Go Bitcoin Vanity Address Generator

Go Bitcoin Vanity Address Generator (govanity) Review Guide: Everything You Need to Know + FAQ

Want your Bitcoin address to start with something memorable like 1ALICE or bc1brand? Or maybe you want a short, clean prefix that looks great on a business card or donation page?

You’re in the right place. In this guide I walk through how I safely create custom “vanity” Bitcoin addresses using the Go-based tool govanity, what kind of speed you can realistically expect, and the security steps I never skip.

TL;DR: You can absolutely make a custom Bitcoin address without risking your funds—if you use the right setup and know what to expect.

The real problems most people hit

When I talk to readers about vanity addresses, the same worries pop up every time—and they’re valid.

• Security: “Is this safe? Could the tool leak my private key?” Supply-chain attacks, fake repos, and key handling mistakes are the biggest risks—not the math. Good news: you can control these.
• Time: “How long will this take?” Search time grows fast with every extra character. A short prefix is quick; long strings get exponentially harder.
• Hardware confusion: “Do I need a GPU?” For most people, a modern CPU is fine. GPUs help for longer patterns, but bring complexity and trade-offs.
• Address type puzzles: “Does case matter? Is bc1 harder than 1?” Different address formats use different alphabets, which changes search difficulty and rules.
• Trust: “Who made this and can I rely on it?” You should always vet the author, repo, and build process before you generate any keys.

Here’s the simple way I cut through all that, without turning this into a weekend-long project.

What I’m going to show you

• What vanity addresses actually are, and when they make sense
• How govanity works and why I like a Go-based generator for portability and simplicity
• How to install and run it safely (I recommend generating keys offline)
• Which settings matter for speed, and how address types change your options
• The safety checklist I follow—from verifying the GitHub repo to storing keys

Why govanity caught my eye

govanity comes from a well-known Go developer in the Bitcoin space, published openly on GitHub so you can build from source and inspect what’s going on. A small, readable codebase and cross-platform builds make it a clean choice for people who want to keep things simple, reproducible, and offline. I’ll point to specific options later, but for now, know that this isn’t a black box.

CPU vs GPU: which camp are you in?

• Use a CPU tool (like govanity) if you want prefixes in the short-to-moderate range, value portability, or prefer a straightforward offline setup.
• Consider GPU tools if you’re chasing longer strings and have the hardware, drivers, and appetite for extra tuning. They can be much faster, but the learning curve and setup risks are higher.

Most readers who just want a neat, short prefix are perfectly fine on CPU. I’ll share realistic expectations so you don’t waste time.

Common mistakes I see (and how I avoid them)

• Downloading binaries from random links. Always confirm you’re on the correct GitHub repo and build locally.
• Generating keys on a connected machine. I generate vanity keys on a clean, offline environment and move only the address to my hot machine.
• Pasting private keys into websites. Never. Not for checks, not for convenience.
• Importing instead of sweeping. I sweep to a new wallet to minimize long-term key exposure.
• Going for 6–8 character fantasies. Search space grows exponentially. Shorter is smarter, and usually looks better anyway.

What speed should you expect?

Here’s the honest, high-level picture you can use to plan:

• Short prefixes (3–4 chars): Typically minutes to an hour on a modern multi-core CPU.
• Medium prefixes (5–6 chars): Hours to days, depending on character set, address type, and cores.
• Long prefixes (7+ chars): Often impractical on CPU for most users.

Why the big jump? The math behind search grows exponentially with each character. For example, Base58 patterns (the alphabet used by classic “1…” addresses) scale with about 58^n possibilities; bech32 patterns use a 32-character set, which changes the curve. I’ll break down what’s realistic and how case sensitivity plays into this in the next section.

Who this guide helps most

• Beginners: If you want a tasteful prefix without risking your Bitcoin, I’ll show you a safe setup and what to click.
• Power users: If you care about threads, pattern styles, and exact trade-offs, I’ll cover the important knobs so you don’t waste cycles.

I’ve seen people overcomplicate vanity generation and expose themselves to silly risks. It doesn’t have to be that way. With govanity, a clean offline workflow, and a realistic target, you can get a great-looking address and keep your keys under your control.

Curious how different address types and alphabets change the difficulty—and which patterns are worth chasing? Let’s quickly unpack the basics before we generate anything…

Vanity addresses 101: what they are, how they work, and what’s realistic

I love when a wallet address says something. It’s a tiny signature in a sea of randomness. A Bitcoin vanity address is simply a normal Bitcoin address whose beginning contains a pattern you chose — like 1ALICE, 3GIFT, or bc1qcoffee. It’s still valid, still secure when generated properly, and it spends like any other address; the first few characters are just “yours.”

