Bitcoin Core: keys, security, fees and reviews
In short
- Key control
- Self-custodial: keys are kept in wallet files in the user's own data directory on their computer.
- Fees
- Wallet: Free, open-source software; only Bitcoin network fees apply.
- Risks and caveats
- If the wallet and all its backups are lost, the bitcoins become permanently inaccessible.
- Checked
- 28 October 2026
Visitor ratings: do you like Bitcoin Core?
Key facts
- Open source
- yes
- Official site
- bitcoincore.org home page
Key facts checked on 28 October 2026 against official sources.
What is Bitcoin Core
Bitcoin Core is the open-source reference software for Bitcoin, descended from the original client released by Satoshi Nakamoto. It is a full node that downloads and validates the whole blockchain and includes a built-in Bitcoin-only wallet, with a desktop GUI and command-line/RPC interfaces. It is maintained by an open community of contributors rather than a company.
Who holds the keys
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Key control | Self-custodial: keys are kept in wallet files in the user's own data directory on their computer. |
| Account model | HD descriptor wallets; old Berkeley DB legacy wallets can no longer be created or loaded since version 30.0 and must be migrated. |
| Recovery | Backups are wallet files made with Backup Wallet; HD wallets (since 0.13) can be fully recovered from a single backup. There is no seed-phrase display. |
| Encryption | Wallets are not encrypted by default; an optional passphrase cannot be recovered if forgotten. |
Features and supported networks
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux (x86, ARM, RISC-V, PPC64) and Snap; desktop only. |
| Supported networks | Bitcoin only. |
| Full node | Requires about 600 GB initial download plus 5–10 GB a month; pruning cuts storage to about 10 GB. |
| Privacy (CoinJoin, Tor) | Can connect over Tor and run as a Tor onion service. |
| Hardware wallet support | Experimental external-signer support via PSBT, for example with the HWI tool. |
Security and audits
- Open source under the MIT licence, developed publicly on GitHub.
- Release files come with SHA256 checksums signed by several developers' PGP keys so users can verify downloads.
- Vulnerabilities are reported to security@bitcoincore.org, graded in four severity classes and disclosed on a published schedule.
- Security advisories to date describe node and network issues (crashes, denial of service, CVE-2018-17144 inflation bug); none listed concern the wallet.
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Wallet | Free, open-source software; only Bitcoin network fees apply. |
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Code history begins with the original Bitcoin client released by Satoshi Nakamoto. |
| 23 August 2016 | Version 0.13.0 introduced HD wallets with deterministic key generation. |
| 14 January 2021 | Version 0.21.0 introduced descriptor wallets. |
| 10 October 2025 | Version 30.0 removed support for legacy BDB wallets. |
| 8 July 2026 | Version 31.1 released. |
Risks and caveats
- If the wallet and all its backups are lost, the bitcoins become permanently inaccessible.
- Forgetting the encryption passphrase means losing the coins; it cannot be recovered.
- Wallets are not encrypted by default, so anyone with access to the device or backups may take the funds.
- Old legacy wallets must be migrated before they can be opened in version 30.0 and later.
About the developer
- Developer
- The Bitcoin Core open-source project and its community of contributors; maintainers merge changes.
Official links
- Website: Bitcoin Core: About
- Download: Bitcoin Core: Download
- Source code: GitHub: bitcoin/bitcoin
- Security: Bitcoin Core: Security Advisories
- Docs: raw.githubusercontent.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/master/doc/managing-wallets.md
Questions and answers
Is Bitcoin Core self-custodial?
Yes. The wallet stores keys in files on the user's own computer; losing the wallet and its backups means losing the coins.
Is Bitcoin Core open source?
Yes. It is developed publicly on GitHub under the MIT licence.
Which coins does Bitcoin Core support?
Bitcoin only. It also runs a full node that validates the whole Bitcoin blockchain.
Does Bitcoin Core charge fees?
No. The software is free; users pay only Bitcoin network fees.
Who makes Bitcoin Core?
An open-source community of contributors, with maintainers who merge changes; it descends from Satoshi Nakamoto's original client.
Sources
- bitcoincore.org home page
- GitHub: bitcoin/bitcoin
- Bitcoin Core — About
- Bitcoin Core — Download
- Bitcoin Core — Security Advisories
- Bitcoin Core — 30.0 release notes
- Bitcoin Core — 31.1 release notes
- Bitcoin Core — 0.21.0 release notes
- Bitcoin Core — Managing the Wallet (doc)
- Bitcoin Core — Tor support (doc)
- Bitcoin Core — External signer support (doc)
- Bitcoin Core — COPYING (MIT licence)
- Bitcoin Core — 0.13.0 release notes
More in this section
Related
How voting works
Votes are anonymous and carry no text. Each device has one vote per item; press the same button again to remove it. Cloudflare Turnstile checks that a person is voting. We keep a random device ID in a cookie and a salted hash of the IP address to limit abuse — no names, no accounts. Votes are visitors’ opinions, not investment advice.
Page updated: