Best way to sell, or otherwise use, pre-generated vanity addresses?

[DavidCWG]

I have a bunch of pre-generated vanity addresses (addresses that start with a word, like 1DocumentnGL9WwyL4ZkLoHcKhtfm5zFDk) that I don't need.

Because they're pre-generated I can't sell them safely using split-key because, well, they already exist.

If I wanted to try to sell them, what would be the best way to do so and prove I'm not planning to steal the purchaser's coins? Is there some way they can be setup as a forwarding address, perhaps?

Alternatively, what else can I do with a bunch of vanity addresses?

[1714005757]

1714005757

[1714005757]

1714005757

[1714005757]

1714005757

[scotjam]

I read somewhere that it's possible to generate vanity addresses for someone to which you do not know the full private key if you have a public key / address (but not the private key) for the intended user beforehand.

Once you have generated a vanity address solo though, I can't see how you could ever "unknow" the private key for it, so even if there was a way to forward from it you would have a chance to steal the coins as they passed through.

So basically only you (or someone who trusts you) should ever use those addresses.

scotjam

[addrstore.com]

I read somewhere that it's possible to generate vanity addresses for someone to which you do not know the full private key if you have a public key / address (but not the private key) for the intended user beforehand.

Once you have generated a vanity address solo though, I can't see how you could ever "unknow" the private key for it, so even if there was a way to forward from it you would have a chance to steal the coins as they passed through.

So basically only you (or someone who trusts you) should ever use those addresses.

scotjam

Pre-generated vanity addresses can be used in transactions with a multi-signature (2-of-2), where the first address is the vanity address, the second address is the address generated by the user himself. With such a transaction, you can spend bitcoins only when you has two private keys.

[addrstore.com]

In addition, vanity addresses can be used in P2SH-addresses (which start with 3), with a redeem script that implies the use of a multi-signature, for example 2-of-2 or 2-of-3.

[Monnt]

If you are capable of convincing people with security of your generated vanity addresses, you may start selling it. But I just wonder why you are rushing toward generating vanity addresses (or I am missing anything here) ? Are you sure your vanity address are still secured like you have not got access to its privatekey part ?

I do see people are following some well-prescribed/foolproof method for preserving the secret of privatekeys, but you are claiming your address were per-generated.

You can post in service section with few example vanity addresses and price levels and with some discounts for bulk purchases but I am afraid you may face hard time for proving the security of per-generated address.

[addrstore.com]

If you are capable of convincing people with security of your generated vanity addresses, you may start selling it.

The project has already been announced, you can go and see: https://addrstore.com
Created the topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1910615.0

Are you sure your vanity address are still secured like you have not got access to its privatekey part ?

Of course, for pre-generated vanity addresses, the private key will already be known at least to the service that generated it, and to the user who wants to get a vanity address. But in order to safely use the pre-generated vanity address, you can use transactions with a multi-signature.

I do see people are following some well-prescribed/foolproof method for preserving the secret of privatekeys, but you are claiming your address were per-generated.

Such pre-generated vanity addresses can cost significantly less than those obtained using a partial private key. By the way, generation with the use of a partial private key is also available for us. This section is called "Personal addresses": https://addrstore.com/?category=Personal_addresses, when placing an order, the user must specify his private key.

You can post in service section with few example vanity addresses and price levels and with some discounts for bulk purchases but I am afraid you may face hard time for proving the security of per-generated address.

Nothing to prove is not necessary. The private key of the pre-generated vanity address is known to us and it's a fact, there's nothing to hide and no one wants to cheat. But the user can safely use this address only using some of the capabilities of the bitcoin network (multi-transactions, P2SH addresses), or another way of using it - the user trusts our project and uses a vanity address as usual. But in any case, we delete the private key of the sold vanity address in a semi-automatic mode without the possibility of recovery.

[Kevin77]

You can post in service section with few example vanity addresses and price levels and with some discounts for bulk purchases but I am afraid you may face hard time for proving the security of per-generated address.

Nothing to prove is not necessary. The private key of the pre-generated vanity address is known to us and it's a fact, there's nothing to hide and no one wants to cheat. But the user can safely use this address only using some of the capabilities of the bitcoin network (multi-transactions, P2SH addresses), or another way of using it - the user trusts our project and uses a vanity address as usual. But in any case, we delete the private key of the sold vanity address in a semi-automatic mode without the possibility of recovery.

From your explanations, I understand people may use this services similar to web wallets like privarte-keys are always exposed to service provider and we are still using their services by trusting them. But one big advantage is we can get our name prefixed in our bitcoin addresses, right ?

On a second thoughts, I just want to ask just for some cosmetic feature we need to compromise the core security ?

[addrstore.com]

On a second thoughts, I just want to ask just for some cosmetic feature we need to compromise the core security ?

Can you explain what you mean by "to compromise the core security"?