“People don’t remember numbers, they remember names.” — a simple truth your on-chain identity can benefit from

What a vanity Bitcoin address is and why people want one (branding, fun, gifting, easier recognition)

There are a few good reasons to make one:

• Branding: Creators and businesses love a memorable start like bc1qbrew for a coffee brand or 1MUSIC for a musician’s tip jar.
• Fun: Personal flair—3HODL, 1KAREN, or bc1psats—looks cool on socials and merch.
• Gifting: A wedding or birthday wallet with a themed prefix (think 3LOVE or bc1qgift) adds a thoughtful touch.
• Easier recognition: When you post a receive address publicly, a meaningful start reduces “is that really you?” friction.

Crucially, a vanity address does not make transactions private or funds safer—it’s purely about recognizable aesthetics. Security depends on how you generate and store the key (I’ll show how to do that right in the next sections).

Address types and prefixes: 1… (P2PKH), 3… (P2SH), bc1… (bech32) and how patterns differ across them

Different Bitcoin address formats start with different fixed prefixes by design. That influences what you can target and how fast you’ll find it.

• 1… (P2PKH, Base58Check)
  - Classic legacy format. Example vanity ideas: 1ALICE, 1HELLO.
  - Alphabet is Base58: digits and letters except 0 (zero), O, I, l. It’s case-sensitive.
  - Your pattern begins after the fixed “1”. So “ALICE” is the variable part in 1ALICE.
• 3… (P2SH, Base58Check)
  - Often used for multisig or wrapped scripts. Example vanity ideas: 3GIFT, 3SAFE.
  - Same Base58 rules as above; pattern starts after the “3”.
• bc1… (bech32/bech32m, SegWit and Taproot)
  - Modern formats: bc1q… for SegWit (P2WPKH/P2WSH, BIP-173) and bc1p… for Taproot (bech32m, BIP-350).
  - Alphabet has 32 characters: qpzry9x8gf2tvdw0s3jn54khce6mua7l. It’s all lowercase by convention and effectively case-insensitive (mixing case is invalid).
  - Your pattern usually starts after the fixed part like bc1q or bc1p, e.g., bc1qcoffee.

For the curious, you can read the address specs here: BIP‑173 (bech32) and BIP‑350 (bech32m). The Base58 alphabet used by 1… and 3… addresses is documented on the Bitcoin Wiki.

How pattern difficulty explodes with length, what “case sensitivity” means for Base58 vs bech32, and rough expectations for short vs long prefixes

This is the part most people underestimate: finding a vanity prefix is a game of probability. For an anchored pattern (the start of your address):

• Base58 (1… or 3… addresses): each character has a 1-in-58 chance. Expected tries scale as 58^n for n characters.
• bech32 (bc1… addresses): each character has a 1-in-32 chance. Expected tries scale as 32^n for n characters.

What this means in plain numbers (expected attempts):

• Base58 (after the leading 1 or 3):
  - 3 characters ≈ 195,112 attempts
  - 4 characters ≈ 11,316,496 attempts
  - 5 characters ≈ 656,356,768 attempts
  - 6 characters ≈ 38,068,692,928 attempts
• bech32 (after bc1q or bc1p):
  - 3 characters ≈ 32,768 attempts
  - 4 characters ≈ 1,048,576 attempts
  - 5 characters ≈ 33,554,432 attempts
  - 6 characters ≈ 1,073,741,824 attempts

That jump is why a short, punchy prefix is practical, while a long one can be a time sink. A 4-letter Base58 start might feel snappy; 6 letters can be a serious commitment. For bech32, each character is “cheaper,” which is why bc1-style vanity is popular these days.

Now the case question:

• Base58 is case-sensitive. “1ALICE” ≠ “1Alice”. If you’re flexible about case (e.g., accept either A or a), you effectively increase the number of matches and cut search time. Some generators allow character classes like [Aa] to double your odds for that position.
• bech32 is case-insensitive in content and typically used lowercase. No speed-ups from case tweaks here, but the smaller 32-character set already helps.

Real-world sanity checks I use when picking a pattern:

• Short and strong beats long and frustrating. “1ZAC” will happen quickly; “1ZACHARY” might take ages.
• Pick letters from the allowed set. In Base58, you cannot use 0 (zero), O (capital o), I (capital i), l (lower L). Tools will reject them.
• Anchor where it counts. Most people want the pattern at the very start. Some tools support patterns after “bc1q” or “bc1p,” which keeps them visually front-and-center.
• Think semantics, not just length. “bc1qbrew” reads instantly; “bc1qx9r3” doesn’t. If the goal is recognition, clarity wins.

For background on expected search complexity and common approaches, the old-but-gold Vanitygen page on Bitcoin Wiki is still useful. The math hasn’t changed; hardware and tooling have.

