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UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output)

A UTXO is the fundamental building block of Bitcoin's transaction model.

When you receive Bitcoin, you receive a UTXO, a specific amount of Bitcoin locked to your address. When you spend, your wallet selects one or more UTXOs as inputs and creates new UTXOs as outputs (the payment to the recipient and any change back to yourself). Your Bitcoin "balance" is actually the sum of all UTXOs controlled by your private keys. Understanding UTXOs is important for fee optimization, privacy, and assessing quantum exposure, since vulnerability depends on the specific UTXOs you hold and their associated address types.

A UTXO is the fundamental building block of Bitcoin's transaction model. When you receive Bitcoin, you receive a UTXO locked to your address.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is UTXO?

A UTXO is the fundamental building block of Bitcoin's transaction model.

Why does UTXO matter for Bitcoin?

When you receive Bitcoin, you receive a UTXO, a specific amount of Bitcoin locked to your address. When you spend, your wallet selects one or more UTXOs as inputs and creates new UTXOs as outputs (the payment to the recipient and any change back to yourself).

What should Bitcoin holders know about UTXO?

Your Bitcoin "balance" is actually the sum of all UTXOs controlled by your private keys. Understanding UTXOs is important for fee optimization, privacy, and assessing quantum exposure, since vulnerability depends on the specific UTXOs you hold and their associated address types.

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