Derive BTC Address from Public Key

WHAT IT DOES

Derive BTC Address from Public Key enables you to derive Bitcoin addresses from public keys. Bitcoin addresses are derived from public keys using a two-step process: (1) the public key is hashed with SHA-256, (2) the result is hashed with RIPEMD-160, and (3) a version byte is prepended and Base58Check encoding is applied. The tool takes a public key (in compressed or uncompressed format) and computes the corresponding Bitcoin address in either P2PKH (legacy, starts with 1) or P2SH (script hash, starts with 3) format. This is essential for developers, auditors, and users who need to verify that a public key corresponds to a specific Bitcoin address, validate key pairs, or perform cryptographic operations.

HOW TO USE

Connect your wallet using the BGWallet connector (required for context). Enter a public key in the input field—this can be compressed (0x02 or 0x03 prefix, 33 bytes) or uncompressed (0x04 prefix, 65 bytes). Select the address type: P2PKH (Legacy, starts with 1) or P2SH (Script Hash, starts with 3). Click "Derive Address" to compute the corresponding Bitcoin address. The tool displays the public key, the derived Bitcoin address, and the address type. You can copy the address to your clipboard for use. The result includes a detailed breakdown showing the public key, derived address, and address type.

TECHNICAL MECHANISM

This tool implements Bitcoin address derivation from public keys using the standard algorithm. The derivation process: (1) the public key is validated as a hex string with 0x prefix; (2) the public key is hashed using SHA-256; (3) the SHA-256 hash is hashed using RIPEMD-160 to produce a 20-byte hash; (4) for P2PKH, version byte 0x00 is prepended; for P2SH, version byte 0x05 is prepended; (5) Base58Check encoding is applied (adding checksum). The tool uses the ethers.js library for hex manipulation and provides a simplified derivation for demonstration. All computation is performed locally in the browser with no data sent to external servers. The tool supports both compressed and uncompressed public key formats.

WHAT IT CANNOT SEE

This tool cannot verify that the derived address corresponds to an actual wallet or UTXO on the Bitcoin network—it only performs address derivation. It does not support address derivation for non-Bitcoin chains; only Bitcoin-style addresses are supported. The tool cannot detect if the public key is compromised or known to be malicious. It does not support hardware wallet or secure enclave address derivation. The tool cannot guarantee that the derived address is safe to use based solely on the public key format. It does not support Bech32 address format derivation (SegWit). The tool cannot recover the private key from the address; the derivation is one-way. It does not support the Bitcoin blockchain directly, as it is built on EVM infrastructure; it only provides a derivation utility.

PLEASE NOTE

This tool is designed for developers and users working with Bitcoin public keys and addresses. The public key must be in hex format with 0x prefix. Both compressed (33 bytes) and uncompressed (65 bytes) formats are supported. P2PKH addresses start with 1, P2SH addresses start with 3. The derivation uses SHA-256, RIPEMD-160, and Base58Check encoding. The tool is for educational and testing purposes. Always verify the derived address through trusted sources before using it in transactions. The tool is read-only and does not connect to the Bitcoin blockchain. The derivation is performed locally in the browser and is never transmitted to external servers.