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Address Formats

Monolythium supports two address formats that represent the same underlying account.

Address Types​

FormatPrefixExampleUsed For
Cosmos (Bech32)mono1mono1abc123def456...Staking, governance, Cosmos SDK
EVM (Hex)0x0x1234567890abcdef...Smart contracts, MetaMask

Same Account, Two Representations​

Both formats derive from the same private key:

Private Key
    │
    ├── Cosmos Address (mono1...)
    │
    └── EVM Address (0x...)

The same account can be accessed via either format. Sending LYTH to either address credits the same balance.

Bech32 (Cosmos) Addresses​

Format​

mono1 + 38 characters

Example: mono1qypqxpq9qcrsszg2pvxq6rs0zqg3yyc5lzv7xu

Uses​

  • Cosmos CLI commands
  • Keplr and Leap wallets
  • Staking transactions
  • Governance voting
  • Bank transfers (native)

Validator Addresses​

TypePrefixUse
Accountmono1User addresses
Validator operatormonovaloper1Validator management
Validator consensusmonovalcons1Consensus key
Public keymonopub1Account public key

EVM (Hex) Addresses​

Format​

0x + 40 hexadecimal characters

Example: 0x1234567890123456789012345678901234567890

Uses​

  • MetaMask and EVM wallets
  • Smart contract interactions
  • EVM RPC calls
  • Solidity development

Converting Between Formats​

CLI​

# Bech32 to Hex
monod debug addr mono1abc123...

# Hex to Bech32
monod debug addr 0x1234...

Programmatically​

// Using ethers.js and cosmjs
import { ethers } from 'ethers';
import { fromBech32, toBech32 } from '@cosmjs/encoding';

// Bech32 to Hex
function bech32ToHex(bech32Address) {
  const { data } = fromBech32(bech32Address);
  return '0x' + Buffer.from(data).toString('hex');
}

// Hex to Bech32
function hexToBech32(hexAddress) {
  const data = Buffer.from(hexAddress.slice(2), 'hex');
  return toBech32('mono', data);
}

Which Format Should I Use?​

ActionRecommended Format
Send from MetaMaskEVM (0x...)
Send from KeplrEither works
Stake tokensCosmos (mono1...)
Vote on proposalsCosmos (mono1...)
Deploy contractsEVM (0x...)
Interact with dAppsEVM (0x...)
CLI operationsCosmos (mono1...)

Receiving LYTH​

You can share either address format to receive LYTH:

  • Share mono1... for Cosmos wallet users
  • Share 0x... for MetaMask/EVM users

Both credit the same account.

Important Notes​

Checksum (EVM)​

EVM addresses have an optional checksum format using mixed case:

0x5aAeb6053F3E94C9b9A09f33669435E7Ef1BeAed  (checksummed)
0x5aaeb6053f3e94c9b9a09f33669435e7ef1beaed  (lowercase)

Both are valid; checksummed format helps detect typos.

Case Sensitivity​

  • Cosmos addresses: Case-insensitive (all lowercase)
  • EVM addresses: Case-sensitive for checksum, but accepted either way

Cross-Chain Addresses​

!!! warning "Network-Specific" Addresses are specific to Monolythium. Do not send to/from addresses on other chains (Ethereum, Cosmos Hub, etc.) without proper bridging.

FAQ​

Do I need separate wallets for each format?

No. Use MetaMask for EVM operations and Keplr for Cosmos operations. Both access the same account.

Can I stake using my EVM address?

No. Staking transactions require Cosmos format. Use Keplr or CLI.

What if I send to the wrong format?

Within Monolythium, both formats work - the tokens arrive. Issues only occur if you try to send to another chain.

How do I verify both addresses are the same account?

Use monod debug addr <address> to convert and verify.