Public Blockchain Analysis Sites (to check transaction history)

[1miau]

Few weeks ago, someone asked in our German local board, how we can take advantage for following transactions because as we know, all Bitcoin transactions are public (pseudonymous). For example, he wanted to purchase Bitcoin P2P from a seller but he didn't know where the Bitcoin comes from and if the seller lies to him.
Now, he could ask the seller where it's from but obviously, the seller could lie to him, even provide fake "proof".
Luckily, we have a public Blockchain and it can help us a lot to identify if Bitcoin is from shady sources and prove if the seller lies to us.

Unfortunatley, it's very difficult for average people to figure it out.
Most people are not coders and we don't have access to professional Blockchain analysis, like Chanalysis has, of course.
But I believe, we have at least some basic sites, where it's possible to look up the transaction history, like oxt.me (but even here, we need to create an account and log in (I didn't try it so far)).

Do you know some decent sites, where we can look up such information, like a public Blockexplorer?
After all, the Blockchain is public, so I'm sure, some sites will be available (or at least some more sites should come up, when Blockchain analysis gets more professional).

If you know some sites, we would be happy if you can link it below.  

[decodx]

If you know some sites, we would be happy if you can link it below. 

I sometimes like to check on Glasschain (https://glasschain.org/) for this purpose. Also, WalletExplorer.com might give you some information as well.
These websites can be handy for your research and data analysis needs.

[Zaguru12]

Here is a site https://www.walletexplorer.com/ that actually gives all transactions related ti address and also addresses linked to the searched address and also groups address to their wallets and if the wallet is named like that of a company it would show. I actually saw it one time on this forum. Heard the developer works for chainalysis now

[Turbartuluk]

Few weeks ago, someone asked in our German local board, how we can take advantage for following transactions because as we know, all Bitcoin transactions are public (pseudonymous). For example, he wanted to purchase Bitcoin P2P from a seller but he didn't know where the Bitcoin comes from.
Now, he could ask the buyer where it's from but obviously, the buyer could lie to him, even provide fake "proof".
Luckily, we have a public Blockchain and it can help us a lot to identify if Bitcoin is from shady sources.

Unfortunatley, it's very difficult for average people to figure it out.
Most people are not coders and we don't have access to professional Blockchain analysis, like Chanalysis has, of course.
But I believe, we have at least some basic sites, where it's possible to look up the transaction history, like oxt.me (but even here, we need to create an account and log in (I didn't try it so far)).

Do you know some decent sites, where we can look up such information, like a public Blockexplorer?
After all, the Blockchain is public, so I'm sure, some sites will be available (or at least some more sites should come up, when Blockchain analysis gets more professional).

If you know some sites, we would be happy if you can link it below. 

As i already mentioned on the german Board i tried my first steps with oxt.me which has called my attention due to this Video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nAezK4L5Ias

Trashmail is sufficiant to use that service.

[LoyceMobile]

Bitcoin is fungible. Like cash, whatever it was used for before you owned it doesn't matter.

The idea of "taint" goes against everything Bitcoin stands for. It's something we need to fight for Bitcoins existence.

[bananaunana]

I only know Etherscan, a very good site for Ethereum: https://etherscan.io/

We can enter any Ethereum address and it shows transactions like outgoing from Binance 1 or Binance 2 (it's a hot wallet of Binance, sending transactions out). Such feature is very helpful for us to have a better and more transparent overview, where a transaction is from.
But it is only for Ethereum.

I don't know any site for Bitcoin.

[1miau]

I sometimes like to check on Glasschain (https://glasschain.org/) for this purpose.

Here is a site https://www.walletexplorer.com/ that actually gives all transactions related ti address and also addresses linked to the searched address and also groups address to their wallets and if the wallet is named like that of a company it would show.

Many thanks for sharing.
Compared to how many Blockexplorer sites are available, I’m quite surprised than only very few sites are avaible to explore Blockchain / Address history.
Let's hope such sites like oxt.me will get more common as Blockchain evaluation advances as well.

Maybe someone still knows a rare site, we don't know yet. 

As i already mentioned on the german Board i tried my first steps with oxt.me which has called my attention due to this Video:

From what I've seen so far, oxt.me seems to be the most advanced one but hopefully, some more sites will be available. It would be very helpful al least.

But it's really disappointing that it needs a sign up. When quickly checking an address, it would be more helpful if it doesn't require a login.
I don't even know what this strange log in should achieve. I wouldn't mind to have ads on such a site, if the site wants to make a profit... 