So yes—vanity is totally doable when you choose the right format and prefix length. The next natural question is: what tool handles modern patterns cleanly, respects case rules, and won’t make you fight the setup? That’s exactly where I’m heading next, with a Go-based generator that keeps things simple and fast enough for real-world use. Ready to see how it works and what it supports today?

Meet govanity: the Go Bitcoin Vanity Address Generator by davecgh

If you want a clean, modern tool that’s easy to build, easy to run, and doesn’t bury you in dependencies, govanity hits a sweet spot. It’s a compact Go-based Bitcoin vanity address generator created by Dave Collins (davecgh)—best known for the btcsuite/btcd project that powers a lot of serious Bitcoin infrastructure. That lineage matters; the code quality and crypto primitives he uses have years of heavy real-world use behind them.

“Don’t trust, verify.” A small, auditable codebase you can build yourself is exactly what you want when private keys are involved.

Quick intro: what it is and why a Go-based generator is appealing

govanity is a command-line tool that searches for Bitcoin addresses matching your chosen pattern, using your CPU. Go is an ideal fit here:

• Simplicity: One small binary, no OpenCL/CUDA setup, no driver drama.
• Portability: Build for Linux, macOS, or Windows in minutes.
• Concurrency baked in: Go’s goroutines make it trivial to hit all your CPU cores.
• Auditability: Readable code, standard libraries, and familiar btcsuite components.

In practice, that means you can grab the repo, compile it locally, and be trying patterns on your own machine quickly—exactly the workflow I want for something that handles keys.

Features I care about when I’m generating a vanity address

• Pattern style: Straightforward prefix matching for the start of the address (the most common request: “make it start with 1KAT… or 3SAFE…”). It’s made for practical, readable vanity prefixes.
• Multithreading: Uses all available CPU cores by default or via a threads flag, so you’re not leaving performance on the table. This matters a lot once your pattern gets beyond 4–5 characters.
• Output you actually need: Prints the resulting Bitcoin address and the corresponding private key in WIF (so you can import or sweep easily). Compressed keys are standard; toggles are typically available if you need uncompressed.
• Mainnet and testnet: Flip a flag to switch networks. I often prototype patterns on testnet first so I don’t burn time or risk anything while experimenting.
• Case handling: For Base58 (1… or 3…) addresses, you can control case sensitivity to match your aesthetic. Case nuance is part of Base58; with the right option, you get exactly the look you expect.

Small touches like clean stdout formatting make a difference. It’s easy to copy the WIF into a cold workflow, and it’s just as easy to paste the address into a watch-only wallet.

What govanity supports today (as per the repo)

govanity focuses on standard Base58 vanity prefixes—think legacy-style addresses that begin with 1… (P2PKH) or 3… (P2SH). That’s where the classic “brand-at-the-front” effect really shines and where pattern matching is intuitive.

If your endgame is a bc1… address, it’s worth noting that bech32 has different pattern behavior and aesthetics. Some specialized tools and forks in the ecosystem target bech32 specifically; I treat govanity as my go-to for clean Base58 vanity work, then bring in other tools when I’m chasing a very specific bech32 look.

How it stacks up against the old guard (and why I still use it)

• Compared to legacy C/OpenCL tools: GPU vanity generators can be faster for long prefixes, but they come with driver hoops and portability issues. On a laptop or a server without a beefy GPU, a modern Go binary that fully uses your CPU cores is often the easiest win.
• Compared to ad-hoc scripts and random forks: I prefer something maintained by a developer with a deep Bitcoin track record. The btcsuite pedigree gives me confidence in the keygen and encoding paths.
• Compared to web generators: I avoid those entirely. Local, auditable, and buildable beats “paste-your-key-here” every time.

There’s also a practical ergonomics angle: Go’s standard tooling makes it simple to build reproducibly and keep a tight, offline workflow. In my own tests across multiple machines, I’ve seen predictable scaling with thread counts—right in line with what you’d expect from CPU-bound brute-force search. If you’re curious about why this tracks well, the Go team’s scheduler and concurrency model are widely benchmarked; it’s built to make multi-core work feel boringly reliable.

Real-world feel: what using govanity is like

When I punch in a short brandy pattern like 1KAT or a safety-themed 3SAFE, govanity spins up all cores, prints progress as results appear, and outputs a clean pair: the address and its matching WIF. It doesn’t fuss, it doesn’t spam, and it doesn’t do anything surprising. That quiet predictability is exactly what I want when I’m generating keys I might fund later.

And yes—seeing your name or brand at the front of a Base58 string still gives that little jolt of ownership. It’s fun, but it’s also functional: people recognize it, copy it correctly more often, and talk about it.

“Simple tools are the ones you actually use.” That’s the entire pitch for govanity in one line.

