Encyclopedia How the network works · Entry 86
PSBT: passing a Bitcoin transaction between signers
In this article
At a glance
Key facts
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Roles | BIP-174 separates creator, updater, signer, combiner, finalizer and extractor roles. | [1] |
| Information | The container can include previous-output and key-derivation information needed for signing. | [1] |
| Completion | An extracted transaction is distinct from the container exchanged during signing. | [1] |
Separate construction from authorization
A network-connected wallet can choose inputs and construct recipient and change outputs. A separate device can inspect that proposal and add a signature without taking responsibility for discovering the entire transaction history itself.
The Bitcoin Core funding RPC creates a PSBT with funding information. A creator or updater role does not imply that the file contains the signatures needed to spend.
The proposal still needs checking
A signer should establish which inputs it is authorizing, the destination amounts and the fee. Input values and scripts matter because an incomplete or misleading display can obscure what the signer is doing. The format transports information; it does not make that information automatically trustworthy.
A transaction proposal shared with another participant may reveal balances, addresses or derivation details. Treat the file as potentially sensitive even if it contains no private keys.
From partial data to a network transaction
A combiner can merge compatible signing information, a finalizer can assemble the final spending fields, and an extractor can produce the network transaction when it is complete. Some wallets combine these roles in one interface.
After extraction, broadcast and confirmation are separate steps. An offline signing screen cannot prove that a miner has included the result.
Direct answers
Questions people ask
Can a PSBT contain no signatures at all?
Yes. The format supports transaction construction and updating before any signer has authorized the spend. “Partially signed” is the format’s name, not a promise that a signature is present.
Inspect the evidence
The answer and key facts have stable claim links. These records retain the scope and qualification when reused.
A PSBT is a structured container for a Bitcoin transaction and the extra information needed to inspect, sign and finalize it. It lets wallets, hardware signers and participants exchange a proposal without requiring one device to perform every step. A PSBT is not necessarily signed, broadcast or confirmed.
Scope: Bitcoin · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T18:15:23.891Z.
Link to this claimRoles: BIP-174 separates creator, updater, signer, combiner, finalizer and extractor roles.
Scope: Bitcoin · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T18:15:23.891Z.
Link to this claimInformation: The container can include previous-output and key-derivation information needed for signing.
Scope: Bitcoin · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T18:15:23.891Z.
Link to this claimCompletion: An extracted transaction is distinct from the container exchanged during signing.
Scope: Bitcoin · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T18:15:23.891Z.
Link to this claimRevision history
- — Initial Bitcoin encyclopedia entry at this permanent URL.
- — Added reusable claims, explicit source locators, and matching Markdown and JSON. This publishing change does not itself establish factual verification.
Source register
Sources and references
Retrieval dates and locators are recorded individually.- Partially Signed Bitcoin Transaction FormatBitcoin BIPs contributors
Exchange of transaction and signing data across participants.
Locator: Roles; Creator; Updater; Signer; Finalizer · Version / scope: BIP-174; immutable revision pinned in source URL · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T17:22:20.522ZOpen source - walletcreatefundedpsbt RPCBitcoin Core
Input selection, fee units, change output, selected inputs and transaction funding.
Locator: Arguments and result fields · Version / scope: Bitcoin Core 29.0.0 RPC · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T17:03:40.827ZOpen source
Research and drafting use AI assistance. A separate automated review checks claims against primary sources; no external expert or named human review is implied. Publication, substantive editing, source retrieval and verification are recorded separately. This version was independently checked by an automated reviewer on 2 October 2026.
Editorial method and correctionsDegrees of Satoshi editorial project. “PSBT: passing a Bitcoin transaction between signers.” Published 2026-10-02; updated 2026-10-02. https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/partially-signed-bitcoin-transactions/