When you create a new wallet in Phantom, you start with a multi-chain account that supports Solana, Ethereum, Polygon, Sui, Monad (Testnet), and Bitcoin. For Bitcoin, Phantom allows you to use one or both of the following address types:
- Native SegWit (Bech32): starts with
bc1q. - Taproot (Bech32m): starts with
bc1p.
These addresses are compatible with the vast majority of wallets, exchanges, and Bitcoin applications.
Default address in new wallets
By default, newly created Phantom wallets use a Native SegWit (bc1q) address. This address is ideal for buying Bitcoin (BTC) directly in Phantom or receiving BTC from other wallets and exchanges. Many dApps, such as Magic Eden, treat your Native SegWit address as your payment address, meaning:
- BTC for purchases is sent from your Native SegWit address
- Purchased assets (like Ordinals) are stored on your Taproot address
To buy or receive Ordinals (Bitcoin-based NFTs or collectibles) or BRC-20 tokens, most dApps require you to enable your Taproot (bc1p) address. You can do this by going to:
Wallet Settings > Preferences > Preferred Bitcoin Address
The Taproot address is often referred to as your Ordinals address. Many dApps will use both Native SegWit and Taproot addresses simultaneously to separate BTC and Ordinals activity.
Restoring a Bitcoin wallet
If you import a wallet into Phantom using a secret recovery phrase from another Bitcoin wallet, Phantom automatically detects your previously used Bitcoin addresses.
Depending on your past activity, Phantom will display one or both of the following:
- A Taproot (
bc1p) address - A Native SegWit (
bc1q) address
This ensures you can access your Bitcoin and Ordinals without manual configuration.
Managing address preferences
To manage which address you use by default:
- Go to Wallet Settings > Preferences > Preferred Bitcoin Address.
- Choose Native SegWit, Taproot, or both.
Some dApps require both address types to function correctly. Enabling both ensures maximum compatibility.
Sending Bitcoin to other address types
Phantom supports sending BTC to two additional Bitcoin address formats:
- Legacy (P2PKH): starts with
1 - Nested SegWit (P2SH): starts with
3
Warning: Always copy and paste the recipient address or use a QR code. Entering an incorrect address can result in permanent loss of funds.
Troubleshooting
If your addresses don’t appear after recovery or import, see What derivation paths does Phantom wallet support?