BitcoinIntermediate

UTXO

An unspent Bitcoin transaction output that a future transaction can consume.

PLAIN-ENGLISH DEFINITION

In more detail

Bitcoin doesn't keep your wallet balance as one editable account number. Your wallet adds up spendable outputs, a bit like separate pieces of value it can combine. Spending consumes whole outputs and can create new ones for the recipient and your change. Each output is spendable once in the accepted chain.

IN THE WILD

How you might use it

You have two UTXOs worth 0.004 BTC each. Your wallet uses both to fund a 0.006 BTC payment and creates change after the fee.

WORD NOTES

Written out: Unspent Transaction Output

Was this clear?

Got a way to make UTXO click?

Add your take

By Crypto Dictionary · Published Oct 9, 2026 · Updated Oct 10, 2026

Go to the source

Use the original reference to explore the details behind this entry.

Read the reference

An original explanation with a reference to follow. Protocol details and community usage can evolve. Sources & standards