?>

How to Keep Your Identity Safe While Using Bitcoin

2.6 k views
How to Keep Your Identity Safe While Using Bitcoin

Bitcoin’s rapid growth has indeed been something of great wonder. In recent times, the coin has gained increased usability, evidenced by increased transactions-nearly 270 000 transactions per day with an increased number of online merchants who offer the ability to pay using Bitcoin. 

While Bitcoin’s transactions have often been described as anonymous, the coin isn’t entirely anonymous. Yes, Bitcoin transactions are recorded and made public but are linked only with an electronic address. This, therefore, means that whatever you purchase using Bitcoin as a means of payment, the transaction cannot be traced to you specifically. 

Similarly, it’s impossible to identify individuals holding Bitcoins even when having their addresses as their identity isn’t directly linked to the addresses. Nonetheless, there are some loopholes in Bitcoin anonymity, making it pseudo-anonymous.   

Bitcoin Pseudonymity

A clear indicator that Bitcoin is pseudonymous is that anyone can access the permanent record of all transactions as it’s made public. The identity of individuals transacting in crypto is masked with encryption generated by public key cryptography. In each Bitcoin transaction, users are assigned two digital keys: a public key/address and a private key, also referred to as a signature. 

The private key is the most important when it comes to security, as it is a sign that the user has signed off the transaction. The public key functions to indicate the time and amount of transactions. In addition, Bitcoin pseudonymity makes it possible to trace transactions to the user’s IP address and exchange account. 

Encrypted Bitcoin transactions may imply that the transactions can be viewed but cannot be entirely traced to a specific individual. However, Bitcoin’s transaction is not as encrypted as this and can be abused in several ways. 

First, Bitcoin trading exchanges such as Binance, Kraken, Bitfinex, etc., undermine Bitcoin encryption. This is because their KYC and AML policies demand that users provide personal information regarding real-world identities, including users’ two names, phone number, or even users’ IP addresses. This information can easily be retrieved if the exchange is breached. 

Also, most Bitcoin crypto owners have linked their wallets to exchanges making it possible to trace their identities. 

To evidence that Bitcoin’s transactions can be traced, there are companies, notably Chainanalysis, those track crypto transactions suspected to be linked to criminal activities, i.e., Darknet transactions. Chainanalysis has used its Blockchain analysis software and other clues to trace crypto transactions to their real owners. In essence, Bitcoin may claim to be anonymous, but it’s entirely not, and you should strive to remain anonymous. 

Why is it important to maintain anonymity when making crypto transactions?

When you want to remain anonymous when making Bitcoin transactions of the utmost importance, especially when you want to uphold your coin’s security, anonymity may seem of concern to hackers or individuals who want to conduct illegal transactions. Still, it’s essential to any avid crypto user. With increased anonymity, you are not limited to regulations hindering cryptocurrency use and can also enhance and maintain your privacy. 

While maintaining anonymity may be difficult thanks to increased blockchain software and the availability of networks designed to deanonymize users, it’s still possible to keep your anonymity when using cryptos using the below means ( behaviors and technologies). 

1. Bitcoin Mixing-Tumblers/mixers

Bitcoin mixing is a new technique to hide BTC transactions by cutting off each transaction’s links and tracks. As a result, they confuse the trail of cryptocurrency transactions. Mixers and tumblers break the connection between Bitcoin addresses by either using a temporary address or swapping coins with other addresses with the same value. 

They are essentially muddling the transaction address to offer a new start to anonymity. This, in turn, makes it quite challenging to follow the trail of the transaction. There are two types of Bitcoin mixers-centralized or decentralized. The difference is that decentralized mixers obtain the same mixing goals without the central authority overseeing the mixing. 

Some notable practical Bitcoin mixers are Wasabi Wallet, Samourai Whirpool, etc.

2. Adopt Safe Behaviors when Transacting

To ensure anonymity in crypto transactions, you should first adopt safe behaviors. An anonymity loophole you should look out for is giving out personally identifiable information. You should also avoid linking your data or organizational information to the cryptocurrency address or transaction. Most crypto exchanges leak personal data such as IP addresses and other personal information that makes transactions traceable back to you. Adopting safe behaviors will ensure that you maintain some level of anonymity. 

3. Hide IP Addresses Using Tor or VPNs.

VPNs, as well as Tor browsers, can safeguard your identity and also maintain a high level of anonymity. They achieve this by masking IP addresses and hiding users’ data, making transactions impossible to trace transactions.