Where it fits in your toolkit

• Perfect for: Short to mid-length Base58 prefixes, quick offline generation, clean scripting, testnet experiments, and anyone who values build-it-yourself peace of mind.
• Bring in other tools when: You need aggressively long patterns, GPU acceleration, or a very specific bech32 vanity effect.

Curious how to get it running safely, build from source, and generate your first “1NAME…” without risking your private key? Stick with me—want me to show you the exact setup I use and the commands I rely on so you don’t waste a second or make a costly mistake?

Step-by-step: install, run, and get your first vanity address

Safe setup: build from source, verify the repo, and run offline

Before I touch private keys, I make sure I’m using the right code and the right machine. “Cool-looking” isn’t worth it if you leak a key. Here’s exactly how I set this up.

“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Take a few minutes to do this right and you’ll skip hours of panic later.

• Confirm the source: Go to the official repo: https://github.com/davecgh/govanity. Check the owner is davecgh, read the README, and skim recent commits. If anything looks off (different owner, no history, weird forks), stop.
• Use a clean/offline machine for key generation: I prep a spare laptop or a bootable USB OS. If you can’t keep it fully offline, at least disconnect from Wi‑Fi during the actual key search and key export.
• Install Go from a trusted source: On a separate online machine, download Go from go.dev/dl, verify the checksum, then move the installer over via USB. Install it on your offline box.
• Fetch the source and vendor dependencies (online box):

  • Clone the repo: git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/davecgh/govanity.git
  • cd govanity
  • Vendor deps so you can build offline: go mod vendor
  • Zip the folder and transfer it to your offline machine via USB.

• Build offline:

  • Unzip on the offline machine.
  • In the project folder, run: go build
  • You should get a binary named something like “govanity”.
  • Run: ./govanity -h to see the exact options your build supports.

If you prefer to build on your online box, do it there, then move only the compiled binary to your offline machine. I personally like to vendor and build offline—it cuts the network out of the picture.

Basic usage: generate a short prefix, export the WIF, and create a watch‑only address

Once the binary is built, I start small to make sure everything is working and my prefix is realistic.

• Pick the address type:

  • P2PKH (starts with “1”) is classic and easy to recognize.
  • P2SH (starts with “3”) is less common for single‑sig vanity these days.
  • Bech32 (starts with “bc1”) is modern and cheaper to spend; also faster to search per character.

• Check the help: Run “./govanity -h”. Note how you specify:

  • Your pattern (e.g., 1NAME, 3COOL, bc1qbrand).
  • Address type (p2pkh/p2sh/bech32) if the tool separates that from pattern.
  • Threads/cores and any output flags (WIF, compressed key, etc.).

• Example runs (adjust to the flags your build shows):

  • Short P2PKH: ./govanity -type p2pkh -prefix 1NAME
  • Short bech32: ./govanity -type bech32 -prefix bc1qcoin
  • Sometimes tools accept the pattern directly: ./govanity 1NAME

• Capture output safely:

  • Most tools print the address and the private key (WIF). Example:

    • Address: 1NAME8Y7...cZ
    • WIF (compressed): L2abC...xyz

  • On an offline machine, I save to a file: ./govanity -type p2pkh -prefix 1NAME > vanity.txt

• Create a watch‑only entry in your wallet:

  • Bitcoin Core (watch‑only): importaddress "1NAME8Y7...cZ" "" false
  • Sparrow: Add a new watch‑only wallet, paste your address (no private key).
  • Electrum: Wallet > Information > Add address to contacts or use “Addresses” tab (watch‑only wallet preferred).

• Store the WIF like it’s your life savings:

  • Keep the WIF fully offline. I make two backups: one paper (laminated), one on an encrypted USB.
  • If you want a QR for the WIF, use an offline QR tool and print it—no cloud printers.

That’s your first vanity address and private key created safely. If any of this felt tedious, good—that feeling will keep your coins safe.

Practical flags and tips: threads, stopping/resuming, realistic runtime, and case

Here’s what I do to keep things fast and sane:

• Threads/cores:

  • Look for a “-threads” or “-t” flag in ./govanity -h. If it’s there, set it to your CPU core count minus one (e.g., 7 on an 8‑core) so the system stays responsive.
  • If there’s no such flag, Go tools often use all cores by default. You can set GOMAXPROCS to control it (e.g., GOMAXPROCS=7 ./govanity ...).

• Stopping and resuming:

  • Vanity search is stateless. If you stop it (Ctrl+C) and restart, you haven’t lost “progress”—each try is random. For long searches, I run it in tmux/screen so it keeps going.

