Address Format Mismatch

Overview

Address Format Mismatch means the supplied destination cannot be decoded or accepted under the expected Address Format. Examples include an invalid checksum, unsupported witness version, wrong prefix, prohibited mixed case, or missing required routing component.

Validation must use the selected network and asset. A generic regular expression cannot verify version bytes, witness programs, token-account requirements, or network-specific length and checksum rules.

The concept differs from Address Network Mismatch. Format mismatch concerns structural incompatibility, while network mismatch can involve a valid string used with the wrong blockchain context.

Interfaces should reject the destination before showing a confirmation screen or requesting a signature. Silently correcting characters or converting formats can redirect funds to a different valid address.

Error messages should identify the expected network or destination type without exposing sensitive wallet details. Tests should include official valid and invalid vectors and all address forms that the provider actually supports.

Some networks have multiple valid address types with different compatibility. A wallet can reject a newer address even when the network accepts it, or accept a legacy form the provider no longer monitors. Validation should therefore check both protocol validity and product support. The error response should state whether the problem is malformed input or an unsupported valid format.

Client-side validation improves usability, but server-side validation remains mandatory because browser code can be bypassed or outdated. The server should use the same current supported-format configuration as the transaction-creation service.

Validation libraries should be updated with network upgrades and new destination types; otherwise valid modern addresses can be rejected while obsolete formats remain incorrectly accepted.