Is bitcoin anonymous?

[Ucy]

Bitcoin is not completely anonymous. Moreover, as cryptocurrency enters the business industry. It became more publicized. Even today, cryptocurrency addresses also have their own labels so that they are easy to recognize. Usually this address, loading from a large exchange, such as huobi, bitfinex, binance.

Ofcourse, it's not completely anonymity-friendly but it's important that users can be anonymous atall. I think Bitcoin anonymity is reasonable ok... It would be easy to pinpoint where a leak comes from when you are exposed because it's clear who will have the resource to de-anonimize you. Anonymity is basically part of the design for the purpose of users security in a trustless/permissionless network. We can choose to improve on the anonymity feature in a way that benefits both the user and the community in terms of security

[1714249311]

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[lelahenderson]

Yes, bitcoin is completely anonymous and that’s reason enough for people to believe in it. You will be able to know if someone or something is trying to harm its anonymity. You can make use of a special network or program to keep it safe from the prying eyes.

[bitcoguru]

Bitcoin's increasing value is due to the fact that its popularity has soared in recent years. Bitcoin transactions were fewer than 10,000 in 2009. By January of this year, that number had tripled. The reason for this is that investors think it will hold its value better than some other investments, as well as the fact that it is becoming more popular in Asia.

https://www.gemscode.io

https://i.imgur.com/5qLxkeQ.png

[mendace]

Yes, bitcoin is completely anonymous and that’s reason enough for people to believe in it. You will be able to know if someone or something is trying to harm its anonymity. You can make use of a special network or program to keep it safe from the prying eyes.

In reality Bitcoin is totally public, anyone can check the transactions from the explorer and link an address to an entity if the latter has not been attentive to their privacy.  Bitcoin is a great tool that keeps your privacy safe and anonymous but it all depends on how it is used, if you don't have the skills it can prove to be much more dangerous than you imagine.

[BenCodie]

Just like the security of your coins, anonymity is based on how you interact with the chain.

For example, if you buy coins from a centralized exchange with your identity attached, it will be very difficult for you to detach your identity from those coins.

However, if you use P2P marketplaces to enter and exit bitcoin, your identity is not attached to the coins you transact, therefore your identity is a little more secure.

There is another can of worms regarding the measures you take in securing your network and traffic, as well as your system. These factors also determine the perceived traceability of your transactions.

Some of us in the community are trying to have a Cybersecurity & Privacy board added to the forum for discussions about topics such as the ones I mentioned. If that interests anyone here, I highly recommend supporting the poll in that thread and posting a comment as to why you support the proposal

[witcher_sense]

In reality Bitcoin is totally public, anyone can check the transactions from the explorer and link an address to an entity if the latter has not been attentive to their privacy.  Bitcoin is a great tool that keeps your privacy safe and anonymous but it all depends on how it is used, if you don't have the skills it can prove to be much more dangerous than you imagine.

No matter how careful you are while interacting with the Bitcoin blockchain, it is not possible to escape the necessity of publishing addresses and transferred amounts, which basically means your activity on-chain will be akin to your forum activity, where it is possible to identify the "sender" and find the link between multiple identities or pseudonyms. When you post a donation address, for example, your pseudonyms get attached to each other, and now it becomes possible for an external observer to group multiple payments into one cluster belonging to the same entity. Needless to say that payments associated with real identity implicitly deanonymize all other "pseudonymous" payments from the same cluster, thereby lowering the anonymity set of all participants who interacted with less careful users. In other words, you can't have privacy on a public blockchain if all other users don't care about its preservation. Even privacy-enhancing techniques like CoinJoin or centralized mixing services can't help much if users are careless about protecting their identities and financial data.

[BlackHatCoiner]

For example, if you buy coins from a centralized exchange with your identity attached, it will be very difficult for you to detach your identity from those coins.

Actually, it's quite easy, you just must not move them outside the exchange. If you sell them inside the exchange, get your fiat back to the bank, and close the account, you've detached yourself from those coins.

However, if you use P2P marketplaces to enter and exit bitcoin, your identity is not attached to the coins you transact, therefore your identity is a little more secure.

