Glossary

Zpub (Extended Public Key)

1 min read

A zpub is a form of extended public key (xpub) which follows an additional standard defined in BIP 84. Xpubs, ypubs, and zpubs all allow a wallet to generate a deterministic tree of public keys, but each form of extended public key instructs a wallet to derive different address types. Specifically, zpubs instruct a wallet to derive native SegWit addresses, which use either P2WPKH or P2WSH scripts.

P2WPKH is the most common SegWit address type. Unlike P2SH-wrapped P2WPKH addresses, which are generated by ypubs, P2WPKH addresses are not backwards compatible.

Related Terms
Extended Public Key (Xpub)
An extended public key, or xpub, is a public key which can be used to derive child public keys as part of a hierarchical deterministic wallet.
Learn more.
SegWit
Segregated Witness (SegWit) is a soft-fork upgrade to Bitcoin which was activated in 2017. SegWit fixed the problem of transaction malleability, and paved the way for the implementation of the Lightning Network and many other upgrades.
Learn more.
Pay-to-Witness-Public-Key-Hash (P2WPKH)
Pay-to-Witness-Public-Key-Hash (P2WPKH) is a type of ScriptPubKey which is used to lock bitcoin to a SegWit address.
Learn more.
Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP)
A Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) is a formal proposal to change Bitcoin. Upgrades, security improvements, industry standards, and more all begin as BIPs.
Learn more.
Ypub (Extended Public Key)
A ypub is a form of extended public key (xpub) which follows an additional standard defined in BIP 49. Ypubs instruct a wallet to derive P2SH-wrapped P2WPKH addresses.
Learn more.
Explore More Terms →