Last updated: October 21, 2026
You can usually tell which blockchain a crypto address belongs to by how it starts: Bitcoin addresses begin with bc1, 1 or 3; Ethereum and all EVM chains (BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Base, Polygon) use 0x; Tron starts with T; Monero with 4 (main) or 8 (subaddress); Litecoin with ltc1, L or M. Recognizing formats prevents the most expensive swap mistakes — sending to the wrong chain. Paste addresses straight from your wallet when using a swap such as USDT → BTC.
- bc1 modern Bitcoin
- 0x every EVM chain
- T Tron
- 4 / 8 Monero
Crypto address formats at a glance
| Coin / chain | Starts with | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | bc1q, bc1p, 3, 1 | bc1q = SegWit, bc1p = Taproot, 3 = P2SH, 1 = legacy |
| Ethereum & EVM chains | 0x + 40 hex characters | Same address on ETH, BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Base, Polygon… |
| Tron (TRX, USDT TRC-20) | T | 34 characters |
| Solana (SOL, SPL tokens) | Varies (base58, 32–44 chars) | No fixed prefix |
| Monero (XMR) | 4 or 8 | 95 characters; 8 = subaddress |
| Litecoin (LTC) | ltc1, L, M | MWEB addresses start with ltcmweb1 |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | bitcoincash:q / q | Legacy BCH addresses look like Bitcoin's |
| XRP | r | Exchanges also need a destination tag |
| TON | UQ / EQ | Exchanges may need a comment/memo |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | D |
The dangerous cases
- 0x addresses are shared by many chains. A wallet will happily send BEP-20 tokens to an address that only expects ERC-20. See USDT networks compared and wrong-network recovery.
- Legacy BCH vs BTC addresses can look the same. Use BCH's CashAddr format — see BCH to XMR.
- Memo coins (XRP, TON, XLM) need a tag for exchange deposits — see memo and destination tags.
- Lookalike addresses planted in your history — see address poisoning.
How to check an address before sending (step by step)
- Copy it from the source — your wallet's Receive screen or the swap order page, never from transaction history.
- Check the prefix matches the coin and network in the table above.
- Check the length roughly matches (Monero addresses are long; Tron's are 34 characters).
- Compare the first, middle and last characters after pasting.
- Send a small test for large amounts, and track it by TXID (tracking guide).
Many swap forms and wallets validate address formats, which catches obvious mistakes — but they can't tell whether a valid 0x address is on the chain you intended.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which network an address is on?
Look at the prefix: bc1/1/3 is Bitcoin, T is Tron, 4/8 is Monero, ltc1/L/M is Litecoin. 0x could be any EVM chain, so you need to know which network the recipient expects.
What does an address starting with bc1 mean?
It's a modern Bitcoin address: bc1q for native SegWit and bc1p for Taproot. Both are supported by most wallets and exchanges.
Are Ethereum and BNB Chain addresses the same?
Yes, the same 0x address works on both, but tokens on each chain are separate. Always send on the network the recipient expects.
Why does my Monero address start with 8?
Addresses starting with 8 are subaddresses — extra receiving addresses from the same wallet. See Monero subaddresses.
Can I send to an address in the wrong format?
Most wallets block clearly invalid formats. The real risk is a valid address on the wrong network, especially with 0x addresses.
Swap with the right address every time: USDT → BTC, BTC → XMR or all pairs. No account, no ID, no logs.