Author: CryptAxe 2017-09-27 20:19:48
Published on: 2017-09-27T20:19:48+00:00
The issue of address expiration in Bitcoin has been discussed on the bitcoin-dev mailing list. Peter Todd suggested adding an expiration time to the new BIP173 address format to combat the problem of re-use of old addresses, which can lead to operational difficulties and loss of funds. However, some participants in the discussion feel that address expiration should not be part of the protocol, but rather a guidance feature for sending wallets and the ability for receivers to generate invoices. There are also concerns about privacy issues with redirects. The proposal for expiration times will require UI and terminology adjustments to ensure users understand that the expiration only affects the address, not the associated funds. Two options for resolution were suggested: hour resolution (up to 1914 years) or month resolution (up to 5458 years). Supporting at least hour-level precision could help services like exchanges use addresses with short validity periods to reduce risk of losses after a hack.
Updated on: 2023-06-12T19:06:22.707772+00:00