[MusaMohamed]

But it's really disappointing that it needs a sign up. When quickly checking an address, it would be more helpful if it doesn't require a login.
I don't even know what this strange log in should achieve. I wouldn't mind to have ads on such a site, if the site wants to make a profit...  

I agree that sign in with an account to use a block explorer is uncomfortable.

I tried searching and found most of websites that requires an account to use their forensic blockchain analysis. Two websites I can share, free to use, no sign in.
Four tabs: Address, Inflow, Outflow, Money flow: https://explorer.bitquery.io/bitcoin/address
https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com with two features: Transaction history (need a Demo account to use Connections, Mentions tabs); Visualization (free to use)
https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com/address/
https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com/visualization/new/
Copy and paste an address at the end of url links to use.
With an account to use but I know you don't like them.
https://www.coinfirm.com/products/blockchain-investigations/
https://www.elliptic.co/solutions/crypto-wallet-screening
https://ciphertrace.com/
https://www.trmlabs.com/products/transaction-monitoring
https://uppsalasecurity.com/trackingsvc/

[apogio]

Hi guys. Without spoiling the discussion, let me share my personal view on the subject.

I dislike companies that do analysis on the Bitcoin's blockchain. I don't use them for any reason. I just run my own mempool instance on top of my node and I use this to "check" where my funds come from.

Instead of trying to verify whether my P2P's funds origins are trustworthy, I follow these steps:

Let's say I receive UTXO A from someone.

1. I have a hot wallet dedicated to bitcoin mixing and coinjoins.
2. The UTXO A does several coinjoins. The piece of the UTXO that remains non-coinjoined, I just sell it for FIAT.
3. I would never mix UTXO A with another UTXO from other source.
4. Once I get multiple mixes I send the UTXOs that are created to separate addresses.

The reason I say this, is that I believe this makes Chain Analysis a bit harder. (And I like that  )

[o_e_l_e_o]

For example, he wanted to purchase Bitcoin P2P from a seller but he didn't know where the Bitcoin comes from and if the seller lies to him.

I don't see how using block explorer websites is going to help here. Is he going to ask the seller to identify the specific UTXOs they are going to trade with prior to the trade? And then what happens if the seller uses other UTXOs instead? He's not going to be able to reverse the trade because he doesn't like where those UTXOs come from.

I would also say that I have traded bitcoin peer to peer, a lot, and never once cared in the slightest where the bitcoin I am buying comes from, just as I do not care in the slightest where the cash I receive comes from. I'm not going to spend my cash anywhere that looks at the serial numbers of the bills and decides to refuse my cash because it was once used to commit a crime, and I'm not going to spend my bitcoin anywhere that looks at the on chain history of that bitcoin and decides to refuse it.

The solution to your friend's problem is not to start attempting to investigate specific UTXOs before he has even bought them. The solution is to identify why he wants to do this and which services he is using which are placing artificial and arbitrary restrictions on his coins, and find and use alternatives instead. Alternatively, everything he buys P2P goes straight in to Whirlpool or JoinMarket to completely obfuscate its history.

[Synchronice]

Seriously, since when do we have to investigate the past of our coins/money? Should I buy a dog and hire a dog trainer to check absolutely every banknote that I receive, whether does it has traces of cocaine or not? Since when did that become my duty or anyone's duty? That makes no sense. When I receive cash, that cash can be used by top criminals but does that mean that if there is a trace of their fingerprint on my cash it should get confiscated, I should be left without money and face a jail? C'mon guys.

To be honest, paid blockchain analyses have serious problems too and they don't function properly. And I bet none crypto related company will ban you if you receive coins from someone who has mixed it or has done some small shit, even if that's the case. By the way, if you type wallet address on Blockchain.com, you'll see that some of them are tagged with a name, i.e. wallet X belongs to Mt. Gox.

The solution to your friend's problem is not to start attempting to investigate specific UTXOs before he has even bought them. The solution is to identify why he wants to do this and which services he is using which are placing artificial and arbitrary restrictions on his coins, and find and use alternatives instead. Alternatively, everything he buys P2P goes straight in to Whirlpool or JoinMarket to completely obfuscate its history.

This is actually the best response here!

[Wind_FURY]

OP, this explorer could be a good addition for your research, https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com/

Bitcoin is fungible. Like cash, whatever it was used for before you owned it doesn't matter.

