This image should at least be posted once in every "but it's possible for someone to create the same address, right?"-thread:
*snipped image*
The image says 2^256 though
Isn't it just 2^160 for BTC?
Just for my own clarification, it's 2^160 because of RIPEMD? Is that correct? Clearly the private keys are 256 bits.
Thanks for this really informative thread, you guys!
Yes.
So there are 2^160 public keys but only 2^96 private keys? Ho does that add up?
Are there private keys than unlock more than one public key?
There are just under 2^256 private keys, just under 2^256 public keys, and 2^160 addresses. There are some addresses that have more than one corresponding public key and thus more than one corresponding private key.