<p>No, electrum only offers <em>offline</em> wallets.</p>

<p>I think your confusion comes from electrum being a thin client. But this only means that electrum does not download the blockchain, instead it uses a server to query for the the information it needs out of the blockchain. From the elextrum <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Electrum" rel="nofollow">bitcoin.it Wiki page</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Main features:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>...</li>
  <li>Instant on: the client does not download the blockchain, it requests that information from a server. No delays, always up-to-date.</li>
  <li>Transactions are signed locally: Your private keys are not shared with the server. You do not have to trust the server with your money.</li>
  <li>...</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-10T14:16:04.497Z
Thanks for the references. I don't have much IT knowledge. Does the statement _You do not have to trust the server with your money_ mean that my Bitcoins are stored locally on my computer and does not get transferred to Electrum's server during the online synchronizing process?
user5556
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-26T01:00:22.093Z
Technically Bitcoins are not stored on your machine, they are stored in the BC chain. The thin client just has the ability to use some of these coins.
Mark Lopez
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-08T07:02:21.107Z
2013-07-08T07:02:21.107Z
Flow
<p>That is not correct.</p>

<p>You can run Electrum on an offline computer, make transactions and pass them to the online Electrum (MPK) to broadcast them to the blockchain.</p>

<p>See <a href="http://electrum.org/tutorials.html#offline-mpk" rel="nofollow">http://electrum.org/tutorials.html#offline-mpk</a></p>

<p>Electrum has lots of useful options, so you better read about them in the website.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-08T10:44:46.717Z
2013-07-08T10:44:46.717Z
rdymac
<p>I am currently using Bitcoin-Qt and have just surfed to Electrum's website.</p>

<p>It seems that Electrum only offers an online wallet, not offline. Is that correct?</p>

<electrum><offline>
Electrum only offers online wallet, does it not?
user5556
# Electrum only offers online wallet, does it not?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-07-07)

I am currently using Bitcoin-Qt and have just surfed to Electrum's website.

It seems that Electrum only offers an online wallet, not offline. Is that correct?

**Tags:** electrum, offline


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-07-08. Score: 1

No, electrum only offers *offline* wallets.

I think your confusion comes from electrum being a thin client. But this only means that electrum does not download the blockchain, instead it uses a server to query for the the information it needs out of the blockchain. From the elextrum [bitcoin.it Wiki page](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Electrum):

> Main features:
>
> * ...
> * Instant on: the client does not download the blockchain, it requests that information from a server. No delays, always up-to-date.
> * Transactions are signed locally: Your private keys are not shared with the server. You do not have to trust the server with your money.
> * ...

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the references. I don't have much IT knowledge. Does the statement _You do not have to trust the server with your money_ mean that my Bitcoins are stored locally on my computer and does not get transferred to Electrum's server during the online synchronizing process?  
> **username_2**: Technically Bitcoins are not stored on your machine, they are stored in the BC chain. The thin client just has the ability to use some of these coins.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2013-07-08. Score: 1

That is not correct.

You can run Electrum on an offline computer, make transactions and pass them to the online Electrum (MPK) to broadcast them to the blockchain.

See <http://electrum.org/tutorials.html#offline-mpk>

Electrum has lots of useful options, so you better read about them in the website.


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