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To receive Bitcoin, share a receiving address or its QR code. To send it, enter or scan the recipient’s address, set the amount, review the fee and payment details, and authorize the transaction in your wallet. Wallets manage the keys that authorize spending; they do not hold coins like a conventional bank account. Once broadcast, a payment is difficult to reverse, and confirmation timing is not guaranteed.
What a Bitcoin wallet does
A Bitcoin wallet is software or a device that manages keys and transaction data. Its private keys authorize spending; the wallet calculates its balance from spendable outputs associated with it. Bitcoin represents those funds as unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs). A transaction spends prior outputs and creates new ones. See Bitcoin.org’s explanation of how Bitcoin works and its Bitcoin vocabulary.
A receiving address is public information you can give to someone paying you. It is not the private key and does not, by itself, let someone spend your funds. Bitcoin.org recommends generally using a new address for each payment as a privacy practice.
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- Open your wallet and choose Receive. Check that the wallet is set to receive Bitcoin using the payment method you and the sender can both use.
- Share the address or QR code. The sender can scan the QR code for a mobile payment or copy the address. If the wallet provides a payment request with an amount, confirm the amount before sharing it.
- Wait for the payment to appear. A wallet may show a transaction before it has a block confirmation. Check its status and confirmation count rather than treating an initial appearance as final.
On-chain payments are recorded in Bitcoin blocks. Lightning payments use a separate, second-layer payment protocol: payments between channel participants occur off-chain, while opening and closing channels interact with the blockchain. Bitcoin.org describes Lightning payments as near-instant and low-fee, but that is not a guarantee for every wallet, route, or payment. Both parties need a compatible payment method; check which one your wallet is using. See Bitcoin.org’s overview for individuals.
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How to send Bitcoin
- Choose Send in your wallet. Select the payment method that matches the recipient’s request, such as an on-chain address or a Lightning payment request. A payment intended for one method generally cannot be sent using the other.
- Enter or scan the recipient’s details. Copy the address carefully or scan the recipient’s QR code. A wallet may detect some invalid address formats, but a valid address can still belong to the wrong person.
- Enter the amount. Confirm the currency unit and amount shown by the wallet. If the request includes an amount, compare it with what the recipient asked for.
- Review the fee and transaction summary. Check the recipient, amount, payment method, and fee before proceeding. Some wallets estimate fees and let you review or adjust them.
- Authorize the payment. The wallet uses the relevant private key to sign the transaction. It is then broadcast to the network, where nodes check and relay it toward miners.
For developer-level details on Bitcoin Core’s sending options and fee-rate parameters, see the Bitcoin Core developer reference for the send RPC. Its controls are not a substitute for reviewing the payment details in the wallet you actually use.
Fees: what affects the cost?
The sender pays the transaction fee. It helps incentivize miners to include transactions in blocks. The fee depends mainly on transaction data size and competition for block space, not on a simple percentage of the amount sent. Spending several prior outputs or using a more complex transaction structure can require more data and therefore a higher fee. Bitcoin.org explains the relationship between fees, transaction size, and demand in its Bitcoin FAQ.
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Many wallets estimate a fee and let you review or adjust it. A lower fee may leave the transaction waiting longer when other transactions are competing for block space. Review the wallet’s estimate and fee-rate options before sending; do not assume the cheapest option will confirm promptly.
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How long does a Bitcoin transaction take?
A transaction receives its first confirmation when it is included in a block. Bitcoin.org says new blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average. That describes an average block interval—not a timer for your payment. Block discovery is probabilistic, so a first confirmation may arrive much sooner or take longer. A fee that is low relative to current demand can also extend the wait.
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Each subsequent block adds another confirmation and increases confidence that the transaction will remain in the accepted chain. Bitcoin.org’s safety guidance says six confirmations is its minimum recommendation for high-value transfers. That is guidance from Bitcoin.org, not a universal requirement or guarantee: the appropriate threshold depends on the value, transaction context, and the receiving party’s risk tolerance. See Bitcoin.org’s safety guidance.
Can you cancel or reverse a Bitcoin payment?
Bitcoin.org’s safety guidance states: “A Bitcoin transaction cannot be reversed, it can only be refunded by the person receiving the funds.” After broadcasting a payment, do not assume the sender can cancel it or retrieve the funds. If you sent money to the wrong person, contact the recipient and ask for a refund; only that recipient can return it.
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Before authorizing a payment, verify the recipient’s address and amount through a trusted channel. For some transactions, Bitcoin.org identifies escrow and multisignature wallets as possible protections. Whether either is suitable depends on the arrangement and the wallet involved.
Is sending Bitcoin private?
Bitcoin is not anonymous. Addresses are not inherently tied to real-world identities, but transactions are recorded on a public, permanent blockchain and can sometimes be linked to people depending on how the system is used. Reusing addresses and sharing payment information can make that linkage easier. Using a new receiving address for each payment is one privacy practice; it does not make a transaction untraceable. Bitcoin.org discusses these limits in its safety guidance and individuals’ overview.
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Protect your wallet and recovery information
Control of the private keys is what allows Bitcoin to be spent. Depending on the wallet, keys may be managed by software, a dedicated hardware device, or a service provider; a recovery phrase may be used to restore access. A hardware device or backup does not remove the need to protect it: losing access to keys or exposing recovery information can put funds at risk. Bitcoin.org explains wallet types and selection considerations in its wallet-selection guide.
How to choose a wallet for sending and receiving
Compare wallet features against the payments you expect to make rather than assuming all wallets support the same options. Bitcoin.org’s wallet-selection guide and desktop-wallet information highlight practical considerations:
- Address compatibility: Check whether it supports the address formats your counterparties use, including legacy addresses where needed.
- Hardware-wallet use: If you plan to keep keys on a dedicated device, check whether the wallet supports direct use with that device.
- Fee controls: Look for fee estimation, fee review, and fee adjustment options appropriate to how you send payments.
- Lightning: If you expect to make off-chain payments, confirm that the wallet supports Lightning and understand which payment method it uses.
- Key management and recovery: Know whether keys are managed by software, a device, or a service provider, and what recovery process applies.
Wallet features can change, so check the wallet maker’s current documentation for model-specific instructions and compatibility.
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