<p>Regtest and testnet are different networks. They are not compatible with each other.</p>

<p>Regtest is a private local network which is used solely for testing. It is primarily used for the regression tests, hence the name regtest.</p>

<p>Testnet is the public testing network which is very similar to mainnet, the main network. It has a different genesis block and has actual miners, DNS seeds, and nodes that you can connect to.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-23T20:13:50.450Z
Thanks got it, but if I'm not mistaken both testnet and regtest use the same addresses' prefix? At least it is the case for legacy and P2SH addresses, and since I don't find any specific format for bech32 on the page I linked to I was also expecting Bitcoin Core will generate addresses beginning with `tb1` on regtest.
Sosthène
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-23T20:20:03.623Z
They use different prefixes for bech32 addresses.
Ava Chow
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-24T13:17:23.033Z
Ok, but then it means this page need to be updated https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes
I created an account on Bitcoin Wiki and see how to do it myself, thanks for your help
Sosthène
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-30T19:02:53.603Z
I'd like to second that. At very least, please add that prefix to the wiki.
dpc.pw
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-30T19:10:53.297Z
Another thing is that IMO giving regtest different addresses is unhelpful. It's not a big deal, but if I have a system built around communication with a bitcoin node, I'd expect not to have modify it, just to run some test scenarios in a controlled regtest setup.

From the perspective of a user either something is a "real-address" (mainnet), or not-a real one. And if it is not "real", then regtest vs testnet vs whatever else doesn't really matter. It is only making job of sw eng. integrating bitcoin a bit more complicated.
dpc.pw
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-23T19:27:57.707Z
2019-10-23T19:27:57.707Z
Ava Chow
<p>I'm playing around with regtest and wanted to generate a bech32 address. My Bitcoin Core version is 0.18.0. </p>

<p>I ran <code>getnewaddress "" bech32</code> and got an address that began with <code>bcrt</code>, like this one : <code>bcrt1qs758ursh4q9z627kt3pp5yysm78ddny6txaqgw</code>.</p>

<p>I'm a bit surprised, because I was thinking that testnet bech32 addresses were different, and indeed I checked <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes" rel="noreferrer">this page</a> that says it should begin with <code>tb1...</code></p>

<p>I tried to send some tbtc to this address with Electrum and a faucet, none worked, they indeed both say address is invalid.</p>

<p>So what am I missing here?</p>

<regtest><bech32-address>
bech32 addresses beginning with "bcrt..." on regtest
Sosthène
# bech32 addresses beginning with "bcrt..." on regtest

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-23)

I'm playing around with regtest and wanted to generate a bech32 address. My Bitcoin Core version is 0.18.0.

I ran `getnewaddress "" bech32` and got an address that began with `bcrt`, like this one : `bcrt1qs758ursh4q9z627kt3pp5yysm78ddny6txaqgw`.

I'm a bit surprised, because I was thinking that testnet bech32 addresses were different, and indeed I checked [this page](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes) that says it should begin with `tb1...`

I tried to send some tbtc to this address with Electrum and a faucet, none worked, they indeed both say address is invalid.

So what am I missing here?

**Tags:** regtest, bech32-address


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-23. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Regtest and testnet are different networks. They are not compatible with each other.

Regtest is a private local network which is used solely for testing. It is primarily used for the regression tests, hence the name regtest.

Testnet is the public testing network which is very similar to mainnet, the main network. It has a different genesis block and has actual miners, DNS seeds, and nodes that you can connect to.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks got it, but if I'm not mistaken both testnet and regtest use the same addresses' prefix? At least it is the case for legacy and P2SH addresses, and since I don't find any specific format for bech32 on the page I linked to I was also expecting Bitcoin Core will generate addresses beginning with `tb1` on regtest.  
> **username_1**: They use different prefixes for bech32 addresses.  
> **username_0**: Ok, but then it means this page need to be updated https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_address_prefixes I created an account on Bitcoin Wiki and see how to do it myself, thanks for your help  
> **username_2**: I'd like to second that. At very least, please add that prefix to the wiki.  
> **username_2**: Another thing is that IMO giving regtest different addresses is unhelpful. It's not a big deal, but if I have a system built around communication with a bitcoin node, I'd expect not to have modify it, just to run some test scenarios in a controlled regtest setup.  From the perspective of a user either something is a "real-address" (mainnet), or not-a real one. And if it is not "real", then regtest vs testnet vs whatever else doesn't really matter. It is only making job of sw eng. integrating bitcoin a bit more complicated.  

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