What is a transaction proof or tx key?
A transaction proof lets you show that a particular Monero payment went to a particular wallet address without revealing your whole wallet history. A transaction key, often called a tx key, is a secret tied to that payment that your sending wallet can use to help prove it.
Why a transaction ID is not always enough
A transaction ID, or txid, is the public reference number for a transaction. You can look it up in a block explorer, a tool that reads Monero’s public transaction record.
But Monero keeps payment details private. Unlike a bank receipt, a public transaction listing does not openly show the recipient’s address and the amount they received.
If you send XMR to an exchange and your deposit does not appear, the txid helps support find the transaction. A transaction proof can go further: it lets someone check whether that transaction paid the address you specify, and how much.
How a tx key differs from a proof
These terms are related, but they are not interchangeable:
- Transaction key: Secret data created for an outgoing transaction. Your sending wallet normally saves it. Together with the txid and recipient address, it can let someone check the payment.
- Transaction proof: A cryptographic statement—evidence checked using mathematics—that your wallet generates for a specified transaction and address. You can share this instead of handing over the underlying tx key.
- Transaction ID: A public identifier. It identifies the transaction but does not, by itself, prove the recipient or amount.
Some wallet tools also let you attach a message to a proof. For example, you might include a support ticket number. The person checking it must use the same message.
Neither a tx key nor a transaction proof gives someone the ability to spend your XMR. However, both can disclose payment details, so treat them as private financial information.
How you create and check one
Your wallet needs to support transaction proofs. Look for an option such as prove payment, transaction proof, or transaction key in the details of an outgoing payment. The wording varies by wallet.
You will generally need:
- The transaction ID.
- The recipient’s exact Monero address.
- Access to the sending wallet’s saved transaction information.
- Any message included when generating the proof.
The recipient or support team can check the proof with compatible Monero wallet software. Verification checks the evidence against the actual transaction.
A valid proof is not a substitute for confirmations, which are blocks added to the blockchain after a transaction is included. An exchange can still require its usual number of confirmations before crediting your deposit.
What this means for mining payouts
If you are waiting for a mining payout, you are the recipient. The pool or payout service controls the sending wallet, so you generally cannot retrieve its tx key yourself. Ask the service for the txid and, if needed, a payment proof for your payout address.
Never give support your seed phrase, the words that restore your wallet, or your private spend key, which authorizes spending. Neither is needed to check a payment proof.
The bottom line
Use a transaction proof when you need evidence that a specific Monero payment reached a specific address. Share it only with someone who needs those details, and remember that it proves payment—not that an exchange has credited your account.
