Bitcoin Core Warning: An error occurred in parsing the passphrase

It is with a heavy heart that I write this article as I share my disappointing experience with Bitcoin Core, a popular open source cryptocurrency software. My account was hacked and I’m having trouble accessing my wallet.

The problem started when I tried to update the Bitcoin Core client to the latest version. The process required a wallet passphrase that I had previously chosen during setup. However, when I entered it, I encountered an error message that stopped me: “Error parsing JSON”.

At first I thought it might be a simple typo or a misunderstanding of the wallet’s settings, but after some digging I realized that the error was related to the passphrase itself. The warning message indicates that Bitcoin Core is having difficulty parsing the JSON format used by the passphrase.

What does that mean?

Simply put, the wallet passphrase you choose is not recognized by the Bitcoin Core software, which means it is not stored or verified correctly. This can lead to a number of problems, including:

  • Problems accessing your wallet: You may experience difficulties accessing your Bitcoin Core wallet.
  • Security Risks: If you enter an invalid or weak passphrase, it may jeopardize the security of your cryptocurrency.

Solution

To solve this problem, I recommend taking the following steps:

  • Re-enter your passphrase: Double check that you entered your wallet’s passphrase exactly as specified during setup. Be sure to use capital letters, special characters and hyphens.
  • Try the second JSON format: Bitcoin Core uses two different JSON formats for storing passwords: json and hex. Try switching between them to see if the problem resolves itself.
  • Disable passphrase verification: If you are concerned about security, consider disabling passphrase verification when initializing your wallet.
  • Reinitialize Wallet Setup: If none of the above steps worked, try re-initializing Bitcoin Core with a new wallet password and configuration.

Conclusions

I hope this article provided some valuable information about the problem I encountered with my Bitcoin Core wallet. Remember that it is extremely important to keep your wallet passphrase safe to prevent unauthorized access. By following these steps, you will be able to resolve the JSON parsing error and continue using Bitcoin Core safely.