BTC (Bitcoin) and ETH (Ethereum) are both major cryptocurrencies, but they operate on completely different blockchain networks. Understanding this difference is important, as sending assets to the wrong network can result in the loss of your assets.
What Does It Mean for Networks to Be Different?
Blockchain is not a single system. The "Bitcoin network," where BTC operates, and the "Ethereum network," where ETH and tokens such as USDT on Ethereum operate, are separate and independent systems. Even though they are all considered cryptocurrencies, the technical specifications and address formats differ between networks.
Differences in Address Formats
Wallet addresses generated by Avacus always start with "0x." This is the address format used by Ethereum and other networks in the same family, such as BSC and Polygon (EVM-compatible networks).
Bitcoin addresses, on the other hand, do not use the "0x" format. Because the address formats are different, you cannot send BTC directly to an Avacus address.
How to Use BTC on Ethereum-Compatible Networks
You cannot receive BTC itself directly in an Ethereum-compatible wallet. However, you can use a wrapped token such as WBTC, which is designed to track the value of BTC, to represent BTC's value on an Ethereum-compatible network.
However, WBTC is not the same asset as BTC. It is a separate token that tracks the value of BTC. The exchanges and services that support WBTC are limited, and when withdrawing WBTC, you need to select a compatible network such as Ethereum (ERC-20). If you send WBTC to an exchange or service that only supports BTC, your assets may be lost.
- BTC and Ethereum operate on separate networks and are not directly compatible
- Avacus addresses use the "0x" format used by Ethereum-compatible networks, which is different from the Bitcoin address format
- When using BTC on an Ethereum-compatible network, you need to use a wrapped token such as WBTC, which is not the same as BTC itself
When managing or sending BTC, always use an app or wallet that supports the Bitcoin network.
Related article: Unable to Transfer BTC to My Avacus Wallet