I'd rather say that you attach much less information than in a centralized exchange. For example, if you sell some bitcoin for fiat in Revolut, both you and the stranger know each other's full name. Unless of course you exchange altcoins, in that case P2P is near anonymous.

[Z390]

Bitcoin can be 100% anonymous if the user knows how to cover his tracks. However I don't think our society needs 100% anonimity. From my observations the average joe does not care much about privacy. Personally the fact that Bitcoin offers a high level of anonymity when making transactions is simply a bonus on top of the more important features like decentralization.

Bitcoin has no anonymity features out of the box like other privacy coins in the crypto space, that's why mixers are born, if Bitcoin is a privacy coin there will be much more hate on this digital currency than what we are witnessing today, Bitcoin will be stamped as a tool for money laundering, the fact that we can trace Bitcoin transaction makes Bitcoin clean from this trash and that's why the Law enforcement are going after Bitcoin Mixer services.

[Agbe]

Op if I may asked what is the different between anonymous and pseudonymous? From your point of view you see them differently but they are not. If someone says that Bitcoin is anonymous that person in the same time also saying that Bitcoin is pseudonymous but you are using them differently without clear explanation. Bitcoin is anonymous or pseudonymous and that is why everyone can use it because it is open to everyone but the service itself is anonymous and pseudonymous and that is why the users of Bitcoin are also anonymous.

[Z-tight]

Op if I may asked what is the different between anonymous and pseudonymous? From your point of view you see them differently but they are not. If someone says that Bitcoin is anonymous that person in the same time also saying that Bitcoin is pseudonymous but you are using them differently without clear explanation. Bitcoin is anonymous or pseudonymous and that is why everyone can use it because it is open to everyone but the service itself is anonymous and pseudonymous and that is why the users of Bitcoin are also anonymous.

This is not true, there is a difference between anonymous and pseudonymous. When you say something is anonymous it means it isn't possible to trace or track that thing at all, or to know that such a thing probably exists, and BTC transactions doesn't work that way, it uses a public ledger that everyone can see, all transactions that have been made in the network can be seen in the blockchain.

But BTC is pseudonymous because even though you can see the transactions on the blockchain, you can't know who performed the transactions and cannot trace it to their real identity. The only way you can trace it to the person's real identity is if they have totally lost their privacy on the network and all their addresses can be connected to them.

[hasitha lakshan]

Who build by bitcoin and why ? i can't understand btc build on the cryptocurrency was invented in 2008 by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. The currency began use in 2009, when its implementation was released as open-source software. The word "bitcoin" was defined in a white paper published on October 31, 2008. What you guys thinking 🤔

I think bitcoin build by "iluminati" because they have a planned named "new world order" btc will be removed peper money forever in the new world only can transection on cryptourrency ..

[hasitha lakshan]

Can make new bitcoin i can touch  😅❤️

[stompix]

Op if I may asked what is the different between anonymous and pseudonymous? From your point of view you see them differently but they are not. If someone says that Bitcoin is anonymous that person in the same time also saying that Bitcoin is pseudonymous but you are using them differently without clear explanation.

Here is the explanation:
https://www.gemini.com/cryptopedia/anonymity-vs-pseudonymity-basic-differences#section-what-does-anonymous-mean-in-crypto

Someone who is anonymous is able to operate or speak in a way that makes them unidentifiable. Someone who is pseudonymous operates or speaks in a way in which they can be identified, but their identification shields who they actually are.

If it were the same thing nobody would be adding "pseudo" to the definition which changes completely the meaning.
I'm amazed that 10 pages into this you come and say it's no difference,  forget the actual trait of Bitcoin, the two words have a different meaning no matter two what they are applied to!

[Agbe]

Op if I may asked what is the different between anonymous and pseudonymous? From your point of view you see them differently but they are not. If someone says that Bitcoin is anonymous that person in the same time also saying that Bitcoin is pseudonymous but you are using them differently without clear explanation.

Here is the explanation:
https://www.gemini.com/cryptopedia/anonymity-vs-pseudonymity-basic-differences#section-what-does-anonymous-mean-in-crypto

Someone who is anonymous is able to operate or speak in a way that makes them unidentifiable. Someone who is pseudonymous operates or speaks in a way in which they can be identified, but their identification shields who they actually are.

