--- content_id: 52 content_type: evergreen-answer priority: P1 intent: learn cluster: bitcoin language: en title: "Bitcoin Address Types Explained: Legacy, SegWit and Taproot" slug: bitcoin-address-types-legacy-segwit-taproot canonical: https://wallet.terenval.com/answers/bitcoin-address-types-legacy-segwit-taproot/ primary_query: "bitcoin address types legacy segwit taproot" last_reviewed: 2026-10-05 publisher: Terenval --- # Bitcoin Address Types Explained: Legacy, SegWit and Taproot ## Direct answer Bitcoin Mainnet addresses commonly appear as Legacy P2PKH addresses beginning with `1`, P2SH addresses beginning with `3`, native SegWit v0 addresses beginning with `bc1q`, and Taproot/SegWit v1 addresses beginning with `bc1p`. Newer formats can improve transaction efficiency or enable newer script capabilities, but compatibility depends on the sending service and wallet. Never convert an address manually; use the exact receive address produced by the wallet and verify that the sender supports it. ## Key takeaways - `1...` usually identifies Legacy P2PKH. - `3...` is P2SH and can be used by nested SegWit setups as well as other scripts. - `bc1q...` is native SegWit v0 encoded with Bech32. - `bc1p...` is a SegWit v1/Taproot address using Bech32m. - An address format is not a “different Bitcoin network”; all of these can be Bitcoin Mainnet addresses. ## 1. Legacy addresses Legacy P2PKH is the oldest common pay-to-public-key-hash format. Mainnet P2PKH addresses traditionally start with `1`. They remain recognizable and broadly compatible, but newer output types can use block space more efficiently. Older software may understand Legacy while lacking support for newer witness versions. That is why a receiver should never assume every exchange or wallet accepts every valid modern Bitcoin address. ## 2. P2SH and nested SegWit Addresses beginning with `3` are Pay-to-Script-Hash addresses. P2SH is a general script wrapper, so the prefix alone does not mean “SegWit,” although nested SegWit historically used P2SH to improve compatibility with senders that did not yet support native SegWit addresses. For users, the practical lesson is simple: do not infer the full spending policy from the first character alone. Treat the address supplied by the receiving wallet as authoritative for that receive request. ## 3. Native SegWit: bc1q BIP 173 introduced Bech32 for native SegWit v0 outputs. Mainnet native SegWit addresses use the human-readable prefix `bc` and, for version 0 outputs such as P2WPKH, commonly begin `bc1q`. BIP 84 defines a common HD-wallet derivation scheme for P2WPKH accounts. Native SegWit reduces some transaction-weight overhead compared with older wrapped formats and is widely supported by modern Bitcoin software. ## 4. Taproot: bc1p Taproot uses SegWit version 1. BIP 350 specifies Bech32m for witness version 1 and later, and Taproot addresses commonly begin `bc1p`. BIP 86 defines a derivation scheme for single-key P2TR wallet accounts. A `bc1p` address is valid only when the sender supports Taproot/Bech32m correctly. If a service rejects the address, do not rewrite or “convert” it yourself; instead use an address type that the receiving wallet can legitimately generate and the sender supports. ## Address-format comparison | Visible format | Common output family | Encoding / note | User concern | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `1...` | P2PKH | Base58Check | Broad legacy compatibility | | `3...` | P2SH | Base58Check | Script wrapper; may include nested SegWit | | `bc1q...` | SegWit v0 | Bech32 | Modern native SegWit | | `bc1p...` | Taproot / SegWit v1 | Bech32m | Sender must support Taproot | ## Common mistakes - Believing `bc1q` or `bc1p` means a different blockchain from Bitcoin Mainnet. - Assuming every address starting with `3` is nested SegWit. - Manually editing an address prefix. - Copying an old address from transaction history when the wallet has generated a fresh receive address. - Sending a large amount before verifying sender compatibility. ## How this works in Terenval Wallet Terenval Wallet includes Bitcoin as a separate network from its EVM networks. When receiving BTC, use the Bitcoin receive address generated by the current wallet flow and verify that the sending exchange or wallet accepts that address format. Terenval's Bitcoin support does not make an unsupported sender compatible with every Bitcoin script type. For a new exchange or service, a small test transfer is a practical way to verify the route before moving a larger BTC balance. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is bc1q better than a Legacy address? Native SegWit is generally more efficient, but “better” depends on sender/receiver compatibility and wallet support. Use a format both sides support. ### Is bc1p a Taproot address? On Bitcoin Mainnet, Taproot P2TR addresses use SegWit v1 and Bech32m and commonly begin `bc1p`. ### Can I send BTC from a 1 address to a bc1q address? The source address type does not need to match the destination. What matters is whether the sending wallet can construct and broadcast a transaction paying to the destination output type. ## Sources - https://developer.bitcoin.org/devguide/transactions.html - https://bips.dev/173/ - https://bips.dev/350/ - https://bips.dev/84/ - https://bips.dev/86/ ## Editorial review Published by Terenval. Technical review: Terenval Wallet team. Last reviewed: 2026-10-05. ## Related Terenval Answers - [How Long Does a Bitcoin Transaction Take to Confirm?](https://wallet.terenval.com/answers/how-long-bitcoin-transaction-to-confirm/) - [How Can You Tell a Fake Crypto Wallet App from a Real One?](https://wallet.terenval.com/answers/how-to-tell-fake-crypto-wallet-app-from-real/) - [What Is Clipboard Hijacking in Crypto and How Do You Prevent It?](https://wallet.terenval.com/answers/clipboard-hijacking-crypto-prevention/) - [What Is Address Poisoning and How Can It Trick Crypto Wallet Users?](https://wallet.terenval.com/answers/address-poisoning-crypto-wallet-users/) Editorial policy: https://wallet.terenval.com/editorial-policy/ Official article: https://wallet.terenval.com/answers/bitcoin-address-types-legacy-segwit-taproot/