<p>No. A private key corresponds to one public key (and vice versa), and that corresponds to one address (and vice versa). Having a new private key (regardless of where it comes from, so it could be derived from a different private key) would mean that you have a new public key and a new address. Thus you cannot spend any funds associated with the first address with the new private key because it is not associated with that address.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-23T06:09:17.067Z
Technically, you can derive two addresses from a single private key.  Bitcoin supports both compressed and uncompressed public key formats, which can both be used to generate addresses.  Don't be fooled, however.  It's still the same public key, just written differently.  See https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/3062/24974
Jestin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-23T05:25:59.940Z
2017-12-23T05:25:59.940Z
Ava Chow
<p>Is it possible to derive a new private key from an existing private key and retain the same bitcoin balance without any transactions?</p>

<security><private-key>
Transforming existing private key into new private key?
quincy qwilfish
# Transforming existing private key into new private key?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-23)

Is it possible to derive a new private key from an existing private key and retain the same bitcoin balance without any transactions?

**Tags:** security, private-key


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-12-23. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

No. A private key corresponds to one public key (and vice versa), and that corresponds to one address (and vice versa). Having a new private key (regardless of where it comes from, so it could be derived from a different private key) would mean that you have a new public key and a new address. Thus you cannot spend any funds associated with the first address with the new private key because it is not associated with that address.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Technically, you can derive two addresses from a single private key.  Bitcoin supports both compressed and uncompressed public key formats, which can both be used to generate addresses.  Don't be fooled, however.  It's still the same public key, just written differently.  See https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/3062/24974  

---