The idea of "taint" goes against everything Bitcoin stands for. It's something we need to fight for Bitcoins existence.

Although "taint" from the network's viewpoint DOES NOT exist, I believe such arguments in your post are in denial of what could actually happen to you in practice. Try making a deposit in Coinbase with UTXOs you received from a Dark Market user. Therefore "taint" from the real world's viewpoint is real, and because Bitcoin is easy to track, each Satoshi has a "history" and a "context" because any entity can put "taint" labels in them.

[o_e_l_e_o]

Try making a deposit in Coinbase with UTXOs you received from a Dark Market user.

Solution: Don't use Coinbase! Aside from being anti-bitcoin, anti-privacy, anti-fungibility, and pro-censorship, they are deeply unethical, support attacks on bitcoin, sell your data, report you to your government, work with a variety of government agencies, insider trade against you, employ literal human rights' abusers, and will arbitrarily freeze your account and seize your coins with no warning and no recourse. Why anyone would voluntarily use them is far beyond me.

Therefore "taint" from the real world's viewpoint is real

Taint from Coinbase's view is real. Don't use Coinbase and whatever they classify as tainted does not matter to you in the slightest. I have a bunch of coins which I'm sure various centralized exchanges would class as tainted, but I don't give it a moment's thought and it doesn't affect me in the slightest because I choose not to support such anti-bitcoin and anti-freedom businesses. There are more privacy respecting alternatives available than ever before.

[BlackHatCoiner]

Therefore "taint" from the real world's viewpoint is real, and because Bitcoin is easy to track, each Satoshi has a "history" and a "context" because any entity can put "taint" labels in them.

"Taint" is subjective. The objective viewpoint is to treat every coin equally, just as you would with cash. The ledger provides coin history, but beyond that it's utter guesswork to determine who owns it, what was exchanged etc. But, deeming mixed coins as "tainted", which is known practice by Coinbase, is insane. You cannot even argue the coins have "bad history", because it is completely erased in the first place. Mixed coins are indistinguishable; deeming them "bad", just because there is an x probability of being owned by a criminal is insane.

[1miau]

I tried searching and found most of websites that requires an account to use their forensic blockchain analysis. Two websites I can share, free to use, no sign in.
Four tabs: Address, Inflow, Outflow, Money flow: https://explorer.bitquery.io/bitcoin/address
https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com with two features: Transaction history (need a Demo account to use Connections, Mentions tabs); Visualization (free to use)
https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com/address/
https://explorer.crystalblockchain.com/visualization/new/
Copy and paste an address at the end of url links to use.

Great list, I'll check out each one when I've some more time.  

With an account to use but I know you don't like them.
https://www.coinfirm.com/products/blockchain-investigations/
https://www.elliptic.co/solutions/crypto-wallet-screening
https://ciphertrace.com/
https://www.trmlabs.com/products/transaction-monitoring
https://uppsalasecurity.com/trackingsvc/

Yes, account requirement is very unfortunate and some even seem to be very hard to access (pay?) but it's still great to have a list from various sites.
+1
 

For example, he wanted to purchase Bitcoin P2P from a seller but he didn't know where the Bitcoin comes from and if the seller lies to him.

I don't see how using block explorer websites is going to help here.

Yes, a simple Blockexplorer doesn't help much here, especially for Newbies.
That's why I'm searching a site like oxt.me (or even better), where also a Newbie can make a check.

Is he going to ask the seller to identify the specific UTXOs they are going to trade with prior to the trade?

He was just planning to look up, if it's a legit seller or if the seller lied to him.
Because if the seller lied, it's a big red flag.

And then what happens if the seller uses other UTXOs instead?

That's no issue because from what I've read, the buyer was going to request which UTXO's are for sale (or at least from which address it's coming from), the seller sends his address, where the BTC is coming from and then, he (the buyer) could check on his own if he wants to make a purchase or not.
By doing so, he would ask the buyer, where the BTC is from. Then, the seller tells him and the buyer could look up (by receiving the public address), if the seller has lied to him (by verifying it on the Blockchain).
It's a great strategy in my opinion because if the seller is not a legitimate one or has something to hide, the buyer could catch him lying and avoid him for a deal.

He's not going to be able to reverse the trade because he doesn't like where those UTXOs come from.

