Blockchain explorer giving wrong results

[Belisarius]

Hi.

I'm not happy to do that but after trying to contact Blockchain, Blockchair and OXT website, and never receiving a single answer, i recommand you to don't use their websites for serious research.

the informations provided on their websites can be wrong because of a bug. I obviously can't check all addresses, but here is an example for you:

https://www.blockchain.com/btc/address/12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S
https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/address/12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S
https://oxt.me/address/12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S

totals are wrongs. For example, Total sent BTC is not 177, but only 32!
 
They very probably use the same API and give the same wrong results.

On this website, results are corrects : https://btc.com/12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S

My goal is to rush the guy a little and be sure he will fix the problem quickly in the interest of everybody.

[DaveF]

It's not a bug it's the way bitcoin works and the block explorers interpretation of what "Received" is.

12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S had 50BTC generated to it in a block that was mined.

There was then a transaction 10BTC was sent to 1Q2TWHE3GMdB6BZKafqwxXtWAWgFt5Jvm3 and 40BTC was sent back to 12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S.
Therefore at that point 12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S had received 90BTC.

You get $50 and put it in your wallet.
You then take it out of your wallet to buy something for $10
You get $40 in change which you put back in your wallet. Your wallet has received $90 in total into it.

Other people / block explorers see it differently.

-Dave

[Belisarius]

Ok thx for the explanation.

Is it the same all the time or just with old script paterns (like P2PK/P2PKH)?

[DaveF]

Ok thx for the explanation.

Is it the same all the time or just with old script paterns (like P2PK/P2PKH)?

Depends on the explorer. It really falls back to the opinion of the programmer (Or the programmers boss / people in charge of the project.) on how to display it.

Now that most (all?) wallets by default send the change to a different address it is becoming less of an issue.

-Dave

[nc50lc]

Is it the same all the time or just with old script paterns (like P2PK/P2PKH)?

Scripts have nothing to do with it, a client with "do not use change address" option can use the same address (PubKey for P2PK)
as input and output in a single transaction that will cause that blockexplorer issue.