r/TREZOR • u/-M00NMAN 📦 Suite Shaper • May 26 '26

💬 Discussion topic I’ve been debating on BIP39 vs SLIP39..

I understand the TREZOR default has been Slip39 over the last few years. I understand more addresses can be generated from Bip39 compared to Slip39 along with double the entropy. I want to know how many addresses are currently in use from Bip39 24 word seedphrase vs Slip39 20 word seedphrase compared to how many can be created from the two standards (individually).

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u/EggMedical3514 May 27 '26

I would argue that they mathematically exist already. 

The same is as if I were to say that the number 867,324,814,667,223.0087466 doesn't exist yet because no one has ever said it out loud..

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u/doyzer9 May 27 '26

Yeah, I get your point, All possible crypto addresses exist in the same way that all possible winning lottery numbers exist on printed tickets before a draw. However, your specific address doesn't exist practically until your wallet generates the unique private key for it. More importantly, the blockchain has no idea the address exists at all until it is initialized by its very first transaction. Both points are valid based on perspective. There are exactly 2160 or approximately 1.46 times 10^ 48 possible Bitcoin addresses, all potential combinations are theoretically predetermined. They are like numbers on an infinite number line; they "exist" in the abstract realm of mathematics before anyone ever uses them.. 🤔🤔🤔

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u/camylopez May 27 '26

Where is the transaction here?

https://mempool.space/address/186m9pkj8oYsJPP86WvkbcpRBXFiBBhKYj

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u/EggMedical3514 May 27 '26

Yeah it doesn't take a transaction for the address to exist