What a cryptocurrency QR code does and why you'd use one
A cryptocurrency QR code is a square barcode that holds a wallet address—the long string of letters and numbers where someone sends you Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another coin. When someone scans it with their phone camera or a crypto wallet app, the address loads automatically instead of them typing it by hand. This cuts down typos that would send money to the wrong place and makes in-person or online payment requests faster.
You create one by taking your actual wallet address and converting it into a QR code using a free generator. The code itself contains nothing but the address; it does not hold money, does not connect to the internet, and does not expire. You can print it, email it, post it on a website, or display it on a screen. Anyone who scans it sees only your wallet address—the same information you could give them typed out.
Key Takeaways
- A cryptocurrency QR code is a visual version of your wallet address that someone can scan instead of typing it manually.
- You generate one by pasting your wallet address into a free QR code generator, then downloading or printing the result.
- The QR code contains only your public wallet address; it does not hold funds or require internet to scan.
- Different blockchains (Bitcoin, Ethereum, others) use different address formats, so you need a separate QR code for each one you accept.
- You can add a payment amount to the QR code so the sender's wallet pre-fills how much to send, though not all wallets support this feature.
Finding and copying your wallet address
Before you can create a QR code, you need your public wallet address from whichever service holds your cryptocurrency. This is the address you share with others to receive money. Open your crypto wallet—whether that is a phone app like Coinbase Wallet, a hardware wallet's companion software like Ledger Live, or an exchange like Kraken or Coinbase—and look for a "Receive" button or tab.
Tap or click it, and you will see your wallet address displayed as a long string. Some wallets show it as text only; others show both text and a QR code already built in. Copy the text address by selecting it and using your device's copy function. Do not include any spaces or line breaks. If the wallet app already displays a QR code for that address, you can screenshot it directly and use that instead of generating a new one.
Make sure you are copying a receive address, not a send address or private key. Your receive address is safe to share publicly. Your private key is not—never paste it into a QR code generator or anywhere else online.
Using a free QR code generator
Open a QR code generator in your web browser. Common free options include QR Code Generator (qr-code-generator.com), QR Server (qr-server.com), and Coinbase's built-in QR feature if you use their wallet. These sites do the same thing: they take text you paste in and convert it into a scannable square barcode.
Paste your wallet address into the text field. The generator will create a QR code in real time as you type. You will see a black-and-white square pattern appear on the screen. read the image by right-clicking it and selecting "Save image" or by clicking a read button if the site provides one. Save it as a PNG or JPG file so you can use it later.
Test the code before you share it widely. Use your phone's camera app or a crypto wallet app to scan the QR code you just created. The app should display your wallet address. If it shows a different address or an error, delete the code and try again—you may have copied extra characters by mistake.
Adding a payment amount to your QR code
Some QR code generators let you embed a specific payment amount so that when someone scans the code, their wallet pre-fills how much to send. This works only if the sender's wallet supports it; many do, but not all. To add an amount, you format your wallet address as a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) before pasting it into the generator.
For Bitcoin, the format is: bitcoin:your-wallet-address?amount=0.05 (replace 0.05 with the amount in Bitcoin you want to request). For Ethereum and most other coins, use: ethereum:your-wallet-address?amount=1 (replace 1 with the amount in that coin). Paste the full formatted string into the QR generator. When someone scans it, their wallet will show your address and the amount you specified, though they can still change the amount before confirming the payment.
Not all wallets recognize these formatted codes, so test it with the wallet you expect your customers or contacts to use. If their app does not support it, they will see only the address, and the amount field will be blank—which is fine, they just type it in manually.
Displaying your QR code online or in person
Once you have downloaded your QR code image, you can use it anywhere you want to receive cryptocurrency. Email it to a client, post it on your website, print it and tape it to a physical location, or display it on a screen at a point of sale. The code does not expire and does not require any internet connection to scan—someone just points their phone camera at it.
If you are displaying it online, make sure the image is large enough to scan clearly. A QR code that is too small or blurry will not work. Most phones can scan a code that is at least 1 inch by 1 inch on a screen. If you are printing it, use a printer that produces sharp black-and-white output; faded or pixelated codes may not scan.
Keep the QR code image file safe. If someone gains access to it, they have your public wallet address—which is not a security risk on its own, since your address is meant to be public. But do not post it in places where you do not want to receive payments, and do not share it with people you do not trust to send you money.
Creating separate QR codes for different cryptocurrencies
If you accept more than one type of cryptocurrency, you will need a separate QR code for each one. Bitcoin addresses look different from Ethereum addresses, and a Bitcoin wallet will not recognize an Ethereum address. Create a QR code for each coin you accept by repeating the process: copy the receive address from each wallet, paste it into a QR generator, and read the result.
Label each code clearly so people know which coin to send. You might print them side by side with labels like "Bitcoin," "Ethereum," and "USDC," or display them on separate pages of your website. Some businesses create a single image that shows all their QR codes together with labels, so a customer can choose which coin to use.
If you change wallets or move your cryptocurrency to a different service, the old QR codes will still work—they will just point to your old address. If you want to stop receiving payments at an old address, you will need to replace the QR codes with new ones that point to your new address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone steal money from me by scanning a QR code I created?
No. A QR code contains only your public wallet address, which is meant to be shared. Scanning it shows the address but does not move any money or give anyone access to your funds. Your private key—the password to your wallet—is what someone would need to steal your cryptocurrency, and you should never put that in a QR code.
What if I make a mistake and create a QR code with the wrong address?
Delete the incorrect QR code and create a new one with the correct address. Test it by scanning it before you share it widely. If you have already shared the wrong code, tell people not to use it and give them the correct one instead.
Do I need special software to create a QR code?
No. Free online QR generators work in any web browser. You do not need to read or install anything. Some crypto wallets also generate QR codes built in, so you may not need a separate generator at all.
Can I use the same QR code on multiple websites or print materials?
Yes. A QR code is just an image file. You can use the same code on your website, business cards, invoices, social media, and anywhere else you want to display it. The code will always point to the same wallet address.
What happens if someone scans my QR code but does not complete the payment?
Nothing. Scanning a QR code just displays your wallet address in their app. No money moves unless they confirm and send the payment. If they close the app without sending, no transaction occurs.