4. Use New Bitcoin Addresses for Each Transaction

HD wallets provide a means by which you can generate new addresses whenever you intend to receive Bitcoins. New addresses ensure that you remain anonymous, mainly if you transact Bitcoin regularly. Note that Bitcoin works based on a blockchain that is public and transparent. Therefore, anyone with your address can establish how much balance you hold. Therefore, re-using the same BTC address is not advisable as it can compromise security and privacy. 

5. Use a Stealth Address Instead of Publishing a Real Address

Suppose you’re looking for public donations or payments. It will be necessary to publish Bitcoin addresses on public spaces such as social networks or websites. However, this move is not advisable since transactions can be traced to you. Your account balance can also be found. Instead of publishing real addresses, you can use stealth addresses. Stealth addresses facilitate transactions when asking for donations from the public. These addresses allow users to enhance anonymity by masking the user’s actual address, thus preventing analysts from tracking the transactions. 

6. Buy/Sell Bitcoins in Cash

Buying or selling Bitcoins in Cash also offers an anonymous way of transacting Bitcoin. It’s possible to purchase Bitcoin anonymously by not using exchanges. Instead, you can use services such as Localcryptos, which provides anonymous face-to-face interaction integrating Escrow services.    

Final Words

Bitcoin coin symbol
Btc
Bitcoin
$62.547
price
red chart
decrease symbol0.84959%
price change
TRADE NOW

Bitcoin may claim to offer anonymous transactions, but this isn’t the case. Bitcoin anonymity can be described as pseudo-anonymous since it’s possible to trace a transaction’s origin. Nonetheless, Bitcoin’s users can take drastic measures to remain anonymous. 

Previous

Top Places to Spend Your Cryptocurrency

Next

Two Dutch-Nationals Arrested Pending Charges for Apparent Multi-Euro Money Laundering

Written by

561 posts

A part-time trader with a fine eye for detail. Over the years, I have developed an intriguing interest in blockchain technology and enjoy writing about cryptocurrencies.

VIEW AUTHOR

More author posts

How SolidProof Ensures Transparency and Security through Audit and KYC Systems

Solidproof is among the most trusted blockchain security and smart contract auditing companies in the crypto market today. The Germany-based company aims to fix the security and transparency issues smothering the crypto space. But, unfortunately, as the industry attains more progress, so do the opportunities for bad actors to victimize honest investors. According to a yearly report on crypto crimes by Chainalysis, $14 billion of all transactions in crypto in 2021 were associated with scams or money laundering. These figures…

The Importance of Backtesting Crypto Investment Strategies

Crypto backtesting involves running and applying a specific trading strategy to historical market data to evaluate how it would have performed. The analytical method delivers a clear overview of qualified strategies that can be applied in a real-world environment using real capital. The mathematical simulation provided by crypto backtesting is an essential component that traders use to analyze past market data and ultimately develop an effective trading system. The process can empower investors to pick out a crypto strategy that…

aelf Announces Its First Metaverse-Themed Hackathon with Money Prizes

aelf network has announced its metaverse-themed Hackathon, “Top of OASIS,” which will take place on December 12, 2021. The platform encourages all potential participants to advance their project proposals by February 9, 2022. Additionally, aelf will offer full support to all the projects participating in the Hackathon. Developers can register their blockchain projects, including DeFi and GameFi proposals, and compete for spots in aelf's prizes pool. Top of Oasis Hackathon Main Dates Top of OASIS is aelf’s first metaverse-themed blockchain…

Institutional Investors who have Expanded their Portfolio in 2021

Cryptocurrency and blockchain investments from the first nine months of 2021 have surpassed last year's total. In the first half of 2021, the worldwide crypto and blockchain activity was $8.7 million, more than double last year's figures. It is a significant sign that institutional money is streaming into crypto. Furthermore, it increases the investor base, and thus the institutional awareness and knowledge of this sector are also surging. The "institutional adoption" of crypto is already underway. Today we focus on…

Understanding Cardano, IOHK, and EMURGO

Cardano is the first decentralized public blockchain platform developed on a research-first-driven approach. Charles Hoskinson, the co-founder of Ethereum, created it in 2015 and later launched it in 2017. It comprises a development team of global researchers and engineers. This platform's development continued thanks to academics, computer scientists, and their peer-reviewed papers. The Cardano ecosystem involves three founding entities that work together. These partners are EMURGO, IOHK Company, and The Cardano Foundation. Cardano in a Nutshell Cardano is a public…

Billionaires Who Have Publicly Showed Interest in Cryptocurrencies

The cryptocurrency boom of 2017 saw a rise in their acceptance from prominent economic figures. Since then, their volatility has continued significant investments in them. Today there's a push for their global mass adoption. Industry-leading lights and renowned celebrities have expressed their support for the assets. Nothing best captures this reality than Forbes's recent list of the world's wealthiest people. It indicates a growth in the number of crypto billionaires over time. From an asset that courted controversy and skepticism,…

Publish your own article

Guest post article. Guaranteed publishing with just a few clicks

START PUBLISHING ADVERTISE WITH US

Browse categories

Explore trending topics in the crypto community right now.

