Types of BTC addresses

[pawanjain]

Although there are basically 3 major types of bitcoin addresses as we all know, they can be further derived as below and I got to know this today when I was surfing the internet on crypto articles. I stumbled upon one and was quite surprised to see there are so many prefixes for bitcoin addresses. Below is the full list of bitcoin address prefixes. Newbies can read it through and experienced ones can reiterate their memory with the below addresses  

Full List of Bitcoin address prefixes

Example use	Leading symbols	Example
Pubkey hash (P2PKH address)	1	17VZNX1SN5NtKa8UQFxwQbFeFc3iqRYhem
Script hash (P2SH address)SegWit Pay 2 Witness Public Key Hash (P2SH-P2WPKH)	3	3EktnHQD7RiAE6uzMj2ZifT9YgRrkSgzQX
SegWit mainnet (P2WPKH address)(native segwit)	bc1	bc1qw508d6qejxtdg4y5r3zarvary0c5xw7kv8f3t4
SegWit mainnet (P2WSH address)(native segwit)	bc1	bc1qrp33g0q5c5txsp9arysrx4k6zdkfs4nce4xj0gdcccefvpysxf3qccfmv3

Bitcoin Testnet addresses

Example use	Leading symbols	Example
SegWit Testnet (P2WPKH address)	tb1	tb1qw508d6qejxtdg4y5r3zarvary0c5xw7kxpjzsx
SegWit Testnet (P2WSH address)	tb1	tb1qrp33g0q5c5txsp9arysrx4k6zdkfs4nce4xj0gdcccefvpysxf3q0sl5k7
Testnet pubkey hash	m or n	mipcBbFg9gMiCh81Kj8tqqdgoZub1ZJRfn
Testnet script hash	2	2MzQwSSnBHWHqSAqtTVQ6v47XtaisrJa1Vc

Source : https://allprivatekeys.com/bitcoin-address-format


EDIT : Thank you guys for the below comments. Got to learn a lot from you guys today 

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[RocketSingh]

Not sure why Testnet addresses are mentioned. Testnet chain is different than Bitcoin blockchain. Moreover, apart from WIF, Hex format is an important format of Bitcoin private key representation.

[jackg]

The segwit ones beginning with bc1q may need labelling "native segwit".

You could then label the p2wsh one as multisig native segwit and the p2pkh one as native segwit.

Afaik multisig native segwit and native segwit look the same until they're used as well as multisig legacy and standard segwit.

I think encrypted keys with bip39 encryption begin with a U. And there's also:
Xpub - legacy extended public key
ypub - segwit extended private key
zpub native segwit extended public key

(with similar prv versions of each).

[BlackHatCoiner]

Well that's not entirely right. First of all, you should differentiate testnet prefixes with mainnet's. It is confusing seeing different networks. Secondly, I don't understand why you have written private keys and public keys too, they're not addresses. They are just written on different wallet import format. Every private key is just a random 256-bit hexadecimal on an elliptic curve. Public key is the x and y of that point.

After all, I only see 4 types of addresses.

• P2PKH (1)
• P2SH (3)
• P2WPKH (bc1 short)
• P2WSH (bc1 long)

[pawanjain]

Well that's not entirely right. First of all, you should differentiate testnet prefixes with mainnet's. It is confusing seeing different networks.

Thanks for suggestion. Updated OP.

Secondly, I don't understand why you have written private keys and public keys too, they're not addresses. They are just written on different wallet import format. Every private key is just a random 256-bit hexadecimal on an elliptic curve. Public key is the x and y of that point.

You are probably right. I posted it because it mentioned in the article I read. Also, aren't public key and private key both just addresses with different representation ?
Should I remove all the private keys from OP ?

[Charles-Tim]

...

You are just right, only four addresses are valid which two of them are native segwit. But there is another one coming soon after the implementation of taproot into bitcoin core, it is bc1p.

You are probably right. I posted it because it mentioned in the article I read. Also, aren't public key and private key both just btc addresses with different representation ?

Private keys and public keys are not addresses. Private keys generate the public keys, public keys generate the addresses. I just briefed it for you to understand. You can use mastering bitcoin to know more about it.

Should I remove all the private keys from OP ?

Yes, remove it. They are not addresses. Also, remove the public key.

[BlackHatCoiner]

Also, aren't public key and private key both just btc addresses with different representation ?

Let's define what is a bitcoin address. A bitcoin address is an identifier of 26-35 alphanumeric characters that represents a possible destination for a bitcoin payment. Once we make a transaction we "lock" the amount of bitcoins to an address. In some way, a public key is an address representation. If we make some hashes and other changes to a public key, yes we can get our address. Whether you give someone your public key or your address is [...]within some limits the same thing.

A bitcoin private key must not be represented as an address in no way. Address is the locker, private key is the unlocking key. Knowing a private key means you are the owner of an address. Otherwise, you can't prove you own bitcoins.

[...] Not exactly the same. For example, if someone gives you a public key you can instantly know the address. If someone gives you an address that has never spent funds, you can't know his public key. So what? Well, not big deal. Although, knowing someone's public key may be a problem in the next decade.

[jackg]

Also, aren't public key and private key both just btc addresses with different representation ?

Addresses are compressed public keys to add an extra layer of security.
It's literally a hash algorithm run on the public keys.

[Husires]

The above list does not represent a complete list of all addresses on the network. We have:

Code:

xpub BIP32 pubkey xpubXXXX or 
xpvt
Multi-signature address start with 5

i talked more about it here https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5262177.msg54794708#msg54794708

You need to add more details such as the amount of fees that you will contribute to reducing when using the correct address. sign message. verify it

[abokhalel2]

I do not understand a little why and what this information is for, it is unlikely that beginners will need it, or indeed anyone. Feed me if I'm wrong

[The Wasp]

I do not understand a little why and what this information is for, it is unlikely that beginners will need it, or indeed anyone. Feed me if I'm wrong

I don't get that either. So far I've only known that there are native and segwit enabled addresses. I'm not sure that this is the information that the average user needs, other than as an interesting read.

[jackg]

The above list does not represent a complete list of all addresses on the network. We have:

Code:

xpub BIP32 pubkey xpubXXXX or 
xpvt
Multi-signature address start with 5

[ quote]

Public keys (including extended public keys aren't addresses)...

Also when does multisig begin with a 5? I didn't think it did and its not listed in the docs I've seen but it could be (for nested segwit multisig?) legacy multisig looks like nested segwit and native segwit multisig looks like native segwit.

[SquirrelJulietGarden]

Documents from Bitcoin Wiki

Invoice Address
List of address prefixes
Testnet (there are 3 generations of testnet)

From different types of addresses, you can do different types of transactions
How Bitcoin transactions work and what are their types?