Public Key / Crypto Address
The shareable identifier that others use to send cryptocurrency to you. It does not grant any ability to move funds.
Also known as: wallet address, crypto address, public address
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
A public key is derived from a private key using one-way cryptography. A crypto address (such as an Ethereum address starting with 0x) is a further hashed version of the public key, optimised for readability and shortened for use in transactions. Sharing your address is safe and necessary to receive funds.
Scammers exploit public address visibility in two main ways: address poisoning (sending a dust transaction from a look-alike address so victims paste the wrong one later) and vanity-address fraud (generating an address with matching prefix/suffix to impersonate a known wallet or exchange hot wallet).
Always copy-paste addresses rather than typing them manually, and verify at least the first six and last six characters against the intended destination before confirming any transaction.