Bitcoin

SEC Greenlights Multiple Bitcoin ETFs, Signaling Major Leap for Cryptocurrency Markets

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made a landmark decision by approving 11 spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This move represents a significant moment in the cryptocurrency industry, marking a shift towards greater institutional adoption and accessibility for investors. The approved ETFs include products from major firms such as BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, Bitwise Bitcoin ETP Trust, WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund, Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, VanEck Bitcoin Trust, Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin…

Bitcoin Should be Banned in the United States: Charlie Munger

Berkshire Hathaway’s vice chairman, Charlie Munger, called for a ban on cryptocurrency in the United States on Monday, similar to the one in China.  In an op-ed published with the Wall Street Journal, Munger argued that Bitcoin isn’t a currency, commodity, or security, but simply a form of gambling “ with a nearly 100% edge for the house. As such, the enactment of a federal law should ban such things from happening. Munger cited the Chinese communist party’s ban on…

Tesla’s BTC Positions Remained Unchanged in Q4 of 2022

According to a new earning report from automotive manufacturer Tesla, the company did not sell any of its BTC holdings in the fourth quarter of 2022. Amid speculations that the company had traded BTC during the testing bears, CEO Elon Musk revealed it was yet holding on to its BTC stash. Tesla Maintains Holdings After Initial Sell-Off In Q2 of 2022, Tesla opted to sell 75% of all its BTC. The car manufacturer received close to $950M in exchange. Notably,…

Here’s When Grayscale Debates the SEC in Court on its Bitcoin Spot ETF

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has marked a date for when Grayscale and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may present oral arguments regarding the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF.  Each side will present its case at 9:30 am ET on March 7, with the SEC arguing against the product, and Grayscale arguing in favor.  Grayscale VS SEC The court date – revealed in a court order filed on Monday according to CNBC – is much earlier…

MORE ARTICLES

Ethereum

Ethereum’s Zhejiang Staking Withdrawal Testnet for Shanghai is Live

At 15:00 UTC on Wednesday, the much-anticipated Zhejiang testnet for staking withdrawal went live on Ethereum’s Beacon chain. Zhejiang will enable the testing of the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4895 which allows for staking withdrawals. This is in preparation for the network’s next major update, the Shanghai hard fork slated to launch sometime in March. Users Can Make Simulated Withdrawals with Zhejiang In a tweet yesterday, DevOps engineer at Ethereum foundation Barnabas Busa gave details about the Zhejiang testnet slated…

Ethereum Devs Disagree Over Technical Tweak as Shanghai Upgrade Nears

Post-merge Ethereum users have been eagerly awaiting the commencement of the network’s next major upgrade, Shanghai. However, after over 3 months of prep time, it appears the Shanghai rollout isn’t going as smoothly as expected. What Exactly is the Shanghai Upgrade? In September last year, the much-publicized Ethereum Merge also known as the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade went live. Ethereum underwent some significant changes as its consensus mechanism transitioned from proof-of-work to a cost-efficient proof-of-stake system.  However, since the Beacon launch…

FTX Hacker Converts 50k Stolen ETH to BTC

Per a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, the attacker behind the Nov 11 FTX exploit, is converting the stolen ETH to Bitcoin. There were muted fears the seemingly inexperienced perpetrator could dump all its ETH holdings. On Sunday, the attacker dumped 50k ETH on-chain, with ETH's price dipping by almost 7%.  https://twitter.com/chainalysis/status/1594349583416840199?s=20&t=pgvQHeVytI20eKQ1ls9bxw Hacker Moves 50,000 ETH to New Address Over the past week, the perpetrator had been steadily swapping the cryptocurrencies they had carted off for Ether tokens. This…

Censorship Concerns: 51% of Ethereum Blocks Now OFAC Compliant

According to new data, over half of the blocks on the Ethereum network now reportedly comply with the US Treasury OFAC’s standards. This comes roughly a month after the platform’s monumental merge update. Phasing Out Tornado Cash The Office of Foreign Assets Control is the intelligence and enforcement agency of the US  Treasury Department. Indeed, the OFAC administers and enforces US  financial sanctions. A prime example of this is the recent, highly-publicized ban on crypto mixer Tornado Cash.  According to…

