4, subaddresses start with 8.
Every Monero wallet has one primary address (starts with 4). From this, you can derive an unlimited number of subaddresses (start with 8). They all share the same wallet — same seed, same balance, same spend key — but from the outside, each subaddress looks like a completely independent wallet.
An outside observer — even one monitoring the Monero network — cannot link subaddress #1 to subaddress #2 or to the primary address. They look like three separate wallets.
a and public spend key BD = Hs(a || i) * G + Bi = new public key pairThe math: Each subaddress is derived using a hash of your private view key combined with an index number. The index is just a counter (0, 1, 2, ...). Because the derivation uses a cryptographic hash, knowing one subaddress reveals nothing about any other. The derivation is deterministic — the same seed always generates the same subaddresses in the same order.
Key properties:
Give each sender a unique address. They can't tell you're the same person. Like having unlimited bank accounts with no paperwork.
Label each subaddress: "Alice," "Bob," "Shop revenue." When funds arrive, you know exactly who sent them.
Generate a unique subaddress per order. Match incoming payments to orders automatically. No payment ID needed.
Use one subaddress per project or cause. Track donations separately while keeping them in one wallet.
Most exchanges give you a subaddress (starting with 8) for deposits. This lets them track which deposit belongs to which user.
Give each trade counterparty a fresh subaddress. No one can estimate your total volume by watching one address.
| Feature | Primary Address (4...) | Subaddress (8...) | Integrated Address (4...+payment ID) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prefix | 4 | 8 | 4 (longer) |
| Generation | One per wallet | Unlimited | From primary + 8-byte ID |
| Linkable to wallet? | Yes (it IS the wallet) | No (unlinkable) | Yes (derived from primary) |
| Payment ID | N/A | Not needed | Embedded |
| Recommended? | Only for legacy | Yes — always use | Deprecated |
| Used by | Old software | All modern wallets | Being phased out |
Integrated addresses are deprecated. They were used before subaddresses existed to embed payment IDs. Since 2019, the Monero community recommends subaddresses instead. Most wallets have dropped integrated address support. If someone asks you to use an integrated address, they're running very old software.
People often confuse these. They're different privacy layers that work together:
| Aspect | Subaddress | Stealth Address |
|---|---|---|
| Created by | Receiver (you generate it) | Sender (created during TX) |
| When | Before transaction (you share it) | During transaction (automatic) |
| Visible on chain? | No (only shared off-chain) | Yes (appears in TX output) |
| Purpose | Prevent sender linkage | Prevent on-chain linkage |
| How many? | Unlimited per wallet | One per transaction output |
| Analogy | Giving each friend a different phone number | Call forwarding to a number only you know |
They stack. When someone sends XMR to your subaddress, a stealth address is still generated on-chain. So even if two senders share the same subaddress, the on-chain outputs are still unlinkable. Subaddresses add an extra layer of privacy on top of stealth addresses.
Receive tab → Click "Create new address" → Label it (e.g., "Alice payment") → Share the 8... address.
Receive screen → Tap the "+" icon or "New subaddress" → Name it → Share the QR code or address.
Receive tab → "Create new address" button → Optional label → Copy the 8... address.
1. Never reuse subaddresses across senders. Give each person a fresh one. Reusing lets that sender see if they've paid you before (though on-chain privacy is still preserved by stealth addresses).
2. Label your subaddresses. "Exchange deposit," "Alice," "Shop orders Q1" — makes tracking easy.
3. Never share your primary address. It was historically used as an identifier. Use subaddresses exclusively.
4. For P2P trading: Generate a new subaddress for every trade. This prevents counterparties from linking your trading history.
5. For merchants: Generate per-order subaddresses. Match payments to orders by address rather than payment IDs (deprecated).
Monero wallets support accounts (separate balance buckets) and subaddresses (addresses within each account). Think of it as:
Account 0 (default) → Subaddress 0 (primary), Subaddress 1, Subaddress 2, ...
Account 1 (created by user) → Subaddress 0, Subaddress 1, ...
Each account has its own balance. Funds don't mix between accounts unless you transfer between them. Most users only need Account 0 with multiple subaddresses.