitcoin dosnt exsist.  A paper wallet is only a bit of paper, it dosnt actually have the bitcoins on it.  you could have easily write the priv key down on the back of a napkin.  no one can ever send a bitcoin without a private key.

now usually you never see the private key cause your software dose it all for you. but there is always a private key used.

hope this helps

[calkob]

Don't forget step -1

Get yourself a few trusted anti-virus and anti-malware scanners and scan your PC.

You don't want some douchebag eavesdropping on you.

good point................

Also check out breadwallet if you have an iphone its a great and easy app for this sorta thing.

one other way i do it is
1.sign up to blockchain.info (you already have, very good)
2.go to import/export and enter all your paper wallets as watch only addresses.  this means even if blockchain.info was hacked it wouldnt matter to you as they dont have the private key.
3.when you want to send BTC you can still do it from blockchain.info by just adding the private key, which they will ask you for when you want to send.  however dont use that address again obviously.

 

[zodiac3011]

I recommend you to use mycelium app for android as it is so easy to spend your paper wallet by scanning the qr code and send it to the address that you want to fund.
I believe it is easier and faster than blockchain

yeah U totally agree with you mycelium is safer than blockchain and easier to use! Furthermore, you can scan QR code from paper wallet with mycelium

[henryreardon]

Step 8. Zero ballance in your Blockchain wallet means that you not did step 8 or that there are no coins corresponding to this private key. Zero balance in your paper wallet address means that you/somebody already send this coins. You can check all transaction history here: https://blockchain.info/, just enter your address and click on "Search" button.

You are absolutely right.  I committed a bonehead error and was trying to Import a Private Key from which I had already moved all my coins.  They are actually under another Private Key.  I followed the steps with that one and it worked like a charm, so thanks a lot.

Now I'm on the fence about selling though!  I'm a bitcoin true believer (not a speculator), but I could really use the cash for a business venture I'm involved in.  I'll have it back and then some in one year or so, at which point I will most certainly by back in to bitcoin.  My one concern is that the price of one btc might go through the roof during this time for some reason e.g. US economic collapse, so I'd sell relatively cheap coins but have to buy back into very expensive coins.  Quite the quandary

[xmax]

Am I correct in stating that the answer to the original question answer would be that it is only as long as it takes to get the transfer confirmed?  The answer was not stated that simply.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Am I correct in stating that the answer to the original question answer would be that it is only as long as it takes to get the transfer confirmed?  The answer was not stated that simply.

If that was actually the problem, this would be true but OP was using the wrong set of keys and figured this out.

OP, good luck with your business.