<p>Key pairs are not unique to a specific cryptocurrency but addresses are. You can have the same key pair but it will lead to different addresses in Bitcoin and Litecoin for example, one starting with <code>bc1</code> and the other one starting with <code>L</code></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-22T15:35:04.160Z
I see, so if a public/private key pair were generated via some wallet app, the public key would then be hashed using an algorithm specific to a cryptocurrency in order to create an address?
kenta_desu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-22T17:03:57.073Z
yes pretty much, you would add a prefix to differentiate your coin after hashing
Mike D
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-23T02:35:38.743Z
Thanks vm. And I assume that prefix is somehow pre-set before deployment of the coin or token?
kenta_desu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-23T09:53:47.897Z
Doesn't [this sort of question](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/64969/13866)  and [this](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/67917/13866) imply that, at some time, BTC, BCH and LTC had compatible and indistinguishable addresses that were not unique to a specific cryptocurrency?
RedGrittyBrick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-22T15:17:37.470Z
2022-09-22T15:17:37.470Z
Mike D
<p>As an extension to <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/115323/are-all-wallets-always-considered-nodes/115324#115324">this question</a> and some quick searches on software crypto wallets - my understanding is that any newly generated key-pair is unique to a specific cryptocurrency.</p>
<p>Assuming this is correct, how is this realized? In other words, how is this restriction imposed?</p>

<blockchain><wallet>
How are newly generated key-pairs kept unique to a single cryptocurrency?
kenta_desu
# How are newly generated key-pairs kept unique to a single cryptocurrency?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-22)

As an extension to [this question](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/115323/are-all-wallets-always-considered-nodes/115324#115324) and some quick searches on software crypto wallets - my understanding is that any newly generated key-pair is unique to a specific cryptocurrency.

Assuming this is correct, how is this realized? In other words, how is this restriction imposed?

**Tags:** blockchain, wallet


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-09-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Key pairs are not unique to a specific cryptocurrency but addresses are. You can have the same key pair but it will lead to different addresses in Bitcoin and Litecoin for example, one starting with `bc1` and the other one starting with `L`

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I see, so if a public/private key pair were generated via some wallet app, the public key would then be hashed using an algorithm specific to a cryptocurrency in order to create an address?  
> **username_1**: yes pretty much, you would add a prefix to differentiate your coin after hashing  
> **username_0**: Thanks vm. And I assume that prefix is somehow pre-set before deployment of the coin or token?  
> **username_2**: Doesn't [this sort of question](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/64969/13866)  and [this](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/67917/13866) imply that, at some time, BTC, BCH and LTC had compatible and indistinguishable addresses that were not unique to a specific cryptocurrency?  

---