If it were the same thing nobody would be adding "pseudo" to the definition which changes completely the meaning.
I'm amazed that 10 pages into this you come and say it's no difference,  forget the actual trait of Bitcoin, the two words have a different meaning no matter two what they are applied to!

I said so because they are used synonymous. They can be used interchangeable. You can the following. https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/224254/whats-the-difference-between-anonymous-and-pseudonymous. I am not from English speaking country but from my research and the small knowledge on terminology and their uses, those two words can be used interchangeable from English perspective and I don't know the forum or Bitcoin side.
I learn from all the angles in the forum. Both English and Bitcoin and other aspects.

[GH2022]

Yes and no.

Yes, you can use it and cover your tracks IF you mix coins and follow basic common sense.

However, if you do something stupid and illegal (like Helen Hewlett: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23284727.dark-web-hitman-trial-killer-website-sham-hears-court/) you will be traced - and also pay for your stupidity.

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

So that further tells us theoretically bitcoin address can be traced back using an IP address or an exchange account.
We should be more concerned about to what level or extent is bitcoin anonymous ?

Anonymous can be interpreted as something that is unknown or simpler language does not have a more clearly identifiable form that is closely related to its security system, apart from other people who may have their own views in providing an understanding of the meaning of anonymous from a different point of view- different. People can only search and find bitcoins, but it is difficult to find and track the owner if it is not related to kyc.

When viewed in a trade that requires kyc, the anonymous nature already has a different value or meaning from his point of view. But basically the nature of bitcoin is anonymous because speaking anonymously in bitcoin is more interpreted as identity security not because it doesn't have a physical form like the others.

[BenCodie]

For example, if you buy coins from a centralized exchange with your identity attached, it will be very difficult for you to detach your identity from those coins.

Actually, it's quite easy, you just must not move them outside the exchange. If you sell them inside the exchange, get your fiat back to the bank, and close the account, you've detached yourself from those coins.

Yes, if you have no intention to actually interact with the ecosystem or hold coins in the long term, then this is viable to an extent. However, it doesn't beat a long list of caveats and limitations that come with this approach.

However, if you use P2P marketplaces to enter and exit bitcoin, your identity is not attached to the coins you transact, therefore your identity is a little more secure.

I'd rather say that you attach much less information than in a centralized exchange. For example, if you sell some bitcoin for fiat in Revolut, both you and the stranger know each other's full name. Unless of course you exchange altcoins, in that case P2P is near anonymous.

Yes, I thought about specifying this too when I made the post. If one does use P2P marketplaces and wants to retain privacy - it should be known that if any transactions include identity, it may compromise the current (and possibly the previous) level of privacy.

[Oilacris]

Can make new bitcoin i can touch  😅❤️

You are just referring into physical gold i guess which is entirely different on Bitcoin and this what makes it unique on which there's no one could be able to control and there's no way on knowing on whose holding it and this what makes it revolutionary and not shocking to be mainly be supported by this huge community.

Speaking about being anonymous then you would really be making yourself completely anonymous on the time that you wouldn't really be touching up centralized platforms.
On the time that you do make out transactions in between crypto and fiat and trying out to make withdrawals via fiat using up these places then you are already
removing out that anonymity which you've been preferring into.

This is the cons on using up CEX but is there any other way on making such fiat transaction? Yes, it would be that on p2p but not all would really be that seeing this to be safe.

[tjtonmoy]

Yes Bitcoin is anonymous! Only if you are able to keep it that way. Established public address? You need nothing to create a software wallet. It could be created in some minutes. If you are really concern about your privacy, then using one and only public address is foolish. In case you are using Bitcoin for daily transactions, there are several wallets providing the service in which it will send Bitcoin from different addresses every time. Why not use that..

If you are a HODLER, you can just get a hardware wallet and use some services like bitcoin mixer to keep your privacy safe. Not because I am wearing a paid signature, it seems more logical to me to do it. After that, just keep HODLing.

So the conclusion is, Bitcoin is anonymous. But it depends on how you are using is and keeping it.