21Relay
Beginner curriculum
Lesson 249 minReviewed July 2026

Receiving Bitcoin Safely

Create and verify a Bitcoin receive request, share only public payment information and confirm that an incoming transaction matches what you expected.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to

  • Generate a fresh receive request from your own wallet.
  • Share addresses, not private keys or recovery words.
  • Verify the network, amount and destination before broadcast.
  • Detection is not the same as confirmation.
1

Create a fresh receive request

Open the receive screen in a wallet you control and generate a fresh Bitcoin address or payment request. Confirm that it is for the Bitcoin network and not a different asset or payment network.

Using a fresh address for each payment makes records clearer and reduces unnecessary transaction linkage.

2

Share only receiving information

A Bitcoin address, payment URI or QR code is intended to be shared with the payer. A private key, recovery phrase, wallet backup or account password must remain secret.

State the amount and unit clearly. If the payer is nearby, let them compare the request shown on your trusted wallet display.

3

Verify before the payer sends

Check the first and last characters of the address after it has been copied or scanned. For an important payment, compare the full request through a trusted channel.

Do not reuse an address copied from an old message when the wallet can create a fresh request. Stop if the network, amount or destination changes unexpectedly.

4

Check detection and confirmations

Your wallet may show an incoming transaction shortly after broadcast, but an unconfirmed transaction has not yet been included in a block. Wait for the number of confirmations appropriate to the value and situation.

Use the transaction ID to inspect public status if needed. Never share a seed phrase to prove that a payment arrived, and do not assume a screenshot supplied by the payer proves settlement.

Visual recap

Receive, verify, confirm

Receiving safely separates public payment details from private wallet secrets.

01

Generate fresh request

02

Check network and amount

03

Share address or QR

04

Detect transaction

05

Wait for confirmation

Key takeaways

  • Generate a fresh receive request from your own wallet.
  • Share addresses, not private keys or recovery words.
  • Verify the network, amount and destination before broadcast.
  • Detection is not the same as confirmation.
  • A transaction ID can be shared and checked publicly.

Lesson recap

Check what you learned

Reveal each model answer, then honestly mark whether you understood it or need another review.

1 of 3

Recall

Which wallet information can normally be shared with a person who wants to pay you?

References

Further reading

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