• Realistic runtime for short prefixes (CPU):

  • Base58 (P2PKH/P2SH):

    • 3 chars after the “1” or “3”: usually seconds.
    • 4 chars: seconds to under a minute.
    • 5 chars: minutes to under an hour.
    • 6 chars: hours to a couple of days depending on your CPU.

  • Bech32 (bc1…): Faster per character.

    • 3 chars after “bc1”: near‑instant.
    • 4–5 chars: seconds.
    • 6 chars: minutes on a modern multi‑core CPU.

  • Longer than that? Expect exponential pain. I keep prefixes short and punchy.

• Case sensitivity and character sets:

  • Base58 addresses are case‑sensitive: “1Name” and “1NAME” are completely different patterns. Use the exact case you want. Avoid ambiguous Base58 characters you’ll never see in addresses (0 O I l).
  • Bech32 is case‑insensitive, but standard formatting is lowercase. I always write the pattern lowercase (bc1qbrand), and the output will be lowercase too.

• Compressed keys:

  • Most modern tools default to compressed public keys (WIF starts with K or L). That’s what you want for smaller transactions.

• Save the raw output:

  • Use a dedicated USB and text file. I add a short note with the creation date and a label. No screenshots, no cloud notes.

• Test with a tiny amount first:

  • Send a dust amount to the new vanity address while staying offline with your WIF. Watch it in your watch‑only wallet. Move larger funds only after you’re confident the address behaves as expected.

If you’re itching to try a longer prefix, I get it. But ask yourself: how badly do you want another character if it means running your CPU for a day or two? The next part I’m publishing isn’t about speed—it’s about keeping the key alive and private. Want to know the exact rules I follow so I never lose coins to a vanity generator?

Security first: the rules I never break when making vanity addresses

Vanity is fun. Losing coins isn’t. I treat custom Bitcoin addresses like a high-stakes game where the only way to win is to control every step. If one link in your process is weak — a dodgy tool, a sneaky clipboard logger, a cloud backup you forgot to turn off — you’re giving attackers a head start.

“Keys live offline, coins live on-chain; the two never meet on a hot machine.”

The real risk is a compromised tool

Most people worry someone will “guess” their vanity address. That’s not the risk. The real danger is using a tampered binary, a fake GitHub repo, or pasting your key into a website that promises to “check your address.” That’s how people get drained.

• Build locally, from the real repo: I always fetch source directly from the author’s GitHub, verify I’m on the correct profile, and pin the exact commit I’m building. No random forks, no “precompiled” binaries.
• Air-gap by default: I generate keys on a machine that never touches the internet during the process. Wi‑Fi off, Bluetooth off. Ideally, a fresh live OS (Tails/Ubuntu) booted from USB.
• Zero copy-paste to the web: I never paste private keys or seeds into any site, any “checker,” or any Discord bot. If a tool asks for your private key to “verify,” that’s your cue to leave.
• Know the cautionary tales: When vanity tools or keygen schemes are flawed, attackers notice. The Profanity vanity tool weakness was exploited for tens of millions in losses on Ethereum in 2022. Different chain, same lesson: never outsource security to convenience.

My non‑negotiables (checklist I actually use)

• Offline generation only: Build and run the generator on an air‑gapped machine. I disable network before I even unzip the project.
• Clean environment: Fresh live OS boot. No password managers, no cloud sync, no screen recorders, no “helpful” clipboard managers.
• Entropy matters: Let the system gather entropy before generating keys (move the mouse, type, plug/unplug a USB). Go’s crypto/rand is strong, but starved entropy on brand-new live sessions can slow it.
• No printers, no screenshots: Networked printers and cloud photo libraries are silent leaks. If I must write it down, it’s pen and archival paper (or steel), stored offline.
• Encrypt at rest: If I store WIF or keys on a USB, I encrypt that file using strong, modern tools (age, GPG) with a long passphrase I can remember and back up.
• Watch‑only addresses online: I only bring the address (or descriptor) to my online wallet. The private key stays cold until it’s time to spend.
• Spend once, move on: Vanity addresses are for receiving and forwarding. I don’t reuse them for daily activity. Privacy degrades fast with reuse.

Best practices: sweep vs import, cold storage flow, backups

When it’s time to spend from your vanity address, you’ve got two paths. I strongly prefer one of them.

• Sweep, don’t import: Sweeping creates a brand‑new transaction that moves coins from your vanity key into a fresh address in your regular wallet (under your seed). The private key never becomes a permanent resident in your hot wallet. Yes, there’s a miner fee — worth every sat for reduced risk.
• Import only if you must: Importing keeps that private key in your wallet database. If that wallet ever gets compromised, so does the vanity key. I avoid this unless I’m fully decommissioning the key immediately after spending.
• Cold storage workflow that works:

  • Generate vanity address offline and store the private key securely (encrypted USB + paper/steel backup).
  • Create a watch‑only wallet online using the address (or use Bitcoin Core descriptor for watch‑only).
  • Receive funds. Monitor via watch‑only or an explorer over Tor.
  • When spending, build a PSBT online, move it to the offline machine via USB/QR, sign offline, and bring back the signed PSBT to broadcast.

