---
bip: 179
title: "Name for payment recipient identifiers"
status: Complete
type: Informational
authors: ["Emil Engler","Luke Dashjr"]
assigned: 2019-10-17
last_modified: 2026-07-22
topics: ["transactions"]
license: "CC0-1.0"
url: https://bipexplorer.com/bip/179
source: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0179.mediawiki
---

# BIP 179: Name for payment recipient identifiers

> **In plain English:** Suggests replacing the word "address" with "invoice" or "invoice address." Because Bitcoin addresses are meant to be used only once, the authors argue the new term better discourages address reuse, which harms privacy.

## Abstract

This BIP proposes a new term for 'address'

## Specification

The new term is: _Bitcoin_ **Invoice** _Address_

The _Bitcoin_ and _Address_ parts are optional. The address suffix should only be used as a transitional step.

A _Bitcoin_ Invoice _Address_ is a string of characters that can be used to indicate the intended recipient and purpose of a transaction.

## Motivation

Bitcoin addresses are intended to be only used **once** and you should generate a new one for every new incoming payment. The term 'address' however indicates consistency because nearly everything on the internet or the offline world with the term 'address' is something that rarely or even never changes (postal address, email address, IP addresses (depends heavily on the provider), etc.) The motivation for this BIP is to change the term address to something that indicates that the address is connected to a single transaction.

## Rationale

The reason why we use _Bitcoin Invoice Address_ or just _Invoice_ is to emphasize that it is single-use. The terms _Bitcoin_ and _Address_ are optional for the following reasons: For _Bitcoin_:

-   Useful for multicoin wallets to indicate that it belongs to Bitcoin

-   Indicates a difference between a lightning and an on-chain invoice

For _Address_:

-   To not confuse users with a completely new term

-   To show that it is where you send something to

-   To not break backwards compatibility

This gives us the four following possibilities:

-   Bitcoin Invoice Address

-   Bitcoin Invoice

-   Invoice Address

-   Invoice

## Backwards Compatibility

To avoid issues, the 'Address' suffix is permitted, but not recommended. The suffix 'Address' remains so users should be immediately able to recognize it until the new term is widely known.

## Acknowledgements

Thanks to Chris Belcher for the suggestion of the term 'Bitcoin Invoice Address'

## Copyright

This BIP is released under CC0-1.0 and therefore Public Domain.