Decode a Base58 string such as a Bitcoin address or IPFS CIDv0 back to its underlying bytes, shown as text where possible and hex otherwise.
Show calculation steps
Processed privately in your browser — nothing you paste is uploaded, logged or stored.
How to use the Base58 Decoder
- Paste the Base58 string – a Bitcoin address, an IPFS CIDv0 or any Base58 value.
- Leave the output option on "Text if possible, else hex" unless you know the payload is binary.
- Click "Decode Base58" to see the underlying bytes.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a Bitcoin address decode to hex rather than words?
Because the bytes behind an address are a version byte, a hashed public key and a checksum – binary values, not text. Hex is the only sensible way to display them.
The decoder rejects a character that looks perfectly normal.
Base58 deliberately excludes 0, O, I and l. If your string contains one, it was either mistyped, or it is not Base58 at all. The error names the exact character and position.
Does this validate a cryptocurrency address?
No. It decodes the Base58 representation only. Validating an address additionally requires checking the Base58Check checksum and the version byte for the network in question, which this tool does not do.
