What is CashAddr?

CashAddr is an address format introduced by Bitcoin Cash in 2018 to address confusion with the legacy address encoding used by BTC. The key features of CashAddr include:

• Legacy Format (BTC): 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa
• CashAddr Format (Bitcoin Cash): bitcoincash:qp3wjpa3tjlj042z2wv7hahsldgwhwy0rq9sywjpyy

• CashAddr aims to improve ease of use when copying and sharing payment information.
• The format includes a human-readable prefix, making it more user-friendly and recognizable.

• The primary motivation behind CashAddr is to prevent users from accidentally sending Bitcoin Cash to BTC addresses or vice versa.
• It helps avoid potential cross-chain transaction errors by providing a clear visual distinction between BTC and Bitcoin Cash addresses.

• CashAddr encoding is based on the Bech32 work, offering advantages such as strong checksums, efficient QR code encoding, and improved speed for address encoding and decoding.

• The introduction of CashAddr reflects the Bitcoin Cash community's commitment to improving user experience and making Bitcoin Cash more accessible to a broader audience.

In summary, CashAddr is a user-friendly address format for Bitcoin Cash that not only provides a clear visual distinction from Bitcoin addresses but also incorporates features for efficient encoding, decoding, and prevention of cross-chain transaction errors.

Learn more about CashAddr and other Bitcoin Cash technical features in our broad exploration of Bitcoin Cash upgrades.