Simple Transactions

On this page I will explain how to perform simple transactions (wallet to wallet) based on different tutorials (CoinCashew, stake pool school ...)

The minimum amount, or smallest UTXO, you can send in one transaction is 1 ADA. Set the amount to send in lovelaces. ✨ Remember 1 ADA = 1,000,000 lovelaces.

First, find the tip of the blockchain to set the invalid-hereafter parameter properly.

Block Producer Node

currentSlot=$(cardano-cli query tip --mainnet | jq -r '.slot')
echo Current Slot: $currentSlot

Block Producer Node

amountToSend=10000000 
echo amountToSend: $amountToSend

Set the destination address which is where you're sending funds to.

If you want to sent some ADA to the great CoinCashew team use: addr1qxhazv2dp8yvqwyxxlt7n7ufwhw582uqtcn9llqak736ptfyf8d2zwjceymcq6l5gxht0nx9zwazvtvnn22sl84tgkyq7guw7q

Block Producer

destinationAddress=$(cat payment.addr)
echo destinationAddress: $destinationAddress

Support CoinCashew

destinationAddress=addr1qxhazv2dp8yvqwyxxlt7n7ufwhw582uqtcn9llqak736ptfyf8d2zwjceymcq6l5gxht0nx9zwazvtvnn22sl84tgkyq7guw7q
echo destinationAddress: $destinationAddress

geldtigerCold

destinationAddress=$(cat geldtigerCold.addr)
echo destinationAddress: $destinationAddress

Find your balance and UTXOs.

Block Producer

cardano-cli query utxo \
    --address $(cat payment.addr) \
    --mainnet > fullUtxo.out

tail -n +3 fullUtxo.out | sort -k3 -nr > balance.out

cat balance.out

tx_in=""
total_balance=0
while read -r utxo; do
    in_addr=$(awk '{ print $1 }' <<< "${utxo}")
    idx=$(awk '{ print $2 }' <<< "${utxo}")
    utxo_balance=$(awk '{ print $3 }' <<< "${utxo}")
    total_balance=$((${total_balance}+${utxo_balance}))
    echo TxHash: ${in_addr}#${idx}
    echo ADA: ${utxo_balance}
    tx_in="${tx_in} --tx-in ${in_addr}#${idx}"
done < balance.out
txcnt=$(cat balance.out | wc -l)
echo Total ADA balance: ${total_balance}
echo Number of UTXOs: ${txcnt}

Run the build-raw transaction command.

block producer node

cardano-cli transaction build-raw \
    ${tx_in} \
    --tx-out $(cat payment.addr)+0 \
    --tx-out ${destinationAddress}+0 \
    --invalid-hereafter $(( ${currentSlot} + 10000)) \
    --fee 0 \
    --out-file tx.tmp

Calculate the current minimum fee:

block producer node

fee=$(cardano-cli transaction calculate-min-fee \
    --tx-body-file tx.tmp \
    --tx-in-count ${txcnt} \
    --tx-out-count 2 \
    --mainnet \
    --witness-count 1 \
    --byron-witness-count 0 \
    --protocol-params-file params.json | awk '{ print $1 }')
echo fee: $fee

Calculate your change output.

block producer node

txOut=$((${total_balance}-${fee}-${amountToSend}))
echo Change Output: ${txOut}

Build your transaction.

block producer node

cardano-cli transaction build-raw \
    ${tx_in} \
    --tx-out $(cat payment.addr)+${txOut} \
    --tx-out ${destinationAddress}+${amountToSend} \
    --invalid-hereafter $(( ${currentSlot} + 10000)) \
    --fee ${fee} \
    --out-file tx.raw

Copy tx.raw to your cold environment. For this purpose you can use scp (secure copy)

Local HOT environment

#      PORT SOURCE (Block Producer)             TARGET (Local Mashine)
scp -P 9999 user@12.123.123.123:/home/tx.raw /home/

Sign the transaction with the payment secret key.

air-gapped offline machine

cardano-cli transaction sign \
    --tx-body-file tx.raw \
    --signing-key-file payment.skey \
    --mainnet \
    --out-file tx.sign

Copy tx.signed to your hot environment. For this purpose you can use scp (secure copy)

Local HOT environment

#      PORT SOURCE (Local Mashine) TARGET (Block Producer)
scp -P 9999 /home/tx.signed user@12.123.123.123:/home/

Send the signed transaction.

block producer node

cardano-cli transaction submit \
    --tx-file tx.signed \
    --mainnet

Check if the funds arrived.

Please be patient. It could take up to 20min till the transactions are confirmed by the blockchain. This depents largely on the grade of congestion at the time where you have sent your transaction. You can check the block chain load at Cardano Block Cahin Insights.

block producer node

cardano-cli query utxo \
    --address ${destinationAddress} \
    --mainnet