MORE ARTICLES

Trading

How to Leverage Arbitrage Opportunities in Crypto Markets

Cryptocurrency arbitrage has become an increasingly popular investment strategy as the crypto market grows and evolves. Arbitrage involves taking advantage of pricing discrepancies between markets or exchanges to profit.  Investors can leverage profit opportunities by understanding cryptocurrency arbitrage while managing associated risks. In this guide, we'll explore cryptocurrency arbitrage and how it works. A Bitcoin-related example will help us illustrate the concepts of this strategy. What is Arbitrage and How Does it Work in Crypto Markets Crypto arbitrage trading is…

The Different Types of Copy Trading in Crypto

Are you interested in trading cryptocurrencies but feel intimidated by the complexity of the process? Copy trading is a great way to get into crypto without needing to be an experienced trader. With copy trading, investors can benefit from the experience and knowledge of more experienced traders, allowing even beginners to succeed. How does copy trading work, and which tips do you need to know to succeed? In this article, we'll explore all aspects of copy trading in crypto. What…

How to Spot an Unsafe Crypto Exchange

Cryptocurrency exchanges have become increasingly popular as they provide a platform for people to buy and sell digital assets. Unfortunately, not all crypto exchanges are safe or reliable.  With the rise of cybercrime and fraud, you must learn to spot an unsafe crypto exchange before investing your money. This guide will help beginners identify and avoid potential risks when selecting a cryptocurrency exchange.  The Role of Crypto Exchanges on the Digital Assets Market Cryptocurrency exchanges play a crucial role in…

What Is Grid Trading in Crypto?

Crypto grid trading has become a popular strategy because of its ability to help traders capitalize on market volatility. Grid trading means you can produce consistent profits by taking advantage of price differences in different markets or time frames. By establishing buy and sell orders at predetermined intervals, you can take advantage of these fluctuations in an automated way. This guide will explore the different aspects of grid trading and provide an overview of its benefits, challenges, and more. Through…

MORE ARTICLES

Tech

Introducing una Messenger: A Paradigm Shift in Blockchain Connectivity

The digital landscape is set for an unprecedented transformation with the introduction of una Messenger, the latest innovation from web3 development powerhouse Wemade. This platform represents an evolution of the "PAPYRUS Messenger," serving as the cornerstone of the ambitious "unagi" initiative, aimed at catalyzing the mass adoption of blockchain technology. The "Unbound Networking & Accelerating Growth Initiative" seeks to bridge the divides between diverse blockchain services and networks, heralding a new era of interconnectedness. A New Frontier in Blockchain Communication…

Bit2Me Champions WEMIX Token in Pioneering European Listing

Bit2Me, Spain's premier virtual asset exchange, has recently broadened the horizons for cryptocurrency enthusiasts by listing WEMIX, the cornerstone token of the WEMIX3.0 blockchain ecosystem. This marks a notable achievement as WEMIX's inaugural venture into the European market, emphasizing the token's role in facilitating a range of blockchain-based activities, from gaming transactions to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Launched with the intention to democratize access to WEMIX for the 450 million Spanish speakers around the globe, this strategic move aligns with…

CryptoVirally Expands with Fresh Crypto Marketing Offers and Cointelegraph Upgrades

In an exciting update for the cryptocurrency marketing landscape, CryptoVirally has announced a series of new entries and enhancements to its already comprehensive range of services. These updates, aimed at providing tailored marketing solutions for crypto projects, include new limited-time offers and expanded options for Cointelegraph publications. Limited Offers: A Game-Changer in Crypto Marketing  CryptoVirally's limited offers section presents an enticing opportunity for crypto projects to leverage high-impact marketing services at discounted rates. These offers, available for a limited period,…

Breaking Boundaries in Blockchain: WEMIX’s ‘una Wallet’ Sets New Standard for Multi-Chain Asset Management

The WEMIX Foundation has unveiled 'una Wallet,' a revolutionary digital wallet designed to offer unparalleled convenience and security in managing digital assets across various blockchain networks. The announcement, made on January 17, 2024, signifies a new era in the seamless integration of multiple blockchain protocols, including Arbitrum, Avalanche, BNB Smart Chain, Ethereum, Kroma, Optimism, Polygon, and WEMIX3.0. 'una Wallet' is more than just a digital wallet; it represents the culmination of WEMIX's innovative efforts in the blockchain space. It serves…

MORE ARTICLES