Checking Bitcoin Wallet Address Balances on QuickNode

This guide explains how to use QuickNode's BTC Blockbook JSON-RPC Add-On to retrieve balances and transaction history for Bitcoin addresses. We'll cover RPC methods, endpoint setup, and query execution using cURL commands—plus tips for formatting JSON output.

Key Features of QuickNode's BTC Blockbook Add-On

QuickNode offers three specialized RPC methods through its BTC Blockbook JSON-RPC Add-On:

bb_getUTXOs
Retrieves unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs) for addresses or XPUB keys.
bb_getXPUB
Returns balance and transactions for XPUB keys or output descriptors.
bb_getAddress
Fetches balance and transactions for individual addresses (sorted by block height).

Terminology Explained
XPUB Keys: Hierarchical deterministic keys derived from master public keys, used to generate receivable public addresses.
UTXOs: Unspent transaction outputs representing available coins in the blockchain.

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Creating a Bitcoin Endpoint

Sign in to QuickNode
Select Bitcoin chain → Mainnet
Configure the Blockbook RPC Add-On (requires paid plan)
Copy your HTTP Provider URL

2. Querying Address Data

Use this cURL command to check balances (replace placeholders with your data):

curl YOUR_QUICKNODE_HTTP_PROVIDER_URL \
 --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
 --data '{"method": "bb_getaddress", "params": ["1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa", {"page": 1, "size": 10, "fromHeight": 0, "details": "txids"}]}'

Parameters:

page: Pagination number
size: Transactions per page
fromHeight: Minimum block height
details: Response detail level (basic, txids, or txs)

👉 Optimize your queries with jq for structured JSON output.

Example Output Analysis

Results display amounts in satoshis (1 BTC = 100M satoshis). For address 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa:

{
  "balance": 7263430323,
  "totalReceived": 7263430323,
  "transactions": [...] 
}

Equivalent to ~72.63 BTC at time of writing.

FAQs

Q1: Is this method suitable for high-frequency queries?

A: Yes, but consider rate limits based on your QuickNode plan.

Q2: Can I retrieve full transaction details?

A: Use details: "txs" to get complete transaction data instead of IDs.

Q3: How do I convert satoshis to BTC?

A: Divide amounts by 100,000,000 (10^8).

Why Choose QuickNode?

Scalability: Avoids node memory overload vs. local solutions
Precision: Access to granular blockchain data
Developer Tools: Integrated with popular Web3 libraries

👉 Explore more API tools in QuickNode's marketplace.