<blockquote>
  <p>Is a wallet a necessary part of a transaction or is it just a way of collating multiple addresses?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Wallets are just a convenient way to store/back up multiple private keys (corresponding to multiple addresses).</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Once an address has money in it, do I need to collate all the money together in a central account?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Not really - you can spend money from multiple addresses in one transaction.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-20T17:50:23.503Z
thanks Nick, how does that work? How would I send from multiple addresses in one transaction, if I don't use a wallet? (We are building a web app, which needs to receive payments and then pay out winnings. (which may be more than the initial payment). Any ideas
BitWarrior
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-20T17:53:20.783Z
@BitWarrior Is there some reason why you are opposed to using a wallet?
Nick ODell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-20T23:37:06.337Z
I don't think you understand what a wallet is.. 
A wallet is simply a way (fileformat) to store multiple addresses in a single file. If you store all addresses in a database, then your .sql file is your "wallet".
Nicolai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-20T17:49:12.420Z
2013-02-20T17:49:12.420Z
Nick ODell
<p>I dont understand how a wallet comes into play?
Is a wallet a necessary part of a transaction or is it just a way of collating multiple addresses?</p>

<p>I get how I should use a new address for each transaction but don't understand whether they have to be attached to a wallet?</p>

<p>I am looking to generate thousands of addresses to accept payments for purchases in my online shop. Once an address has money in it, do I need to collate all the money together in a central account?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-21T18:06:30.410Z
Possible duplicate of [What's the difference between a wallet and an address?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/13059/whats-the-difference-between-a-wallet-and-an-address)
Suncatcher
<wallet><address>
Wallets vs Addresses
BitWarrior
# Wallets vs Addresses

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-02-20)

I dont understand how a wallet comes into play?
Is a wallet a necessary part of a transaction or is it just a way of collating multiple addresses?

I get how I should use a new address for each transaction but don't understand whether they have to be attached to a wallet?

I am looking to generate thousands of addresses to accept payments for purchases in my online shop. Once an address has money in it, do I need to collate all the money together in a central account?

**Tags:** wallet, address

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Possible duplicate of [What's the difference between a wallet and an address?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/13059/whats-the-difference-between-a-wallet-and-an-address)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-02-20. Score: 10

> Is a wallet a necessary part of a transaction or is it just a way of collating multiple addresses?

Wallets are just a convenient way to store/back up multiple private keys (corresponding to multiple addresses).

> Once an address has money in it, do I need to collate all the money together in a central account?

Not really - you can spend money from multiple addresses in one transaction.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thanks username_2, how does that work? How would I send from multiple addresses in one transaction, if I don't use a wallet? (We are building a web app, which needs to receive payments and then pay out winnings. (which may be more than the initial payment). Any ideas  
> **username_2**: @username_0 Is there some reason why you are opposed to using a wallet?  
> **username_3**: I don't think you understand what a wallet is..  A wallet is simply a way (fileformat) to store multiple addresses in a single file. If you store all addresses in a database, then your .sql file is your "wallet".  

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