If he's getting other BTC than previously agreed to, then he could refuse to pay.
Of course, all details need to be agreed in advance.  

The solution to your friend's problem is not to start attempting to investigate specific UTXOs before he has even bought them. The solution is to identify why he wants to do this and which services he is using which are placing artificial and arbitrary restrictions on his coins, and find and use alternatives instead. Alternatively, everything he buys P2P goes straight in to Whirlpool or JoinMarket to completely obfuscate its history.

Investigating UTXOs is in his best interest and I definitely trust him (the buyer), that he's not a criminal.
He seemed very legitimate.
Of course I've not asked him what he's planning to do with his purchased Bitcoin, as it's not really my business.
He seemed legitimate and just wanted to make sure that he's not getting ripped off by a Darknet dealer.

Seriously, since when do we have to investigate the past of our coins/money? Should I buy a dog and hire a dog trainer to check absolutely every banknote that I receive, whether does it has traces of cocaine or not?

Well, cash is not based on a public Blockchain.  
That's a big difference and we all know these shady Darknet criminals who are trying to rip off inexperienced people with any sort of bullshit. Trying to get rid of stolen or hacked coins is definitely an issue and Newbies are an easy target. Unfortunately, P2P is very affected by shady actors and that's really sad because P2P is very important in my opinion.

To be honest, paid blockchain analyses have serious problems too and they don't function properly.

After all, I believe that these sites should be accessible to anyone because such information is public anyways. It's just a cash grab.
Hopefully, some sites will remove their access restrictions and then, the remaining, restricted sites can see how it goes...  
It's like paying for a Blockexplorer, 100% bullshit.

By the way, if you type wallet address on Blockchain.com, you'll see that some of them are tagged with a name, i.e. wallet X belongs to Mt. Gox.

Yeah, I hope this will get more common for known exchange addresses. When someone claims "hey my BTC is from Binance", we could easily check it ourselves.

[o_e_l_e_o]

He was just planning to look up, if it's a legit seller or if the seller lied to him.

The history of the coins being sold is not correlated with the legitimacy of the seller. As I said, I'm certain I've bought and sold plenty of coins which would be classed as "tainted", but I have never scammed anyone.

Because if the seller lied, it's a big red flag.

Why would the seller even know the history of the coins being sold? I don't know the history of any of my coins, nor do I care.

That's no issue because from what I've read, the buyer was going to request which UTXO's are for sale (or at least from which address it's coming from), the seller sends his address, where the BTC is coming from and then, he (the buyer) could check on his own if he wants to make a purchase or not.

If I was doing a trade and the other party said "Send me your address/UTXO before we trade so I can spy on your coins", I'd simply end the chat and find another person to trade with.

If he's getting other BTC than previously agreed to, then he could refuse to pay.

Then he will be at fault for failing to complete the trade. He'll either lose his security deposit or be banned from the platform, depending on the P2P platform being used.

[1miau]

He was just planning to look up, if it's a legit seller or if the seller lied to him.

The history of the coins being sold is not correlated with the legitimacy of the seller.

Well, we don't know if it's a scammer / Darknet dealer / criminal or even a hacker himself who's going to sell it instead of an innocent person.
We just don't know it - until we meet.  

As I said, I'm certain I've bought and sold plenty of coins which would be classed as "tainted", but I have never scammed anyone.

No doubt, there are different "tiers of tainted".  

Because if the seller lied, it's a big red flag.

Why would the seller even know the history of the coins being sold? I don't know the history of any of my coins, nor do I care.

Because he's owner of the coins.
If he doesn't know, what happened before to these (if he's honest), it's also helpful for the seller. (and even then, the buyer could try to look it up via oxt.me (or similar).

That's no issue because from what I've read, the buyer was going to request which UTXO's are for sale (or at least from which address it's coming from), the seller sends his address, where the BTC is coming from and then, he (the buyer) could check on his own if he wants to make a purchase or not.

If I was doing a trade and the other party said "Send me your address/UTXO before we trade so I can spy on your coins", I'd simply end the chat and find another person to trade with.

It shouldn't be any issue because if purchased, the buyer could "spy"* as well, because he'll get to know the address anyways.

* I wouldn't  call it "spying", "spying" sounds more like with bad intentions, while the buyer can be 100% friendly, without any sinister intent.

If he's getting other BTC than previously agreed to, then he could refuse to pay.

Then he will be at fault for failing to complete the trade. He'll either lose his security deposit or be banned from the platform, depending on the P2P platform being used.

