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To receive Bitcoin, share a receiving address or QR code from your wallet. To send it, enter or scan the recipient’s address, choose an amount, review the fee and details, then authorize the payment. Your wallet manages the keys that sign transactions; it does not hold coins like a bank account. Once broadcast, an on-chain payment is difficult to reverse, so check the recipient and amount before confirming.
What a Bitcoin wallet does
A wallet is software or a device that manages the keys and transaction data needed to receive and spend Bitcoin. The funds are recorded on the network as unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs), which a later transaction spends to create new outputs. Your wallet calculates a balance from spendable outputs it can access. A private key authorizes spending; a receiving address can be shared with someone who wants to pay you. Bitcoin.org explains wallet keys and transactions, and its vocabulary guide defines UTXOs and related terms.
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Wallets can manage keys in different ways: for example, in software, on a dedicated hardware device, or through a service provider. Recovery methods also differ. Whoever controls the keys or recovery information may be able to control the funds, so protect both access to the wallet and its recovery data. A device or backup does not remove that responsibility.
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- Open your wallet’s receive function. It should show a receiving address, often with a QR code for a nearby payer to scan.
- Share the address or QR code through a trusted channel. Check that the payer is using the intended address and payment method.
- Confirm the payment details with the payer. Check the amount and whether the payment is on-chain or uses Lightning, if your wallet supports both.
- Wait for the status your situation requires. A wallet may show a transaction before it has a block confirmation. For an on-chain payment, confirmation means inclusion in a block.
Bitcoin.org recommends generally using a receiving address only once as a privacy practice. A fresh address helps avoid linking multiple payments through the same public identifier.
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How to send Bitcoin
- Choose Send in your wallet. Scan the recipient’s QR code or enter the address. If the payment is meant to use Lightning, select or scan a compatible Lightning payment method instead of assuming an on-chain address will work.
- Enter the amount and verify the recipient. Compare the address and amount with information obtained through a trusted channel. A wallet may detect some malformed addresses, but a valid address can still belong to the wrong recipient.
- Review the fee and payment route. Check whether the wallet is preparing an on-chain transaction or a Lightning payment, and review any fee estimate or adjustment options it provides.
- Authorize the transaction. The wallet uses the relevant private key to sign it. Network nodes check and relay the transaction toward miners for possible inclusion in a block.
- Save or check the transaction status. Use the wallet’s status information to see whether it is pending or confirmed. A broadcast transaction is not the same thing as a confirmed on-chain payment.
Bitcoin.org describes transactions as transfers of value recorded on the blockchain; its FAQ outlines the payment and confirmation process.
Why fees and confirmation times vary
Fees reflect transaction size and demand
The sender pays a transaction fee to help incentivize miners to include a transaction in a block. The fee is tied to the transaction’s data size and competition for block space, not simply to the amount being sent. Spending several prior outputs or using a more complex transaction structure can require more space. Many wallets estimate fees and let users review or adjust them. Bitcoin Core’s send RPC reference documents fee-rate and confirmation-target options for that software; it does not establish the controls available in every wallet.
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A confirmation has no guaranteed countdown
A transaction receives its first confirmation when it is included in a block. Each later block adds another confirmation and increases confidence that the transaction will remain in the accepted chain. Bitcoin.org says blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average. That figure describes an average block interval, not a timer for your payment: block discovery is probabilistic, so the first confirmation can come sooner or later. If a transaction’s fee is low relative to the rate currently prioritized by the network, it may wait longer.
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Bitcoin.org’s safety guidance says six confirmations is its minimum recommendation for high-value transfers. Treat this as that page’s guidance, not a universal rule or guarantee: the appropriate threshold depends on the payment’s value, context, and the recipient’s tolerance for risk.
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What to do if a transaction is unconfirmed
- Check the wallet’s status and fee details. Confirm whether it has broadcast the transaction and review the fee rate if your wallet displays it.
- Allow for variable block timing. An average block interval does not guarantee when a particular transaction will be included.
- Ask the recipient what confirmation status they require. They may distinguish between seeing a transaction and waiting for one or more block confirmations.
- Do not assume you can cancel or reverse it. Bitcoin.org says the sender cannot reverse a payment; the recipient is the party who can return funds. Wallets and network conditions vary, and the cited guidance does not establish a universal cancellation method.
On-chain Bitcoin and Lightning are different payment routes
An on-chain transaction is recorded in a block and accumulates confirmations. Lightning is a 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, including for small amounts, but those are general descriptions rather than guarantees for every wallet, route, or payment. Sender and recipient need compatible payment methods, and should check which route their wallets are using. See Bitcoin.org’s overview of Bitcoin payments and Lightning.
Bitcoin payments are not anonymous or easily reversed
Verify details before authorizing
Bitcoin.org’s safety guidance states: “A Bitcoin transaction cannot be reversed, it can only be refunded by the person receiving the funds.” Before sending, verify the address and amount through a trusted channel. Address-format checks can catch some typos, but they cannot prove that an otherwise valid address belongs to the person you intend to pay. Bitcoin.org identifies escrow and multisignature wallets as possible protections for some transactions; whether they suit a payment depends on its circumstances.
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Public records can create privacy links
Bitcoin addresses are not inherently tied to real-world identities, but blockchain records are public and permanent. Information about how an address is used can sometimes link it to a person. Reusing addresses and sharing payment details can make that linkage easier, which is why Bitcoin.org recommends using receiving addresses once where practical. Bitcoin should not be treated as anonymous: privacy depends partly on wallet practices and what information users reveal.
How to choose a wallet for sending and receiving
Wallets differ in compatibility and key-management features. Before relying on one for a payment, check its current documentation and consider these practical questions, drawn from Bitcoin.org’s wallet-selection guidance and desktop wallet information:
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- Address compatibility: Does it support the address formats used by the people or services you pay, including legacy addresses when needed?
- Hardware-wallet use: Can it work directly with a hardware wallet if you want keys held on a dedicated device?
- Fee controls: Does it estimate fees and let you review or adjust them?
- Lightning support: Can it send or receive Lightning payments if that is the route you need?
- Key custody and recovery: Does the wallet manage keys in software, on a device, or through a provider, and how can access be recovered?
Feature availability can change, so confirm current support with the wallet maker before following model-specific instructions.
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