Send Ether from One Account to Another

This section describes how to send Ether from one account to another.

The quickest way to send Ether from one account to another account is to use the eth.sendTransaction() method on the "geth" JavaScript console:

1. Set 3 variables to represent the sender account, the receiver account, the Ether amount to transfer:

> sender = eth.accounts[0]
"0x05d4e1a499775ce9d681abd50bda655c7b5ccb90"

> receiver = "0x485410d2e7b8bfb6f78e5e5acf7d1057cb853fce"
"0x485410d2e7b8bfb6f78e5e5acf7d1057cb853fce"

> amount = web3.toWei(0.5,"ether")
"500000000000000000"

2. Call eth.sendTransaction() to submit the Ether transfer transaction:

> eth.sendTransaction({from:sender, to:receiver, value:amount})
Error: authentication needed: password or unlock
    at web3.js:3143:20
    at web3.js:6347:15
    at web3.js:5081:36

3. Unlock the "sender" account by providing the password to open the keystore file. This allows "geth" to use private key to sign the transaction:

> personal.unlockAccount(sender)
Unlock account 0x05d4e1a499775ce9d681abd50bda655c7b5ccb90
Passphrase:
true

4. Submit the Ether transfer transaction again:

> eth.sendTransaction({from:sender, to:receiver, value:amount})
"0x93e05edd79177d579dd5664982cba8f5452afde2f6b542cd1157c0807e7f49cb"

Done! Remember the transaction ID and wait for this transaction to be included in the next block and get added to the blockchain.

Table of Contents

 About This Book

 Introduction of Ethereum

 Ethereum Blockchain

 Ethereum Mist Wallet

 geth - Go Ethereum

 Testnet - Ropsten network

 Private Ethereum Network

 64-Bit "geth" for Private Ethereum Network

 Private Network with Custom Genesis Block

Transferring Funds between Ether Accounts

 Create Second Ether Account

Send Ether from One Account to Another

 Verify Ether Fund Transaction

 Verify Pending Transactions

 View Transaction Receipt

 MetaMask - Browser Based Ethereum Wallet

 Managing Ethereum Account

 Mining Ether with Your Computer

 Archived Tutorials

 References

 Full Version in PDF/EPUB