> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.leather.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.leather.io/learn/what-is-a-legacy-bitcoin-address.md).

# What is a Legacy Bitcoin Address?

A legacy Bitcoin address starts with 1. How it is made, what it costs to use and how it compares with newer types.

A legacy Bitcoin address (P2PKH, pay to public key hash) is the original address format from 2009. It always starts with `1`, for example `15e15hWo6CShMgbAfo8c2Ykj4C6BLq6Not`.

## How a legacy address is made

1. A private key is a random 256-bit number.
2. The public key is calculated from it with elliptic-curve math (secp256k1).
3. The public key is hashed with SHA-256 and then RIPEMD-160.
4. A version byte (`0x00`) and a checksum are added, and the result is encoded in Base58.

## Compared with newer types

Spending from a legacy address puts the full signature and public key in the main transaction data. Its transactions are larger than SegWit or Taproot transactions with the same inputs, so they pay more in fees.

Every Bitcoin wallet can send to a legacy address, and every address type can pay to every other. That compatibility is why legacy addresses are still in use.

## Legacy addresses in Leather

Leather sends to legacy addresses. It does not create them: each Leather account uses a Native SegWit and a Taproot address. See [SegWit vs. Native SegWit Addresses](/learn/segwit-native-segwit.md) and [Understand Bitcoin Address Types](/transactions/bitcoin-address-types.md).