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Bitcoin Core v28.1

50 MBupdated 2026-09-02 ★ 4.7FreeWallets

Bitcoin Core is the reference implementation of the Bitcoin protocol. Running it means the software independently validates every block and transaction against the consensus rules instead of trusting a third-party service, which makes the wallet the most self-contained option for holding bitcoin.

The package includes a graphical interface, the bitcoin-cli tool, and a JSON-RPC interface that other desktop wallets and scripts can use as a backend. Pruned mode keeps disk usage to a few gigabytes, and wallet files are encrypted with a passphrase you set.

What's inside

  • Independent validation of the Bitcoin blockchain
  • Built-in wallet with encrypted storage
  • Graphical interface plus bitcoin-cli
  • JSON-RPC interface for scripts and tools
  • Pruned mode for reduced disk usage
  • Proxy and Tor network support

How to install

  1. Run the installer and launch the application
  2. Choose the data directory and enable pruning if space is limited
  3. Allow the initial blockchain sync to finish
  4. Create a new wallet or restore one from a backup
  5. Encrypt the wallet file with a passphrase

System requirements

Windows 10/11 x64, 8 GB RAM, SSD with room for the blockchain