How many addresses do you think the average bitcoin user has?

[MineForeman.com]

I have fewer than ten bitcoin addresses. Anyone think that leaves me exposed to unnecessary risk?

Depends, if all you do is keep bitcoins in them no.  As soon as you use them (i.e. spend the coins etc..) you should not use that key again, the process of spending actually removes one of the two layers of the security (RIPEMD).  

On top of that you have the whole anonymity problem and re-using addresses makes it a lot easier to track YOU down and use a crowbar attack on your funds.  (The crowbar attack is where someone hits you with a crowbar until you give up your keys)

Neil

[Bizmark13]

I actively use about two or three addresses at any given time, one of which was the first address I ever used. These addresses comprise my "hot" wallet. In total, I have probably used about 10 addresses including change addresses. About half of all the addresses I used were generated via Electrum's deterministic seed feature. The rest are/were addresses generated using Vanitygen which comprise(d) my "cold" wallet.

It is a good habit to never use a receiving address more than once.

Depends, if all you do is keep bitcoins in them no.  As soon as you use them (i.e. spend the coins etc..) you should not use that key again, the process of spending actually removes one of the two layers of the security (RIPEMD).

These statements seem to contradict each other. So security-wise, there is nothing wrong with depositing multiple times into a cold paper wallet address right? Just as long as the bitcoins in that cold wallet are never spent?

But wouldn't such a cold address also fit the definition of a receiving address as well?

[Rub3n]

I make/use a new one every few trades. I remember trying to create vanity addresses with some alt crypto's so add those and I got a lot.

[Traffic4u]

I had 14 addresses, 8 of them have 0 transaction and 0 balance. 
I didn't know why did i generate new address.

[DrG]

I have gone through 12 core wallets, 6 online wallets and 6 alt client wallets.  The core wallet alone would be 1200 addresses but of those probably not more than 50 receives were used.

Do exchange addresses count as mine since I have over 20 of those 

[Keyara]

There is a site which actually keep track of this information.

Last I checked, over 90% of the wallets have less than 10 btc.

[hualehua]

10 maybe!

[bander]

Wow, seems like everyone is in the 100+ range for the most part. For anyone asking about security issues from only using a few addresses- you should really only use 1 address per transaction. You don't want other people to have the ability to snoop around and see all of your funds moving around. I'm honestly suprised one of the millions of coins that have been created hasn't come up with a logical way to deal with the security issue of re-using addresses

[Daniel91]

Wow, seems like everyone is in the 100+ range for the most part. For anyone asking about security issues from only using a few addresses- you should really only use 1 address per transaction. You don't want other people to have the ability to snoop around and see all of your funds moving around. I'm honestly suprised one of the millions of coins that have been created hasn't come up with a logical way to deal with the security issue of re-using addresses

I agree with you.
For the security purpose it seems like very wise idea to do.
It's not problem to create many Bitcoin addresses but for some people this will not be convenient.

[nkocevar]

I myself have only had about 5 or 6.... my first of course still has 50-60 BTC in it but noooo I had to wipe my drive when bitcoins were at like 10 cents.

[InwardContour]

The average bitcoin user in my opinion could have about 50 addresses.
This takes into account the smart ones, with hundreds or thousands, and the newbie users with only 1 address.

[dadaas]

I have only 6 addresses in my wallet. I didn't know that it is advised to change address for each transaction. And from now on I will use different address for every transaction I will receive. I'm glad I know that now

[Koko]

If you include all the addresses I had on various exchanges, I have probably used at least 250-300.

[dadaas]

If you include all the addresses I had on various exchanges, I have probably used at least 250-300.

Well I didn't count my addresses on exchange sites because I don't consider them part of my wallet.

[FUR11]

I think some really do have only a single one that they control. But others may accumulate more and more... 20? 30? I guess many also don't re-use them and do have hundreds of addresses! It's not as if we're running out of them anytime soon

[Koko]

If you include all the addresses I had on various exchanges, I have probably used at least 250-300.

Well I didn't count my addresses on exchange sites because I don't consider them part of my wallet.

I suppose that's true since the address might be yours, but the wallet still belongs to the exchange. I would still technically consider them as my BTC addresses. Without them I would say I used roughly 100+ addresses.

[dadaas]

If you include all the addresses I had on various exchanges, I have probably used at least 250-300.

Well I didn't count my addresses on exchange sites because I don't consider them part of my wallet.

I suppose that's true since the address might be yours, but the wallet still belongs to the exchange. I would still technically consider them as my BTC addresses. Without them I would say I used roughly 100+ addresses.

You've got that right. It could be considered your address in exchange's wallet.

[Koko]

If you include all the addresses I had on various exchanges, I have probably used at least 250-300.

Well I didn't count my addresses on exchange sites because I don't consider them part of my wallet.

I suppose that's true since the address might be yours, but the wallet still belongs to the exchange. I would still technically consider them as my BTC addresses. Without them I would say I used roughly 100+ addresses.

You've got that right. It could be considered your address in exchange's wallet.

No matter how much security an exchange offers, it always makes me uneasy keeping my coins there for an extended period of time. Nothing beats having your own wallet.

[TinEye]

5-6 would be my guess for the casual user. I don't see why they will need more active addresses.

[dadaas]

If you include all the addresses I had on various exchanges, I have probably used at least 250-300.

Well I didn't count my addresses on exchange sites because I don't consider them part of my wallet.

I suppose that's true since the address might be yours, but the wallet still belongs to the exchange. I would still technically consider them as my BTC addresses. Without them I would say I used roughly 100+ addresses.

You've got that right. It could be considered your address in exchange's wallet.

No matter how much security an exchange offers, it always makes me uneasy keeping my coins there for an extended period of time. Nothing beats having your own wallet.

Well I don't keep anything on my address on exchange site. I find it unreliable to hold any amount of money for a long period of time.