2

New here, but have some intermediate knowledge of Bitcoin and Blockchain. My question is in regards to the off-chain transactions.

For example, today I paid a coffee shop using my Coinbase wallet. I scanned and paid. The transaction pended for about 5 mins, then was successful. Problem is, the coffee shop didn't receive it. So I had to repay them using cash just to settle it and not give the staff an awkward moment since they didn't know what was going on as well.

I wasn't sure what Bitcoin Client or "App" they were using, but it was on an iPad.

If I paid them using coinbase wallet, does this count as a offchain transaction? If it was an offchain transaction, shouldn't it be instant? Why did it take 5 mins of pending to clear?

Also, if I did want to pay them a transaction on the blockchain, would i need a different app that isn't online wallet based? Apps such as Bitcoin Wallet App instead of Coinbase or Xapo?

Many thanks.

Clon3
  • 21
  • 1
  • Can you be more precise about what you mean? When you say the "coffee shop didn't receive it", do you mean they didn't show anything at all? Or did they show the transaction as pending? Or what? – David Schwartz Dec 31 '15 at 10:17
  • I think I found out why. It probably did go through, but it was showing in USD. I'm in Canada, so when the clerk ringed me in, it was $4.17 CAD for the coffee. So they sat there waiting for a $4.17 payment but it never arrived. – Clon3 Dec 31 '15 at 17:15

1 Answers1

1

Coinbase will do an offline transaction depending on whether the recipient address is part of coinbase wallet. If recipient address is part of a coinbase wallet then the tx can be easily done offline, otherwise the tx has to be on bitcoin blockchain.

If you use wallets like electrum/mycelium they will always do onchain transactions.

dark knight
  • 1,997
  • 9
  • 24