Public Key / Address

Crypto & Blockchain

A public key (and the derived public address) is the cryptographic identifier you share to receive cryptocurrency — analogous to a bank account number. Safe to share publicly; cannot be used to access funds. Each cryptocurrency has its own address format: Bitcoin addresses start with '1', '3', or 'bc1'; Ethereum addresses start with '0x' followed by 40 hex characters. Always double-check the first and last 4-6 characters when sending crypto — clipboard hijacking malware can swap addresses. Use ENS names (.eth) for Ethereum for human-readable addresses. Some chains support transaction memos for additional information.