To withdraw bitcoin, copy a receiving address from a wallet you control, paste it into the withdrawal form of the service holding your coins, choose the amount and network fee, and confirm. The transfer is final once it is in the blockchain: bitcoin.org states that a Bitcoin transaction "cannot be reversed", only refunded by the person who received it. Most failed or delayed withdrawals come down to four things: a wrong address, a low fee, too few confirmations, or an identity check by the sending provider.
Step by step
- Open your receiving wallet and generate a new address. Bitcoin.org advises using a new address each time you receive a payment. A fresh address also makes the incoming transfer easy to spot.
- Copy the address, do not retype it. Paste it into the withdrawal form, then compare the first and last characters with the original.
- Pick the method. An on-chain withdrawal needs a Bitcoin address. A Lightning withdrawal needs a Lightning invoice, which is a different string (see below). Do not paste one where the other is expected.
- Enter the amount and review the fee. Some services set the fee for you; wallets usually let you choose a fee rate.
- Complete any checks the provider asks for. These can include confirming that you own the destination address (see "Travel rule checks").
- Confirm and save the transaction ID (txid). You can use it to follow the transfer on any block explorer.
- Wait for confirmations before treating the funds as settled.
For a first withdrawal to a new wallet, sending a small amount first and checking that it arrives limits the damage of a mistake. You pay the network fee twice.
Address formats
Bitcoin addresses begin with 1, 3 or bc1, according to the Bitcoin Wiki:
| Starts with | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
1 | P2PKH (legacy) | Case-sensitive |
3 | P2SH | Case-sensitive |
bc1q | SegWit version 0 (P2WPKH, P2WSH) | Bech32 encoding, case-insensitive |
bc1p | SegWit version 1 (Taproot) | Bech32m encoding |
BIP 350 specifies that version 0 outputs "continue to use Bech32", while addresses for witness versions 1 through 16 use Bech32m. Part of every address is a checksum, so wallets can reject most typos automatically. A checksum does not protect you from a correctly formed address that belongs to someone else, such as one swapped by clipboard malware. That is why you compare the characters after pasting.
If a withdrawal form rejects a bc1p address, the sending service may not support Taproot addresses yet. Generate a bc1q address in your wallet instead.
Network fees
The fee goes to the miner who includes your transaction in a block. The Bitcoin developer guide says transactions pay fees based on their size, and miners fill a block with "higher-paying transactions" first. Since SegWit, size is measured in virtual bytes: BIP 141 defines virtual size as transaction weight divided by four, and caps block weight at 4,000,000.
Two practical consequences:
- The fee depends on transaction size and network demand, not on the amount sent. Sending 0.01 BTC and 10 BTC can cost the same.
- A low fee rate delays the first confirmation. Bitcoin.org warns that if a transaction pays less than the network is currently prioritizing, the first confirmation may take considerably longer.
A withdrawal fee charged by a service can differ from the network fee it actually pays. Check the provider's fee page before you send.
If a transaction is stuck
An unconfirmed transaction can be replaced by a version that pays a higher fee (replace-by-fee). BIP 125 requires the replacement to pay at least the absolute fee of the original plus the relay fee for its own size. Since Bitcoin Core 28.0, the default node setting (mempoolfullrbf) accepts such replacements even if the original did not signal it. Only whoever controls the sending wallet can do this. If a service sent the withdrawal, contact the service instead of sending again.
Confirmations and timing
A confirmation means your transaction is in a block. Bitcoin.org says new blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average, but "there is no guaranteed minimum or maximum delay". Its guidance on how many confirmations to wait for:
- 0 confirmations: only safe if you trust the sender.
- 1 confirmation: somewhat reliable.
- 6 confirmations: the minimum recommendation for high-value transfers.
The total delay you see is the provider's processing time plus the time to the first block plus any confirmations the receiving service requires. Processing times and required confirmations are set by each provider, and no source covered here gives a general figure.
Where is your bitcoin withdrawal?
Answer a few questions about a withdrawal that has not arrived or settled to see the next step the article describes.
Do you have a transaction ID (txid) for the withdrawal?
