<p>Those are P2SH (Pay-to-script-hash) addresses. You can read more about different address prefixes here: <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes</a></p>

<pre><code>Decimal prefix  Hex Example use                 Leading symbol(s)   Example
0               00  Pubkey hash (P2PKH address) 1                   17VZNX1SN5NtKa8UQFxwQbFeFc3iqRYhem
5               05  Script hash (P2SH address)  3                   3EktnHQD7RiAE6uzMj2ZifT9YgRrkSgzQX
</code></pre>

<p>Multisig addresses will be a P2SH address type so they will also start with a 3, because you cannot create an address out of a script unless it is either a P2PKH or P2SH (or segwit script with Bech32 address type). You can send Bitcoin to a multisig script, but if it is not hashed, and put into a pay-to-script-hash script, it cannot be represented as a standard address type.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-04T16:13:10.643Z
The reason Bitcoin core uses a 3 prefix is because by default it uses P2SH(P2WPKH).
Ugam Kamat
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-04T13:48:05.577Z
2019-04-04T13:48:05.577Z
JBaczuk
<p>I've just downloaded bitcoin-core 0.17.1 and it seems all the new receiving addresses I create start with 3 instead of 1.</p>

<p>I always thought addresses which start with 3 were multisig addresses.  Anyone know why default non multisig addresses are now 3 and what does this mean?</p>

<bitcoin-core><address><address-generation><multi-signature>
Are addresses which start with 3 multisig addresses?
oshirowanen
# Are addresses which start with 3 multisig addresses?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-04)

I've just downloaded bitcoin-core 0.17.1 and it seems all the new receiving addresses I create start with 3 instead of 1.

I always thought addresses which start with 3 were multisig addresses. Anyone know why default non multisig addresses are now 3 and what does this mean?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, address, address-generation, multi-signature


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-04-04. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Those are P2SH (Pay-to-script-hash) addresses. You can read more about different address prefixes here: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes
Decimal prefix  Hex Example use                 Leading symbol(s)   Example
0               00  Pubkey hash (P2PKH address) 1                   17VZNX1SN5NtKa8UQFxwQbFeFc3iqRYhem
5               05  Script hash (P2SH address)  3                   3EktnHQD7RiAE6uzMj2ZifT9YgRrkSgzQX

Multisig addresses will be a P2SH address type so they will also start with a 3, because you cannot create an address out of a script unless it is either a P2PKH or P2SH (or segwit script with Bech32 address type). You can send Bitcoin to a multisig script, but if it is not hashed, and put into a pay-to-script-hash script, it cannot be represented as a standard address type.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The reason Bitcoin core uses a 3 prefix is because by default it uses P2SH(P2WPKH).  

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