If it's agreed to in the deal, a breach would certainly lead to "a negative trust" (to talk with Bitcointalk.org terms).  
And I mean face to face P2P, meet in real life (anonymous) and make a trade, which he wanted to do.  
Maybe this important part got unnoticed (or I've not mentionet it clearly enough).

[o_e_l_e_o]

Well, we don't know if it's a scammer / Darknet dealer / criminal or even a hacker himself who's going to sell it instead of an innocent person.

That's kind of my point. Looking at the history of the coins being sold doesn't tell you anything about the person selling them.

Because he's owner of the coins.

Do you know the history of every satoshi you own? I very much doubt anyone knows this.

It shouldn't be any issue because if purchased, the buyer could "spy"* as well, because he'll get to know the address anyways.

Yes, but that's different. If someone is trading with me, then of course they will see the address I sent coins from (although those coins will be either mixed or coinjoined, so they will learn nothing anyway). But someone who I might not be trading with asking me to reveal to them my address(es) so they can perform some kind of rudimentary blockchain analysis on them and then maybe not trade with me at all? I've just lost some privacy for absolutely no benefit to me. So I would pass and find a different buyer.

* I wouldn't  call it "spying", "spying" sounds more like with bad intentions, while the buyer can be 100% friendly, without any sinister intent.

But that's exactly what it is. He wants to spy on the coins he is going to receive to see if they are "good enough" for him.

If you are that worried about the history of coins you buy P2P, then just mix or coinjoin everything you receive. Simple.

[Wind_FURY]

Try making a deposit in Coinbase with UTXOs you received from a Dark Market user.

Solution: Don't use Coinbase! Aside from being anti-bitcoin, anti-privacy, anti-fungibility, and pro-censorship, they are deeply unethical, support attacks on bitcoin, sell your data, report you to your government, work with a variety of government agencies, insider trade against you, employ literal human rights' abusers, and will arbitrarily freeze your account and seize your coins with no warning and no recourse. Why anyone would voluntarily use them is far beyond me.

Therefore "taint" from the real world's viewpoint is real

Taint from Coinbase's view is real. Don't use Coinbase and whatever they classify as tainted does not matter to you in the slightest. I have a bunch of coins which I'm sure various centralized exchanges would class as tainted, but I don't give it a moment's thought and it doesn't affect me in the slightest because I choose not to support such anti-bitcoin and anti-freedom businesses. There are more privacy respecting alternatives available than ever before.

A practical solution for you as a user, yes. But a solution from the perspective that "each Satoshi has a history and therefore a context", no. We need different layers of methods as a solution. Perhaps, Lightning + Mixers + CoinJoins?

Therefore "taint" from the real world's viewpoint is real, and because Bitcoin is easy to track, each Satoshi has a "history" and a "context" because any entity can put "taint" labels in them.

"Taint" is subjective. The objective viewpoint is to treat every coin equally, just as you would with cash. The ledger provides coin history, but beyond that it's utter guesswork to determine who owns it, what was exchanged etc. But, deeming mixed coins as "tainted", which is known practice by Coinbase, is insane. You cannot even argue the coins have "bad history", because it is completely erased in the first place. Mixed coins are indistinguishable; deeming them "bad", just because there is an x probability of being owned by a criminal is insane.

From the viewpoint of the network, "taint" doesn't exist. But in real world, because the blockchain is transparent, then our UTXO history could be studied, analyzed, and "labeled". You could argue that it's subjective, but some of their history in the blockchain are based on facts. If a Satoshi actually went through an address that's verified active in the Dark Markets, then those UTXOs are "tainted".

[NotATether]

Seriously, since when do we have to investigate the past of our coins/money? Should I buy a dog and hire a dog trainer to check absolutely every banknote that I receive, whether does it has traces of cocaine or not? Since when did that become my duty or anyone's duty? That makes no sense. When I receive cash, that cash can be used by top criminals but does that mean that if there is a trace of their fingerprint on my cash it should get confiscated, I should be left without money and face a jail? C'mon guys.

I'll show you something even worse than that and that is your bank account balance.

You got no way to check whether the bank is using the money in your and other people's accounts to help people do money laundering in return for a fat paycheck.

Although to the government's credit, they know that investigating people solely because the money that they withdrew from the bank has traces of bank-sanctioned money laundering is a waste of time because it was not their fault to begin with.