Derivation Path
Also: BIP-32 path, key path
wallets · intermediate
The address in a BIP-32 key tree, written as a slash-separated string like m/84'/0'/0'/0/0. Apostrophes mark hardened steps.
A derivation path is the coordinate of a key inside a [BIP-32](/glossary/bip32) tree. Read left to right, each step moves one level deeper. m is the master node. A trailing apostrophe (') — or sometimes a lowercase h — marks a hardened derivation.
Most wallets use five-level paths in the standardized layout m / purpose' / coin_type' / account' / change / index. For example:
- m/44'/0'/0'/0/0 — first [BIP-44](/glossary/bip44) receive address on Bitcoin mainnet
- m/84'/0'/0'/0/0 — first [BIP-84](/glossary/bip84) native-SegWit receive address
- m/86'/0'/0'/0/0 — first [BIP-86](/glossary/bip86) single-key Taproot receive address
A derivation path is the answer to "if I import this seed into a different wallet, where will my coins be?" Different defaults are how users sometimes "lose" funds by recovering a BIP-84 wallet into a BIP-44-only program — the seed is fine, the wallet just isn't looking at the right branch.