[Ethereum] Accounts can’t display incoming transactions

accountsmisttransactions

In Ethereum-Mist_wallet, Under accounts, I see:

Accounts can't display incoming transactions, but hold and send ether. To see incoming transactions create a wallet contract to store ether.

What does this exactly means? On my private network I am able to see transactions of specific account under Latest Transactions. So what this is for?

Best Answer

Th ere are two types of accounts in Ethereum:

  1. Externally Owned Accounts,controlled by private keys
  2. Contract Accounts, controlled by their contract code

Accounts can't display incoming transactions, but hold and send ether

Here accounts refer to EOAs. EOAs are able to hold and transfer ethers but they can't display the incoming transactions.However, they can display the transactions send from account, like transferring ethers or contract execution.
For eg, If you transfer some ethers from etherbase(Account1) to other account, say Account2. Account 1 will show the transaction details but account will not show anything under Latest Transactions Tab.

Account1 Latest Transaction Tab

To see incoming transactions create a wallet contract to store ether.

However if you have to keep track of incoming transactions to an account you have to create a wallet contract.
Now if you transfer ethers from Account1 to your walletContract(say it be WalletContract1), both Account1 and WalletContract1 will show the transactions.
So, Wallet Contracts also keep a list of incoming transactions whereas EOAs don't.


There are differen types of wallet contracts like :

  • Single Owner Account
  • MultiSignature Wallet Contract

which offer a lot better features than normal EOAs. But creating a wallet contract requires transaction fee (gas). Read full description here.


Read the difference between EOAs and Wallet Contracts here.