Estimated BTC Transacted

[waterfish123]

Exchange doesn't credit my full transaction with Estimated BTC Transacted, i'm very confused at this.

aa5eb27652bd85dc444ea2508bf0ff6ff1b484141e2d7e69f31976fafb21e06e

Take this blockchain info transaction ID for example:

Let's say 172vysRRLk5qnYVdnAmHs7KgMNdnJvUBBs is my wallet. I want to send 4.4911 to 1FER69hhBLRNNoaxsxDcR7hL1socbp5JT2 (4.4916 - Miner fee 0.0005). Now looking at this transaction, only 3.7216 went into 1FER69hhBLRNNoaxsxDcR7hL1socbp5JT2, and 0.7695 went into 1H3Q9EmhAGRXn1FbcG1d5u17rVC5fK1w2g.

Now in my case, I was only credited 3.7216 in my account, as opposed to the full 4.4911. (I'm just using this transaction as an example, I dont have anywhere near 5 BTC haha).

The difference between what I wanted (4.4911) and what I got (3.7216) happens to be the Estimated BTC Transacted (0.7695), which went into a different address. My question is what the hell is this different address? Is this my old wallet's address? Is this the exchanges address? In either case I don't see it, and it seems be lost

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance

[Potato Chips]

The thing is outputs must be spent entirely. Now, To apply it in your example. You are trying to send 0.76950000 BTC (+miner fees) to address
1H3Q9EmhAGRXn1FbcG1d5u17rVC5fK1w2g which spents the output 4.49160000 BTC so the remainder 3.72160000 BTC will go to a change address created by your wallet which you control of course.

[waterfish123]

Sorry I think I may have been a little not clear. I am trying to send the entire 4.4911 to 1FER69hhBLRNNoaxsxDcR7hL1socbp5JT2. This "Change address" is not a wallet I control, input was from one exchange, and output was to another exchange. In the example I used, I want the entire 4.4911 to go to one address, there should be no "Change". But for some reason only part of the what I sent was sent to the exchange, and the change address I have no idea what it is.

[LoyceV]

What wallet did you use to send this transaction? Blockchain.info?

Sorry I think I may have been a little not clear. I am trying to send the entire 4.4911 to 1FER69hhBLRNNoaxsxDcR7hL1socbp5JT2. This "Change address" is not a wallet I control, input was from one exchange, and output was to another exchange. In the example I used, I want the entire 4.4911 to go to one address, there should be no "Change". But for some reason only part of the what I sent was sent to the exchange, and the change address I have no idea what it is.

This leaves only 2 options:
1. You made a mistake
2. Your wallet/computer is compromised. If that's the case, it's weird the attacker didn't steal all your coins.

Best-case scenario is that you made a mistake on the amount only, and overlooked the 0.7695 that went back to your own wallet. If that's not the case, it's gone.

On closer look: the transaction you mention was made in 2013. It helps if you show the real transaction.
The "Estimated BTC Transacted" is based on assumptions made by blockchain.info, you can ignore that statement.

[waterfish123]

Ok here is the actual transaction ID:

812cc1afba6bc7da3eed069adc3b84f0524ffd46370b0b2b575dc78698dba1e0

**Note I didn't send from wallet to exchange, I sent from exchange to exchange (To save on a 1 time miner fee) (eg. if i send from coin base to wallet, then wallet to bittrex, that would cost me 2 time fees)

Input: 1EbX2MGPdHCvJtbbyfcVfpDfgpZT8BwM87 (This was from coinbase)

Output: 1KSet8LXnDkoezDtf4e2aGMoakWMMBpBBq (This is Bittrex)

Now I wanted to send the WHOLE 0.01715088 to 1KSet8LXnDkoezDtf4e2aGMoakWMMBpBBq

But for some reason only 0.01677999 showed up, and the other 0.00037089 went into 1HdcsmkBN9vsfZ2TRJcYcBTtBbaJqkow6c.