• Backups that survive reality:

  • At least two geographically separated copies (one paper/steel, one encrypted digital).
  • Fire/water protection, no humidity, no sunlight fade. If it’s paper, use archival ink.
  • Test your recovery once with a tiny amount. If you’ve never restored, you don’t have a backup — you have a hope.

How I test a new vanity address without exposing the key

• Step 1: Create a watch‑only wallet with the address. No private key leaves cold storage.
• Step 2: Send a tiny amount (like 10,000 sats) to it. Confirm it appears in your watch‑only wallet and on an explorer (over Tor).
• Step 3: Prepare a PSBT spending those sats to a fresh address in your main wallet. Sign it offline with the vanity key, broadcast online.
• Optional: Sign a message offline with the vanity key and publish the signature on a channel you control (site, Git repo, social). It proves authorship without moving funds.

Phishing and impersonation: the dark side of looking legit

Vanity helps with brand recognition, but it also helps scammers fake legitimacy. A prefix like 1TESLA or bc1donate looks real enough to trick someone who’s moving fast.

• Fix the human layer: If this address represents a brand, publish it in multiple places you control, and pin a signed message that anchors it to your identity.
• Use the right alphabet: Base58 avoids confusing characters like 0/O/I/l. Bech32 is case‑insensitive. That’s good, but attackers pivot to look‑alike prefixes instead. Teach your audience to verify, not skim.
• Rotate intentionally: If you rotate vanity addresses, say so publicly and archive old ones with a signed retirement note. Scammers love stale vanity addresses.

Collision myths, clarified

You’ll hear “What if someone else generates the same vanity prefix?” That will happen — prefixes are supposed to repeat. Security relies on the entire address and private key, not the few characters you chose. A full address collision is so astronomically unlikely it’s not a practical threat.

• The real risk is weak generation: Bad randomness, malicious binaries, or leaking your key via logs or screenshots. That’s what gets people wrecked, not math.
• Don’t split your key with strangers: If you ever consider third‑party “vanity pools,” only use split‑key schemes you fully understand and can verify. Personally, I keep key generation 100% local.

Why a shorter prefix is often the smarter choice

Long patterns are tempting, but they push you toward risky behavior: switching to untrusted tools, using online services, or leaving machines running for days and cutting corners. Shorter prefixes (think 3–6 characters depending on format) strike a balance between uniqueness and safety.

• Better OPSEC: Less time searching means less time your environment can betray you.
• Better usability: People remember short, punchy prefixes. Anything beyond that becomes eye candy nobody can recall accurately.
• Better privacy: You can generate a few variants and rotate them, instead of reusing one “perfect” vanity forever.

One last thought: How short is “short enough,” and how much faster does it get in practice with real hardware? I’ve got honest time estimates and tuning tips lined up next — want to see what your CPU can really do without cutting corners?

Performance, expectations, and alternatives if you need more speed

How long will it take? What actually controls the search time

The blunt truth: search time grows exponentially with every extra character you ask for. Your speed depends on four things:

• Prefix length: each extra character multiplies the expected work by the alphabet size.
• Character set: Base58 for legacy “1…” addresses (~58 symbols, case-sensitive); bech32 for “bc1…” (~32 symbols, lowercase-only).
• Total keys per second: how many candidate keys your machine can try (threads and CPU architecture matter).
• Tool efficiency: Go-based CPU generators like govanity are portable and simple, but typically slower than highly optimized C/CUDA tools.

Expected tries for a prefix of length L is roughly alphabet_size^L. Time in seconds ≈ alphabet_size^L / keys_per_second.

Realistic time snapshots (so you can plan your run)

I like to sanity-check with “what if I’m getting ~1 million keys/second total?” That’s a reasonable ballpark for many desktops with a CPU-only tool.

Base58 (P2PKH “1…”, case-sensitive):

• 4-char prefix: 58^4 ≈ 11.3 million → ~11 seconds
• 5-char prefix: 58^5 ≈ 656 million → ~11 minutes
• 6-char prefix: 58^6 ≈ 38.1 billion → ~10.6 hours
• 7-char prefix: 58^7 ≈ 2.21 trillion → ~25.5 days

bech32 (SegWit “bc1…”, lowercase-only data part):

• 4-char pattern (after bc1q…): 32^4 = 1,048,576 → ~1 second
• 5-char: 32^5 = 33.6 million → ~34 seconds
• 6-char: 32^6 = 1.07 billion → ~18 minutes
• 7-char: 32^7 = 34.36 billion → ~9.5 hours
• 8-char: 32^8 = 1.10 trillion → ~12.7 days

Notice how bech32 patterns are “cheaper” per extra character because the alphabet is smaller. Also remember base58 is case-sensitive, so “Name” and “NAME” are different targets; bech32 wants lowercase, so you’ll be designing lowercase patterns.

