<p>This is because you did not have a coin that exactly matched the amount you wanted to send to your friend.  So bitcoin had to split a larger coin into 2 coins... 1 with the amount to send to your friend and the rest as "change" to send back to you.  The address you don't recognize is a new address that was created for the change, and it's in your wallet.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-20T19:48:45.003Z
Awesome answer, but what do you mean "the new address is in my wallet"? Are you saying I have two addresses now? If someone sent to that new address, would it end up in my wallet?
Ci3
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-20T19:57:21.170Z
Yes, you have 2 addresses. Bitcoin added 1 for you.  People can send to either one and it will end up in your wallet.
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-20T19:58:38.550Z
BTW the term "coin" in my answer is known technically as a "transaction output" or "txout"
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-20T20:03:10.127Z
Ok thanks, this makes sense. Wow I was freaking out for a moment wondering where my coins went!
Ci3
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-20T20:06:07.377Z
Why did you freak out though, because your Balance (in the upper left) is correct, right?
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-21T03:56:16.970Z
I'm just new to bitcoin, and didn't know what was happening. I thought my client wasn't as updated as blockchain.info for some reason.
Ci3
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-21T07:24:40.750Z
Addresses are only supposed to be used once, so you should have one for each transaction you send. Also note that blockchain.info has a lot of misinformation, so it's best to avoid it if you don't want to get confused.
Luke Dashjr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-21T12:01:38.413Z
What misinformation?  I think it's very accurate and helpful!
RentFree
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-15T09:34:31.957Z
Same thing happened to me. What I don't understand is how come this "new address" it created for me doesn't show in my addresses area in Bitcoin-QT? Shouldn't it automatically be a part of my digital wallet file? Does the address only exist on the network? Is there anyway to make it show in the QT client since it is in fact a new address of mine?
SikoSoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-20T19:46:23.197Z
2013-11-20T19:46:23.197Z
RentFree
<p>I sent bitcoins for the first time to my friend. He has an address 1JkqP4qMvVpQApqyH4m9J4LBdqfFacMKSf </p>

<p>I chose to send them through my wallet on Bitcoin-QT, but I was interested to check blockchain.info about the transaction as well. </p>

<p>I see that blockchain.info shows that I sent bitcoins to another address as well! Can anyone explain why it shows that I sent bitcoins (about $30) to the address 1NTyaVoNrQYx2PA5ce7bVmqA6jfmSSkvxU on blockchain.info? I definitely did not send to that address...</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/THq95.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>This is my Bitcoin-QT client window. It shows the correct transaction amount.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/3HKEF.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<blockchain.info><change>
What is this extra address on blockchain.info?
Ci3
# What is this extra address on blockchain.info?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-20)

I sent bitcoins for the first time to my friend. He has an address 1JkqP4qMvVpQApqyH4m9J4LBdqfFacMKSf

I chose to send them through my wallet on Bitcoin-QT, but I was interested to check blockchain.info about the transaction as well.

I see that blockchain.info shows that I sent bitcoins to another address as well! Can anyone explain why it shows that I sent bitcoins (about $30) to the address 1NTyaVoNrQYx2PA5ce7bVmqA6jfmSSkvxU on blockchain.info? I definitely did not send to that address...

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/THq95.png)

This is my Bitcoin-QT client window. It shows the correct transaction amount.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/3HKEF.png)

**Tags:** blockchain.info, change


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-11-20. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

This is because you did not have a coin that exactly matched the amount you wanted to send to your friend. So bitcoin had to split a larger coin into 2 coins... 1 with the amount to send to your friend and the rest as "change" to send back to you. The address you don't recognize is a new address that was created for the change, and it's in your wallet.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Awesome answer, but what do you mean "the new address is in my wallet"? Are you saying I have two addresses now? If someone sent to that new address, would it end up in my wallet?  
> **username_1**: Yes, you have 2 addresses. Bitcoin added 1 for you.  People can send to either one and it will end up in your wallet.  
> **username_1**: BTW the term "coin" in my answer is known technically as a "transaction output" or "txout"  
> **username_0**: Ok thanks, this makes sense. Wow I was freaking out for a moment wondering where my coins went!  
> **username_1**: Why did you freak out though, because your Balance (in the upper left) is correct, right?  
> **username_0**: I'm just new to bitcoin, and didn't know what was happening. I thought my client wasn't as updated as blockchain.info for some reason.  
> **username_2**: Addresses are only supposed to be used once, so you should have one for each transaction you send. Also note that blockchain.info has a lot of misinformation, so it's best to avoid it if you don't want to get confused.  
> **username_1**: What misinformation?  I think it's very accurate and helpful!  
> **username_3**: Same thing happened to me. What I don't understand is how come this "new address" it created for me doesn't show in my addresses area in Bitcoin-QT? Shouldn't it automatically be a part of my digital wallet file? Does the address only exist on the network? Is there anyway to make it show in the QT client since it is in fact a new address of mine?  

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