Ethereum: The Difference Between a Bitcoin Public Address and a Hash 160 Address
When working with Ethereum, you may come across two addresses that look similar at first glance: the public Bitcoin address (PBA) and the Hash 160 address. While they may seem identical, there are key differences between the two.
Public Bitcoin Address (PBA)
A PBA is a unique identifier for each public address on the Ethereum network. It is a string of characters that represents a specific Ethereum account. When you receive Ether (ETH) or other ERC-20 tokens from another Ethereum user, their PBA is sent to your wallet. Ethereum serves as proof of ownership.
Here are some reasons why it is called a “Bitcoin address”:
- Unique: Each PBA is unique and cannot be reused.
- Hash Version: The first three characters (4 hexadecimal digits) are a hash of the account balance before any payments are added. This ensures that the same address can never receive Ether or other tokens again.
- Domain Name: In some cases, it is called the “Domain Name” because it looks like a domain name.
Hash Address 160
Hash Address 160, on the other hand, is another way to represent a public Ethereum address. It is similar to PBA, but uses a different format:
- Four Hexadecimal Digits: The first four characters (4 hexadecimal digits) are a hash of the account balance before any payments are added.
- Hash 160: This hash is more resistant to collisions and is often referred to as “hash 160”.
Key Differences
So why do we have both a PBA address and a Hash 160 address? Here are some key differences:
- Purpose: The primary purpose of a PBA is to act as a unique identifier for an Ethereum account. A Hash 160 Address serves a similar purpose, but with additional security features.
- Security: A Hash 160 Address has additional security features, such as collision resistance and improved robustness compared to a PBA.
- Compatibility
: A Hash 160 Address is compatible with both Ethereum mainnet and testnet.
When to use each address
To illustrate the difference:
- Use a PBA when:
+ Receive Ether or other ERC-20 tokens from another user as proof of ownership.
+ You want to represent an account on the Ethereum network in a simple, human-readable format.
- Use Hash 160 when:
+ You need to securely store and retrieve accounts with additional protection against collisions.
+ You are working with legacy or older blockchain versions that do not support PBA.
In short, while both PBA and Hash 160 addresses are used to represent public Ethereum addresses, they serve different purposes and provide additional security features. Understanding the differences between these two addresses will help you navigate the Ethereum world more effectively.