diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@
         f.write("port=" + str(p2p_port(n)) + "\n")
         f.write("rpcport=" + str(rpc_port(n)) + "\n")
         f.write("listenonion=0\n")
+        f.write("usecashaddr=1\n")
     return datadir
 
 
diff --git a/src/base58.h b/src/base58.h
--- a/src/base58.h
+++ b/src/base58.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #define BITCOIN_BASE58_H
 
 #include "chainparams.h"
+// key.h and pubkey.h are not used here, but gcc doesn't want to instantiate
+// CTxDestination if types are unknown
 #include "key.h"
 #include "pubkey.h"
 #include "script/standard.h"
diff --git a/src/base58.cpp b/src/base58.cpp
--- a/src/base58.cpp
+++ b/src/base58.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,6 @@
     }
     return CNoDestination();
 }
-} // namespace
 
 } // namespace
 
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1575,6 +1575,8 @@
         }
     }
 
+    config.SetCashAddrEncoding(
+        GetBoolArg("-usecashaddr", DEFAULT_USE_CASHADDR));
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.h b/src/wallet/wallet.h
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.h
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.h
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 static const unsigned int MAX_FREE_TRANSACTION_CREATE_SIZE = 1000;
 static const bool DEFAULT_WALLETBROADCAST = true;
 static const bool DEFAULT_DISABLE_WALLET = false;
+//! if set, all addresses will be encoded with cashaddr instead of base58
+static const bool DEFAULT_USE_CASHADDR = false;
 //! if set, all keys will be derived by using BIP32
 static const bool DEFAULT_USE_HD_WALLET = true;
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -3958,6 +3958,10 @@
                                    "so transactions begin confirmation on "
                                    "average within n blocks (default: %u)"),
                                  DEFAULT_TX_CONFIRM_TARGET));
+    strUsage += HelpMessageOpt(
+        "-usecashaddr", strprintf(_("Use Cash Address for destination encoding "
+                                    "instead of base58 (default %d)"),
+                                  DEFAULT_USE_CASHADDR));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt(
         "-usehd",
         _("Use hierarchical deterministic key generation (HD) after BIP32. "