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The definition of bitcoin transaction input and output that is there on the web is:
Input = address from which money was sent, Output = address to which money is received

1. But when I looked at one of the transaction screenshots below:
The left side which should be the input but when I hover over it shows as output
What could be the reason for that?

2. Below shows the amount going to 2 different addresses. In a normal transaction
the amount will go to one address only. In bitcoin could one transfer to multiple accounts
simultaneously? enter image description here

1 Answer 1

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The definition you found is wrong. There is no such thing as a "from" address, nor a "Bitcoin account".

Think about the Bitcoin system as coins. As for physical coins, you spend them entirely and may get new coins back in change. Contrary to physical coins, these coins are public so anyone can "grab" them therefore there must be a way for only the "owner" of the coin to be able to successfully use them. This is essentially what an address is.

The coins are transaction outputs. "Grabbing" a coin is referencing a transaction output in a new transaction's input. Proving the ownership is done by providing data in this input to fulfill the challenge set by the address in the output you reference.

Therefore, to get back specifically to your question(s), in your screenshot the application displays the output referenced by this transaction input as it's where interesting information is present (value of the coin and how to unlock it). And you can certainly lock multiple coin to the same address. In fact this transaction unlocks 3 coins that where locked in the same way (therefore "at the same address").

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  • I feel like it's "re-explaining the wheel" for the hundredth time but i didn't find an explanation of the coins/utxo model with a quick search so i just wrote a tailored answer. However i feel like it could be marked as duplicate if someone can find a reasonably close answer.. Jun 10, 2021 at 12:53

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