multibit

Multibit is a term used in different contexts within computing and technology. In digital electronics and computer architecture, a multibit value or word refers to a quantity represented by more than a single bit. Multibit operands, registers, and buses carry multiple bits in parallel, allowing more information to be processed or transferred at once. The width of a multibit word, measured in bits, determines the range of representable values and the level of parallelism in a system. Common word sizes include 8, 16, 32, and 64 bits, though other sizes appear in specialized devices and protocols. Multibit representations are fundamental to data encoding, instruction formats, memory addressing, and communication schemes.

Multibit is also the name of a former family of Bitcoin wallet software. Multibit Classic and Multibit HD were lightweight desktop wallets designed to store and manage Bitcoin with a simplified user interface. They operated as clients that used a form of simplified payment verification and kept private keys on the user’s device. The software aimed to provide an accessible means of sending and receiving Bitcoin, with features such as wallet backups and recovery options. Development and maintenance of the Multibit wallet line ended some years ago, and the official project pages are no longer active. Users of older Multibit wallets are generally advised to migrate to actively maintained wallets and take appropriate measures to secure funds.

See also: data word, word size, SPV, Bitcoin wallet.