To receive bitcoin from an exchange, another wallet, or another person, give the sender a Bitcoin receiving address from your BitBoxApp. Verify the complete address on your BitBox02 before using or sharing it, and check it again after pasting or scanning.
This guide covers receiving Bitcoin (BTC) on the Bitcoin network with the desktop BitBoxApp and BitBox02. A Bitcoin receiving address is not a Lightning invoice or an address for receiving bitcoin on another network.
Before you start
- Set up your BitBox02 and create your wallet backup before receiving funds. If you have not completed setup, follow Set up your BitBox02 with a microSD card backup.
- Use the current stable BitBoxApp. If the app offers a device update, follow How to update the BitBox02 firmware before continuing.
The screenshots below show the receiving workflow. Fonts, address grouping, and some visual details may differ in your app version.
Receive Bitcoin
Open the BitBoxApp, connect your BitBox02, and unlock it. Keep the device connected while you verify and copy the address. You do not need to keep it connected afterward for the payment to arrive.
- In the left sidebar, select the Bitcoin account where you want to receive the payment.
- Select the account's receive action, labeled Receive Bitcoin in the empty account shown below. The receive screen initially shows a shortened address.
For most transfers, use Native Segwit, the default address type. If the sender does not accept that format, read Choose a compatible address type below before verifying the address.
- Select Verify address on BitBox. The verification window opens in the app, showing the full address and QR code, and your BitBox02 displays the address. Compare every character in the app with the address on your BitBox02. Continue only if they match, and do not touch the check mark on the device yet.
This comparison verifies that the address belongs to your wallet; it does not establish that your computer is free of malware.
Stop if the addresses do not match
Do not copy, share, or send to an address that differs from the address on your BitBox02. Reject the verification on the device and contact BitBox Support before continuing. A mismatch can indicate address manipulation. Never share recovery words, private keys, passwords, passphrases, or a wallet backup.
- While the verification window is open, use the copy icon to copy the full address for use or sharing. Alternatively, let the sending wallet scan the QR code. Copy or scan before touching the check mark on your BitBox02.
Touching the check mark on your BitBox02 closes the verification window. The app returns to a shortened address that you cannot copy. If you confirmed too early, select Verify address on BitBox again to reopen the window.
- If you are withdrawing from an exchange or another wallet, select the Bitcoin (BTC) network if a network choice is offered, then paste the address into the destination field. Do not select Lightning or another network. If another person is paying you, paste the address into your message and check it in the next step before sending it.
- Compare the complete address pasted into the wallet, withdrawal form, or message with the address still shown on your BitBox02. Check after scanning a QR code, too. Malware can replace copied addresses through clipboard hijacking. If you are sharing the address, send the checked message and ask the sender to compare their wallet's destination with the address you provided before paying.
- Once you have copied or scanned the address and checked it, touch the check mark on your BitBox02 to confirm. This closes the verification window; it does not send a payment. You can finish this device confirmation after checking your message without waiting for another person to pay.
- If you are making the transfer yourself, review the destination, Bitcoin network, amount, and fees, then confirm it in the sending wallet or exchange. If another person is paying you, they complete the transfer from their wallet on the Bitcoin network. If the destination changes, stop and verify it again before sending. A payment to a different valid Bitcoin address can be irreversible.
Check that the payment arrived
After the sender broadcasts the transaction and the BitBoxApp synchronizes, the incoming payment appears in the selected Bitcoin account. Check that the received amount matches what you expected, allowing for any withdrawal fee deducted by the sending service.
The BitBoxApp shows a Bitcoin transaction as Pending until it has six confirmations, then changes its status to Complete. Pending can therefore mean that the transaction is still waiting for its first confirmation or that it already has some confirmations. You can disconnect your BitBox02 while you wait.
If the payment has not appeared, ask the sender whether it has actually been broadcast and request the transaction ID if available. An exchange may still be processing the withdrawal. Do not repeat the payment just because it is delayed. For a transaction already shown as pending, follow Why is my Bitcoin transaction pending?
If the sender confirms broadcast but the BitBoxApp still does not show the payment after synchronization, contact BitBox Support with your BitBoxApp version and the public transaction ID, if available. Do not include wallet secrets.
Choose a compatible address type
You normally do not need to change the address type. Choose Native Segwit or Taproot according to the sender's support. Native Segwit is the default. If the service rejects an address, check which Bitcoin address formats it accepts before proceeding.
| Address type | Starts with | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Native Segwit | bc1q |
The default choice for everyday receiving. Check that the sender accepts it. |
| Taproot | bc1p |
Use when the sender supports Taproot addresses. |
To change the format, select Change address type on the receive screen.
Select Native Segwit or Taproot, whichever the sender accepts, then select Done. The app displays an address in the selected format.
Return to step 3 above and verify the newly selected address on your BitBox02 before copying or sharing it. Changing the address type does not remove the need to verify the address or select the Bitcoin network.
Use a new address for each payment
Using different receiving addresses makes it harder for others to link your payments on the public Bitcoin blockchain. The BitBoxApp offers a list of unused addresses for your account. Reopening the receive screen can show the same unused address; opening it does not necessarily create a different one.
If you have already shared an address for a payment that has not arrived yet, use the arrow controls on the receive screen to choose another unused address for a separate payment. Verify each address on your BitBox02 before using it.
An address from your wallet does not expire and can receive bitcoin again, but reusing it links those payments publicly. All receiving addresses for the selected account belong to that account.
The default list of 20 unused addresses is not a limit on the number of payments you can receive. You do not need to adjust it for normal receiving. For an explanation, see What is the Address Gap Limit in the BitBoxApp?