The Mystery of the Missing Public Key in Your PSBT
As a Bitcoin developer or user, you are probably familiar with the concept of public keys and private keys. In this article, we will look at why your PSBT (Public Script Broadcast) might be missing a public key.
Understanding PSBT and Private Keys
A PSBT is a script that contains information about how to broadcast a Bitcoin transaction to the network. It is essentially an encoded message that describes what action to take when a transaction is broadcast. Each line of a PSBT represents a specific operation, such as “set recipient” or “create signed output.”
Private keys, on the other hand, are used to verify and sign Bitcoin transactions. They are generated using the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) with a specific public key.
Why might your PSBT be missing a public key?
There are several reasons why your PSBT might be missing a public key:
- Missing private key: If you don’t have a matching private key for one of the operations in your PSBT, Bitcoin will still try to use it. However, this can cause problems when trying to broadcast transactions.
- Incorrect private key usage: If you use the wrong private key for an operation or fail to specify which private key is being used, Bitcoin may fail to generate the necessary scripts to broadcast transactions.
- Private key expiration or revocation: If your private key has expired, been compromised, or is no longer valid (e.g. due to a wallet update), you will not be able to use it to sign your PSBT.
How to identify and fix the problem
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
- Check your ECDSA private keys: Make sure you have the correct private key for each operation in your PSBT. If you are unsure where to find your private keys or how to generate new ones, refer to your wallet documentation or contact a support specialist.
- Check your public key usage: Double-check that you have specified the correct private key for each operation and that it has not been omitted by the PSBT.
Example of what your PSBT might look like
Here is an example of what your PSBT might look like:
0101020304a12f34d5e6c7b8a9c
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