0.21.1 native descriptor wallet showing incorrect value for `spendable` #22518

issue Fonta1n3 opened this issue on July 21, 2021

Fonta1n3 commented at 2:22 PM on July 21, 2021: none



I created a native descriptor wallet using 0.21.1 setting blank to true and private_keys_enabled to false, which the getwalletinfo command confirms.

I import an xpub based descriptor using importdescriptors to add keys to the wallet.

However when I send funds to the wallet and issue the listunspent command the spendable field shows as true.

spendable should only show true if the wallet holds the private keys for that UTXO, this causes my wallet software to think the node is hot when it is not.
Fonta1n3 added the label Bug on Jul 21, 2021
Fonta1n3 renamed this:
~~0.21.1 native Descriptor wallet showing incorrect value for `spendable`~~
0.21.1 native descriptor wallet showing incorrect value for `spendable`
on Jul 21, 2021
achow101 commented at 4:31 PM on July 21, 2021: member

This is intentional. Descriptor wallets removes the ability to have a wallet which contains watch only and non-watch only things. Either it is entirely watch only (private keys disabled), or it is not. In both cases, any and all UTXOs tracked by the wallet will be marked as spendable.
maflcko closed this on Jul 21, 2021
Fonta1n3 commented at 1:27 AM on July 22, 2021: none
Why is this closed?

From bitcoin-cli help listunspent
```
"spendable" : true|false,    (boolean) Whether we have the private keys to spend this output
```
My wallet does not hold private keys so this should be false.

What purpose does the spendable field serve? Seems highly confusing and completely contradicts the docs.
sipa reopened this on Jul 22, 2021
sipa commented at 5:06 AM on July 22, 2021: member

Clearly the documentation needs to be adapted.
Fonta1n3 commented at 5:44 AM on July 22, 2021: none

Clearly the documentation needs to be adapted.

I would be very happy to do to update the docs myself and submit a PR if that is ok.
fanquake commented at 5:49 AM on July 22, 2021: member

I would be very happy to do to update the docs myself and submit a PR if that is ok.

Yes that's fine.
Fonta1n3 commented at 6:18 AM on July 22, 2021: none

Have submitted PR cheers. https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/22525
maflcko added the label Wallet on Jul 22, 2021
maflcko commented at 11:23 AM on August 28, 2025: member

The docs now say (DEPRECATED) Always true, so I guess this can be closed?
maflcko closed this on Aug 28, 2025
maflcko added the label Docs on Aug 28, 2025

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#22525 docs: Update the explainer text for the listunspent RPC