<p>The correct format is <code>bitcoin:&lt;address&gt;</code> as defined in <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0021.mediawiki">BIP21</a> and extended in <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0072.mediawiki">BIP72</a>.</p>

<p>The format with the slashes is mimicry of the HTTP URL format.  Tim Berners-Lee has <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8306631.stm">apologized</a> for inflicting those extra slashes on the world. :-)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-19T13:56:16.707Z
2014-11-19T13:56:16.707Z
David A. Harding
<p>To make clickable Bitcoin links, to let people easily pay from their wallet, I see two formats being used in various situations:</p>

<p><code>bitcoin:14bTZTm1uX2uVAqHr62oyGFEkwy2mNLbVb?amount=0.25</code><br>
and<br> 
<code>bitcoin://14bTZTm1uX2uVAqHr62oyGFEkwy2mNLbVb?amount=0.25</code></p>

<p>So that's with and without the two slashes. When testing on Android, they both seem to work. Which is correct?</p>

<bip21-uri>
Correct syntax for Bitcoin URI: bitcoin://1xxx-etc or bitcoin:1xxx-etc?
RocketNuts
# Correct syntax for Bitcoin URI: bitcoin://1xxx-etc or bitcoin:1xxx-etc?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-19)

To make clickable Bitcoin links, to let people easily pay from their wallet, I see two formats being used in various situations:

`bitcoin:14bTZTm1uX2uVAqHr62oyGFEkwy2mNLbVb?amount=0.25`  
and  
`bitcoin://14bTZTm1uX2uVAqHr62oyGFEkwy2mNLbVb?amount=0.25`

So that's with and without the two slashes. When testing on Android, they both seem to work. Which is correct?

**Tags:** bip21-uri


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-11-19. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

The correct format is `bitcoin:` as defined in [BIP21](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0021.mediawiki) and extended in [BIP72](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0072.mediawiki).

The format with the slashes is mimicry of the HTTP URL format. Tim Berners-Lee has [apologized](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8306631.stm) for inflicting those extra slashes on the world. :-)


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