How do I receive bitcoin?

Use your wallet's receive option to get a receiving address, then share it with the sender. Make sure you both mean bitcoin on the same network, and check the payment status in your wallet.

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What do you share?

Share the receiving address your wallet provides. If it displays a QR code, that code represents payment information; it is not a reason to skip checking the details. Do not share private keys or recovery words.

These steps describe an ordinary payment recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain. Other payment systems may use a different request format. Do not assume similar coin names or different networks use interchangeable destinations.

Receiving a paymentShare an address, let the sender approve the payment, and check its status yourself. Recovery words are never part of this exchange.You shareA receiving addressSender approvesAddress, amount and fee checkedYou checkWaiting or confirmed?
Share an address, let the sender approve the payment, and check its status yourself. Recovery words are never part of this exchange.

What are the steps?

  1. Open the receive option in your wallet and confirm the asset and network.
  2. Copy the receiving address as provided, or show its QR code. Check the address against what your wallet displays.
  3. Give the sender the address and agree on the amount and unit.
  4. Check your wallet for the payment and its confirmation status. A waiting payment is not yet confirmed.

What would a careful hand-off look like?

Imagine a friend wants to send you bitcoin. You send the address from your receive screen. Your friend compares the destination with what you provided before approving. Afterwards, you check your own wallet rather than relying on a screenshot of their screen.

A displayed pending payment can still need time before inclusion in a block. If you have agreed to provide something in exchange, agree beforehand on the confirmation requirement as well.

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