I have no idea what 1HdcsmkBN9vsfZ2TRJcYcBTtBbaJqkow6c is. I don't see it in my coin base, or bittrex. It's just lost. From doing some research, people are saying this is change. I would understand that, if coinbase have an input of 1 BTC, then 0.01715088 would go to 1KSet8LXnDkoezDtf4e2aGMoakWMMBpBBq , and then 0.98284912 (change) would go back to coinbase (i'm assuming). But in this case, it's different =/

[LoyceV]

Ok here is the actual transaction ID:

812cc1afba6bc7da3eed069adc3b84f0524ffd46370b0b2b575dc78698dba1e0

I sent from exchange to exchange

Giving complete information helps, this is better
How much did you send (after fee)? My guess: 0.01677999 BTC.
If you sent it from an exchange, the Input-address isn't yours. You only get the amount you asked for, and the change goes back into the exchange's wallet.

Input: 1EbX2MGPdHCvJtbbyfcVfpDfgpZT8BwM87 (This was from coinbase)

Output: 1KSet8LXnDkoezDtf4e2aGMoakWMMBpBBq (This is Bittrex)

Now I wanted to send the WHOLE 0.01715088 to 1KSet8LXnDkoezDtf4e2aGMoakWMMBpBBq

The whole 0.01715088 BTC isn't yours!
Think of it this way:
You ask Company A to pay $90 to Company B. Company A gives $100, and gets $10 back.
What you're saying, is that you want the whole $100. I hope this analogy shows the flaw in your reasoning. The way Bitcoin handles change is much more like cash than other electronic payments, if you pay by bank or Paypal, you don't have to worry about "change".

From doing some research, people are saying this is change. I would understand that, if coinbase have an input of 1 BTC, then 0.01715088 would go to 1KSet8LXnDkoezDtf4e2aGMoakWMMBpBBq , and then 0.98284912 (change) would go back to coinbase (i'm assuming). But in this case, it's different =/

Check again in Coinbase, and see how much you requested to withdraw. Is it 0.01677999 BTC or 0.01775089 BTC?

[waterfish123]

Ahhh thank you very much for the clarification! I read the wrong number haha. You were right, I only sent the 0.01677999 (I paid 0.00060001 in fees). So total I only had 0.01737996 before, not 0.01775089. So after fees I only had 0.01677999, not 0.01715088.  I appreciate the help

On a completely different note since you seem quite knowledgeable, do you know by chance why people say you shouldn't use the same address more than once? They say its not safe, but I'm not sure why.

Also on a somewhat different but kind of the same note, I have sent to the same wallet address roughly 10 transactions (total 0.5 btc). When I wanted to send all of the 0.5 out, I noticed there was 10 different inputs, thus making the transaction size quite large (as opposed to the regular 225 bytes it was 1125 roughly). I assumed that if I send to the same address, they would just aggregate, but that turned out not to be the case. Any ideas?

[LoyceV]

Ahhh thank you very much for the clarification! I read the wrong number haha. You were right, I only sent the 0.01677999 (I paid 0.00060001 in fees). So total I only had 0.01737996 before, not 0.01775089. So after fees I only had 0.01677999, not 0.01715088.  I appreciate the help

You're welcome.

On a completely different note since you seem quite knowledgeable, do you know by chance why people say you shouldn't use the same address more than once? They say its not safe, but I'm not sure why.

The main reason: privacy. For the coming decades I don't worry about someone developing a quantum computer that can crack re-used addresses.

Also on a somewhat different but kind of the same note, I have sent to the same wallet address roughly 10 transactions (total 0.5 btc). When I wanted to send all of the 0.5 out, I noticed there was 10 different inputs, thus making the transaction size quite large (as opposed to the regular 225 bytes it was 1125 roughly). I assumed that if I send to the same address, they would just aggregate, but that turned out not to be the case. Any ideas?

This is normal, and caused by the way Bitcoin works. You can prevent this by sending all your coins to one of your own addresses on a day with low fees (check https://btc.com/stats/unconfirmed-tx, it's not so high at the moment, but in general fees are lowest on Sundays). Think of it as exchanging your quarters for banknotes when it's a quiet day at the bank.

This slightly reduces your privacy though, but the same happens when you send your entire balance at once anyway.

[waterfish123]

Thanks! I asked because I thought this was interesting and it might cause problems in the future. Imagine a small retailer getting 200 of these transactions a day, and when the day ends they have to aggregate it, and I'm going to assume that one aggregate send will be massive in size, hence fees. Not quite sure by what you mean this'll slightly reduce the privacy tho (If i use a new address, shouldn't be an issue, right?), but that's for another rainy day Thanks again.