What Is a UTXO? DigiByte's Unspent Transaction Output Model Explained
A UTXO — unspent transaction output — is the fundamental unit of value on DigiByte and other Bitcoin-derived chains. Instead of tracking a single running account balance, DigiByte tracks discrete outputs: each one is a chunk of DGB locked to a spending condition, usually an address. Your wallet balance is simply the sum of every UTXO your keys can unlock.
When you spend, you don't subtract from a balance — you consume whole UTXOs as transaction inputs and create new outputs. If a UTXO holds more than the amount you're sending, the transaction produces a change output back to you, exactly like getting change from a cash note. Once consumed, a UTXO is permanently spent and can never be used again, which is precisely what makes double-spends detectable by every node on the network.
This model gives DigiByte clear provenance — every coin traces back through a chain of outputs — enables parallel validation because independent UTXOs can be checked at the same time, and keeps ownership explicit and self-custodial. You can inspect the unspent outputs behind any DigiByte address in the DigiScope block explorer.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a UTXO?
- An unspent transaction output — a discrete amount of DigiByte locked to a spending condition. Your wallet balance is the sum of the UTXOs your keys control.
- How is a UTXO different from an account balance?
- Account-based chains store one running number per account. DigiByte instead stores many independent outputs; there is no single balance field — it is computed by summing your unspent outputs.
- What is a change output?
- When a UTXO holds more than the amount you send, the transaction returns the remainder to you as a new change output — like receiving change from a banknote.
- Can I see the UTXOs on a DigiByte address?
- Yes — open the address in the DigiScope block explorer to see its unspent outputs and spending history.