- No, the service has not shown one → The withdrawal has not reached the blockchain yet
- Yes, I have a txid → next question
Look the txid up on a block explorer. Is the transaction in a block yet (at least 1 confirmation)?
- No, it is still unconfirmed → next question
- Yes, it has 1 to 5 confirmations → next question
- Yes, it has 6 or more confirmations → Treat it as settled
Who sent the transaction?
- I did, from a wallet I control → Replace it with a higher fee
- A service sent it for me → Contact the service, do not send again
Is this a high-value transfer, or does the receiving side require more confirmations than it has now?
The delay is on the provider's side: its processing time, or a check it is waiting on. Look for a prompt to declare or prove that the destination address is yours, or to give the recipient's name. Answering accurately avoids a hold. Processing times are set by each provider.
A low fee rate delays the first confirmation. Because you control the sending wallet, you can replace the unconfirmed transaction with one that pays a higher fee (replace-by-fee). The replacement must pay at least the original fee plus the relay fee for its own size. Since Bitcoin Core 28.0, nodes accept such replacements by default even if the original did not signal it.
Only whoever controls the sending wallet can replace a stuck transaction. Contact the service that sent the withdrawal and give it the txid instead of making a second withdrawal.
Bitcoin.org gives 6 confirmations as the minimum recommendation for high-value transfers. New blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average, with no guaranteed minimum or maximum delay. The receiving service may also set its own requirement.
The transaction is in a block. Bitcoin.org calls 1 confirmation somewhat reliable. If the receiving service requires more, it will credit the funds once that number is reached.
With 6 or more confirmations the transfer meets bitcoin.org's minimum recommendation even for high-value transfers. A Bitcoin transaction cannot be reversed; only the recipient can refund it.
This follows the article's general guidance only: it does not know any provider's processing times, fees or confirmation rules, and it does not cover Lightning withdrawals or mining pool payouts.
Travel rule checks
When a regulated crypto service sends your withdrawal, it may have to collect or pass on information about the sender and the recipient. This is the "travel rule".
- International standard. FATF guidance on virtual assets lets countries set a de minimis threshold of USD/EUR 1,000 for virtual asset transfers, with fewer requirements below it. FATF updated Recommendation 16 in June 2025.
- European Union. Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 applies from 30 December 2024, according to the European Parliament's legislative summary. Information on the source and the beneficiary must "travel" with the transfer. For transfers over EUR 1,000 to or from a self-hosted address, the provider must assess whether its client owns or controls that address. The rules do not cover person-to-person transfers made without a provider.
- United States. 31 CFR 1010.410(f) requires recordkeeping and information for transmittals of $3,000 or more. FinCEN's 2019 guidance (FIN-2019-G001) says this can apply to transmittals of convertible virtual currency.
What this means for you: a withdrawal to your own wallet may trigger a prompt to declare that the address is yours or to prove it, for example by signing a message. A withdrawal to another provider may ask for the recipient's name. Answering accurately avoids a hold.
Lightning withdrawals
Some services pay out over the Lightning Network instead of on-chain. You then supply an invoice, not an address. Mainnet invoices start with lnbc, per the BOLT 11 specification, and an invoice without a set expiry expires after 3,600 seconds (one hour). Create the invoice just before you withdraw.
Withdrawing from a mining pool
Pools credit rewards to your pool account first and pay out to an address you set, once your balance passes a payout threshold. Each pool sets its own rules. One example, Braiins Pool's documentation, lists a minimum on-chain payout of 0.0002 BTC, a fee of 0.0001 BTC on payouts under 0.005 BTC, and automatic payouts created daily at 9:00 UTC. Check your own pool's payout page for its current figures.
Before you press confirm
- The address was pasted, and its first and last characters match the wallet.
- The method matches: address for on-chain, invoice for Lightning.
- The fee rate is in line with current demand, or you accept a slower confirmation.
- You know how many confirmations the receiving side needs.
- You have answered any ownership or recipient questions from the sending provider.
Limitations: provider-specific fees, limits and processing times vary and are not covered here; tax treatment depends on your country.
