<p>This is the <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Private_key#Base58_Wallet_Import_format" rel="nofollow">Base58 Wallet Import format</a>.</p>

<p>It is composed of the alphanumeric characters excluding <code>0OIl</code> (zero, capital O, capital I, and lowercase L). The format includes an error checking code which makes it highly unlikely to mistype a key.</p>

<p>The format is also in use for addresses. Private keys start with a five. Pay-to-pubkey-hash addresses start with a one, pay-to-script-hash addresses start with a three.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-08T23:37:14.380Z
2016-07-08T23:37:14.380Z
Murch
<p>On <a href="http://directory.io/" rel="nofollow">this website</a>, we can see that the the private key 1 is written in this format.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>5HpHagT65TZzG1PH3CSu63k8DbpvD8s5ip4nEB3kEsreAnchuDf</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I would like to know what is this format.</p>

<private-key><wallet-import-format>
Format of private key
John Smith
# Format of private key

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-08)

On [this website](http://directory.io/), we can see that the the private key 1 is written in this format.

> 5HpHagT65TZzG1PH3CSu63k8DbpvD8s5ip4nEB3kEsreAnchuDf

I would like to know what is this format.

**Tags:** private-key, wallet-import-format


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-07-08. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

This is the [Base58 Wallet Import format](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Private_key#Base58_Wallet_Import_format).

It is composed of the alphanumeric characters excluding `0OIl` (zero, capital O, capital I, and lowercase L). The format includes an error checking code which makes it highly unlikely to mistype a key.

The format is also in use for addresses. Private keys start with a five. Pay-to-pubkey-hash addresses start with a one, pay-to-script-hash addresses start with a three.


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