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Why Is a Bitcoin Address Shorter than the Public Key?

The address is a 20-byte hash of the public key, which is then Base58Check encoded to a shorter string for user convenience.
Greeks.Live07.11.25

Why Is a Bitcoin Address Shorter than the Public Key?

A Bitcoin public key is 65 bytes long (or 33 bytes for compressed format), which is quite lengthy. The address is created by hashing the public key, which produces a 20-byte hash.

This hash is then encoded using Base58Check, resulting in a shorter, alphanumeric string (typically 26-35 characters). This shorter length is more convenient for users to share and manually check for errors.

How Does a Public Key Relate to a Bitcoin Address?
What Is the Purpose of a Checksum in a Wallet Address?
Is the Base58Check Algorithm Used in Ethereum Addresses?
How Do Hash Functions Play a Role in the Security of Private Keys and Public Addresses?

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