BIP44: What's the use of internal addresses?












4















I've read other questions (and their answers) on this but I still don't see the use for internal addresses. I get that you're supposed to send the change of a transaction there but I don't see how this benefits you, all it does is move your remaining funds on an address, right? And you could just as easily move your funds to a new external address. I understand that the point is to use an address only once, but that can also be done with external addresses.



I hope that somebody can explain what benefits internal addresses have,



Thanks in advance!










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    4















    I've read other questions (and their answers) on this but I still don't see the use for internal addresses. I get that you're supposed to send the change of a transaction there but I don't see how this benefits you, all it does is move your remaining funds on an address, right? And you could just as easily move your funds to a new external address. I understand that the point is to use an address only once, but that can also be done with external addresses.



    I hope that somebody can explain what benefits internal addresses have,



    Thanks in advance!










    share|improve this question







    New contributor




    timgfx is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.























      4












      4








      4








      I've read other questions (and their answers) on this but I still don't see the use for internal addresses. I get that you're supposed to send the change of a transaction there but I don't see how this benefits you, all it does is move your remaining funds on an address, right? And you could just as easily move your funds to a new external address. I understand that the point is to use an address only once, but that can also be done with external addresses.



      I hope that somebody can explain what benefits internal addresses have,



      Thanks in advance!










      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      timgfx is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      I've read other questions (and their answers) on this but I still don't see the use for internal addresses. I get that you're supposed to send the change of a transaction there but I don't see how this benefits you, all it does is move your remaining funds on an address, right? And you could just as easily move your funds to a new external address. I understand that the point is to use an address only once, but that can also be done with external addresses.



      I hope that somebody can explain what benefits internal addresses have,



      Thanks in advance!







      bitcoin-core bitcoin-cash bitcoincore-development bip






      share|improve this question







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      timgfx is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question







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      timgfx is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      share|improve this question




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      timgfx is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      asked 8 hours ago









      timgfxtimgfx

      232




      232




      New contributor




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      New contributor





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      Check out our Code of Conduct.






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      Check out our Code of Conduct.






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          4














          The separation between internal and external addresses comes from BIP32.



          Using a different chain for each permits you to give out an xpub for just the external ones to an auditor. They would then be able to observe your incoming payments, but not your spending.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago











          • Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

            – timgfx
            6 hours ago



















          0














          In order to keep track of who sent you how much money you make sure to hand out an address only once and make a note of who you handed out the address to in your wallet software. This way all funds sent to a particular address are attributed to a particular party. Now if your wallet was using external chain addresses for change you wouldn't be able to track who sent you how much.



          As for why there is change at all it's because unspent outputs can only be spent in their entirety so if you don't want to send the entire amount to the recipient you have to receive the excess as change back to yourself. There are two related articles on the wiki about this called change and coin analogy that you might want to read.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago











          Your Answer








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          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes








          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          4














          The separation between internal and external addresses comes from BIP32.



          Using a different chain for each permits you to give out an xpub for just the external ones to an auditor. They would then be able to observe your incoming payments, but not your spending.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago











          • Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

            – timgfx
            6 hours ago
















          4














          The separation between internal and external addresses comes from BIP32.



          Using a different chain for each permits you to give out an xpub for just the external ones to an auditor. They would then be able to observe your incoming payments, but not your spending.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago











          • Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

            – timgfx
            6 hours ago














          4












          4








          4







          The separation between internal and external addresses comes from BIP32.



          Using a different chain for each permits you to give out an xpub for just the external ones to an auditor. They would then be able to observe your incoming payments, but not your spending.






          share|improve this answer













          The separation between internal and external addresses comes from BIP32.



          Using a different chain for each permits you to give out an xpub for just the external ones to an auditor. They would then be able to observe your incoming payments, but not your spending.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 7 hours ago









          Pieter WuillePieter Wuille

          46.6k399156




          46.6k399156













          • Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago











          • Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

            – timgfx
            6 hours ago



















          • Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago











          • Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

            – timgfx
            6 hours ago

















          Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

          – timgfx
          7 hours ago





          Ah that makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

          – timgfx
          7 hours ago













          Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

          – timgfx
          6 hours ago





          Another question: when sending some BTC to somebody should you prioritize internal or external funds? My guess would be external because then you'd get more internal funds making your transaction history more private, but I'm not certain

          – timgfx
          6 hours ago











          0














          In order to keep track of who sent you how much money you make sure to hand out an address only once and make a note of who you handed out the address to in your wallet software. This way all funds sent to a particular address are attributed to a particular party. Now if your wallet was using external chain addresses for change you wouldn't be able to track who sent you how much.



          As for why there is change at all it's because unspent outputs can only be spent in their entirety so if you don't want to send the entire amount to the recipient you have to receive the excess as change back to yourself. There are two related articles on the wiki about this called change and coin analogy that you might want to read.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago
















          0














          In order to keep track of who sent you how much money you make sure to hand out an address only once and make a note of who you handed out the address to in your wallet software. This way all funds sent to a particular address are attributed to a particular party. Now if your wallet was using external chain addresses for change you wouldn't be able to track who sent you how much.



          As for why there is change at all it's because unspent outputs can only be spent in their entirety so if you don't want to send the entire amount to the recipient you have to receive the excess as change back to yourself. There are two related articles on the wiki about this called change and coin analogy that you might want to read.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago














          0












          0








          0







          In order to keep track of who sent you how much money you make sure to hand out an address only once and make a note of who you handed out the address to in your wallet software. This way all funds sent to a particular address are attributed to a particular party. Now if your wallet was using external chain addresses for change you wouldn't be able to track who sent you how much.



          As for why there is change at all it's because unspent outputs can only be spent in their entirety so if you don't want to send the entire amount to the recipient you have to receive the excess as change back to yourself. There are two related articles on the wiki about this called change and coin analogy that you might want to read.






          share|improve this answer













          In order to keep track of who sent you how much money you make sure to hand out an address only once and make a note of who you handed out the address to in your wallet software. This way all funds sent to a particular address are attributed to a particular party. Now if your wallet was using external chain addresses for change you wouldn't be able to track who sent you how much.



          As for why there is change at all it's because unspent outputs can only be spent in their entirety so if you don't want to send the entire amount to the recipient you have to receive the excess as change back to yourself. There are two related articles on the wiki about this called change and coin analogy that you might want to read.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 7 hours ago









          AbdussamadAbdussamad

          1,541616




          1,541616













          • Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago



















          • Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

            – timgfx
            7 hours ago

















          Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

          – timgfx
          7 hours ago





          Ah, so you mean that you give one receiving address to one person that they will use whenever they need to send you money so you have addresses per person that sends you money instead of an address per transaction (receive + send)?

          – timgfx
          7 hours ago










          timgfx is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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