[Wallets](https://revain.org/wallets/) › Bitcoin Core

# 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

## Key facts

- **Open source**: yes
- **Official site**: [bitcoincore.org home page](https://bitcoincore.org/)

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](https://bitcoincore.org/en/about/)
- Download: [Bitcoin Core: Download](https://bitcoincore.org/en/download/)
- Source code: [GitHub: bitcoin/bitcoin](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin)
- Security: [Bitcoin Core: Security Advisories](https://bitcoincore.org/en/security-advisories/)
- Docs: [raw.githubusercontent.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/master/doc/managing-wallets.md](https://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](https://bitcoincore.org/)
- [GitHub: bitcoin/bitcoin](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin)
- [Bitcoin Core — About](https://bitcoincore.org/en/about/)
- [Bitcoin Core — Download](https://bitcoincore.org/en/download/)
- [Bitcoin Core — Security Advisories](https://bitcoincore.org/en/security-advisories/)
- [Bitcoin Core — 30.0 release notes](https://bitcoincore.org/en/releases/30.0/)
- [Bitcoin Core — 31.1 release notes](https://bitcoincore.org/en/releases/31.1/)
- [Bitcoin Core — 0.21.0 release notes](https://bitcoincore.org/en/releases/0.21.0/)
- [Bitcoin Core — Managing the Wallet (doc)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/master/doc/managing-wallets.md)
- [Bitcoin Core — Tor support (doc)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/master/doc/tor.md)
- [Bitcoin Core — External signer support (doc)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/master/doc/external-signer.md)
- [Bitcoin Core — COPYING (MIT licence)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/master/COPYING)
- [Bitcoin Core — 0.13.0 release notes](https://bitcoincore.org/en/releases/0.13.0/)

## More in this section

- [Coinbase Wallet](https://revain.org/wallets/coinbase-wallet/)
- [MyEtherWallet (MEW)](https://revain.org/wallets/myetherwallet/)
- [Guarda Wallet](https://revain.org/wallets/guarda/)
- [Trezor](https://revain.org/wallets/trezor/)
- [Robinhood Wallet](https://revain.org/wallets/robinhood/)
- [Electrum](https://revain.org/wallets/electrum-btc-wallet/)
- [All Wallets →](https://revain.org/wallets/)

## Related

- [Enjin Wallet](https://revain.org/wallets/enjin/)
- [Uphold](https://revain.org/wallets/uphold/)
- [Emerald Wallet](https://revain.org/wallets/emerald/)
- [GateHub](https://revain.org/wallets/gatehub/)
- [Coinomi](https://revain.org/wallets/coinomi/)
- [Edge](https://revain.org/wallets/edge/)
- [Blockchain.com Wallet](https://revain.org/wallets/blockchain-wallet/)
- [Nexo](https://revain.org/wallets/nexo-wallet/)

## 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: 2026-10-31

---
Source: https://revain.org/wallets/bitcoin-core-client/