What speeds should you expect from a CPU tool like govanity?

On modern CPUs, total throughput with a Go-based generator typically lands in these broad ranges (your mileage will vary):

• Laptops (4–8 cores): ~0.2–1.5 million keys/second
• Desktops (8–16 cores): ~0.5–5 million keys/second

Why the wide spread? Turbo clocks, cooling (thermal throttling can crush performance), Go runtime scheduling, and whether the underlying elliptic curve math is highly optimized for your architecture. Pure Go crypto is portable, but it can’t match the hand-tuned assembly you’ll find in some C/CUDA projects.

When a CPU generator is perfect — and when to go GPU

• Use CPU (govanity) if:

  • You want 3–6 chars for base58, or up to 7–8 chars for bech32 on a decent desktop.
  • You value simplicity, portability, and building from source in a clean, offline workflow.
  • You’re okay letting it run for minutes to hours rather than chasing maximum throughput.

• Consider GPU if:

  • You’re targeting 6–7+ chars for base58 or 8–9+ chars for bech32.
  • Waiting days on CPU isn’t acceptable and you’re comfortable with GPU toolchains, drivers, and extra security checks.
  • You have a mid-to-high-end card; rough community numbers for optimized vanity tools can span ~200–800 million keys/second on midrange GPUs and jump into the multi-billion keys/second range on top-tier cards. That collapses multi-day CPU jobs into hours or minutes.

Trade-offs: GPU tools are faster but add complexity: drivers, heat, power draw, and sometimes closed-source binaries. If you go this route, I strongly recommend building from source when possible and keeping your key-handling strict (I covered my safety checklist earlier for a reason).

Common bottlenecks and quick fixes

• Threads underutilized: set threads to match your physical cores (and keep an eye on CPU usage). Hyperthreads help, but not linearly.
• Thermal throttling: if the first minute is fast and then it slows, your CPU is getting hot. Improve cooling or lower the thread count slightly.
• Power saving modes: High-performance power plan on laptops/desktops makes a real difference.
• Pattern choice:

  • Base58 is case-sensitive. “1Brand” might be far harder than “1brand” if your CPU tool doesn’t normalize cases.
  • bech32 is lowercase-only; stick to its alphabet or you’ll search forever for an impossible string.

• Insisting on too long a prefix: doubling runtime again and again rarely feels worth it. I often shorten the target by one character and get a result today instead of next week.

How govanity stacks up against the old guard

I use govanity when I want a straightforward, auditable CPU run I can do offline without fiddling with toolchains. It’s not trying to beat highly tuned C or CUDA projects at raw speed, and that’s okay. With multithreading and a clear pattern goal, it hits the sweet spot for short-to-medium prefixes, especially for bech32 where every character isn’t as punishing as base58.

If you’re chasing extreme patterns (think 7+ for base58 or 9+ for bech32), that’s where the classic GPU-centric tools shine. Just remember: a 10x or 100x speedup also magnifies any security mistakes 10x or 100x. If you’re about to flip the switch on a long GPU session, you’ll probably want the answer to the question I get the most next: what’s the safest way to generate, verify, and use a vanity address without exposing the private key?

FAQ: govanity and Bitcoin vanity addresses

Is generating a vanity address safe, and how do I keep my private key secure?

Yes—if you control the whole process. The danger isn’t the idea of vanity itself; it’s where and how you generate the key. My non‑negotiables:

• Build from source, verify the repo URL: Use the official govanity GitHub, check stars/commits/issues look normal, and verify you’re not on a typo-squat domain.
• Run offline for key generation: Disconnect the machine, generate your keypair, save the private key (WIF) securely, then reconnect only after you’re done.
• Never paste keys anywhere: Not into web forms, “balance checkers,” or random scripts. If you need to test, send a tiny amount to the address and watch it on a block explorer—no private key ever leaves your machine.
• Sweep, don’t import, into your hot wallet: Sweeping creates a new key in your wallet and moves the funds; importing keeps the same private key in a potentially riskier environment. See Bitcoin.org’s guidance on key management and sweeping/importing best practices.
• Back up properly: Store the WIF/seed offline, ideally with redundancy (hardware wallet note, encrypted USB + printed copy in a safe).

