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What is a Public Address? Difference from Private Key

In Islamic DeFi, a public address is the key to transparency and ownership, while a private key is the secret of security. Discover the difference and how Qist implements it.

What is a Public Address in Islamic DeFi?

A public address is a wallet address used to receive digital assets like USDC. It is derived from a private key via encryption but cannot be reversed. In Islamic decentralized finance, it serves as a transparent tool for tracking asset ownership without full privacy exposure. On Qist, public addresses are used to document smart contracts on BaseScan, ensuring Sharia compliance.

Key Difference Between Public Address and Private Key

A private key is secret and controls access to funds, while a public address is shared for receiving. The private key resembles a personal signature proving ownership under an installment sale contract, whereas the public address is like an account number. In Qist, users retain their private keys to avoid riba and gharar.

Importance of Public Address in Islamic Installment Sales

In Islamic DeFi, public addresses identify buyer and seller without intermediaries. In Qist, the seller retains ownership until full payment, and the public address tracks ownership transfer in the smart contract. This ensures surplus is returned upon early repayment and provides a 3-day grace period without interest.

How Public Address Protects User Privacy

A public address does not reveal real identity; it is just a string of characters. In Islamic finance, this prevents gharar (ambiguity) by enabling transaction verification without personal data exposure. For example, Qist contracts audited on BaseScan offer full transparency while maintaining privacy.

How Qist Applies This

On Qist, public addresses are used to create open-source installment sale contracts. When a user wants to purchase an asset, a contract-specific public address is generated, and the seller transfers the asset to it. The buyer then pays installments in USDC to that address. After full payment, the asset is transferred back to the buyer's public address. Anyone can verify the contract on BaseScan, ensuring Sharia compliance. A 2% fee supports the platform.

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Informational content, not financial advice