<p>A private key is a 256-bit number. You can represent it using only digits (so there is no need for lowercase letters). However, if you want to use the <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Wallet_import_format" rel="nofollow">Wallet import format</a> to represent the key, then you will need both upper and lower case letters (keys are encoded in <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Base58Check_encoding" rel="nofollow">Base58</a>).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-21T15:14:18.873Z
2013-12-21T15:14:18.873Z
cpsola
<p>I want to print privatekey into block of steel, but I have only uppercase letters, so I wonder if privatekey is case sensitive?</p>

<private-key>
Are privatekeys Case-sensitive?
ewooycom
# Are privatekeys Case-sensitive?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-21)

I want to print privatekey into block of steel, but I have only uppercase letters, so I wonder if privatekey is case sensitive?

**Tags:** private-key


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-12-21. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

A private key is a 256-bit number. You can represent it using only digits (so there is no need for lowercase letters). However, if you want to use the [Wallet import format](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Wallet_import_format) to represent the key, then you will need both upper and lower case letters (keys are encoded in [Base58](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Base58Check_encoding)).


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