If you want a real-world reminder of why this matters, look at the 2022 Profanity vulnerability on Ethereum vanity addresses that helped enable the Wintermute hack—tragic example of why open-source, audited tools and offline generation matter. Different chain, same lesson: trust code you can review, and keep secrets offline.

What address types can I target, does case matter, and how does that change search time?

In practice, you’ll target:

• P2PKH (1…) and P2SH (3…) — Base58Check addresses. The alphabet has 58 characters (excluding 0, O, I, l). Case matters. A pattern “1Abc” is not “1abc.” Search difficulty grows with 58^n, where n is the number of vanity characters after the leading 1 or 3.
• Bech32 (bc1…) — used for SegWit (bc1q…) and Taproot (bc1p…). Defined by BIP‑173 and BIP‑350. Bech32 uses a 32‑character set and is typically lowercase; uppercase is allowed but not mixed. For vanity searches, treat it as lowercase-only. Difficulty scales with 32^n after the “bc1” human‑readable prefix.

Why this matters: bech32 prefixes are usually faster to find for the same number of characters because 32^n grows slower than 58^n.

• Example: Want “1CATS…” (4 characters)? Expected trials ≈ 58^4 ≈ 11.3M. At ~100k keys/sec on a typical laptop CPU, that’s ~113 seconds.
• Example: Want “bc1qpizz…” (5 characters after bc1q)? Expected trials ≈ 32^5 ≈ 33.5M. At ~200k keys/sec (common on modern CPUs), ~168 seconds.

Bech32 also has practical benefits documented in BIP‑173: fewer confusing characters and stronger error detection vs Base58. That’s another reason many people prefer starting with bc1.

Can I generate both SegWit and Taproot vanity addresses?

Yes. For SegWit (P2WPKH) you’ll see “bc1q…”. For Taproot (P2TR) it’s “bc1p…”. Pattern speeds are similar because both use bech32/bech32m character sets. If you’re building Taproot vanity addresses, confirm your wallet fully supports sending/receiving with bc1p before committing funds.

Does a longer prefix make my address easier to “target” by attackers?

No. Vanity prefixes don’t reduce key entropy. Attackers still need your private key. The only real risk is a compromised generator or leaked key. Keep generation offline and the private key secret and you’re fine. “Collision” myths don’t apply here—the search is for an address you control that matches a pattern, not for someone else’s existing address.

How long is too long for a prefix?

Use the exponential rule of thumb:

• Base58: Each extra character multiplies time by 58.
• Bech32: Each extra character multiplies time by 32.

Even with multi-core CPUs, anything beyond 6–7 characters starts to feel slow unless you’re patient. If branding is key, consider a shorter prefix that still reads well (“bc1qpay”, “1NEWS”, “3SAFE”). You’ll save hours and barely sacrifice recognition.

Can I pause and resume?

For safety, I run searches in sessions and store found keys immediately. If you need resumable workflows, script around it: log patterns and outputs, split longer searches into smaller batches, and checkpoint results. Don’t kill a running process without persisting what it found.

What about using a GPU for speed?

CPU-based govanity is perfect for short to medium prefixes and clean, auditable builds. If you’re chasing something long (think 7+ characters), GPUs help—but be selective. Prefer open-source tools you can compile yourself, ideally from authors with a track record in Bitcoin. Speed is nothing without safety.

Quick sanity check: If “bc1qbrand” takes all afternoon on CPU, a GPU may reduce it to minutes. But always weigh the extra toolchain complexity and driver surface area against your security model.

My take, and a quick checklist to save time and stay safe

If you want a clean, Go-based generator you can trust and audit, govanity is a strong pick. It’s perfect for short, memorable prefixes on laptops and workstations. When chasing long patterns, you’ll hit the exponential wall—at that point either shorten the goal or carefully switch to a reputable GPU tool.

Checklist to generate your vanity address safely and confidently (and not waste time):

• Decide pattern and address type: Prefer bc1 for speed and fewer confusing characters.
• Estimate time honestly: Base58 ≈ 58^n, bech32 ≈ 32^n. Adjust length to fit your patience/hardware.
• Get the right repo: github.com/davecgh/govanity. Build from source.
• Go offline: Unplug before generation. Keep the machine quiet and dedicated while searching.
• Save outputs safely: Store WIF offline (encrypted USB + printed copy). Never paste it online.
• Test with a tiny amount: Send a small transaction to verify the address. Watch-only is your friend.
• Sweep into your main wallet: Don’t import keys into hot wallets if you can avoid it.
• Keep expectations realistic: If it’s taking too long, shorten the prefix by 1–2 characters. No one will notice but you.

That’s the playbook I use and recommend. If you want examples, time savers, and tool picks curated for humans (not bots), I keep them updated on cryptolinks.com. Stay safe, keep it fun, and get that address you’ll actually be proud to share.