Is it possible to trace on XMR blockchain?

[Crypto Library]

We all know that XMR, Zcash are popular among privacy coins, and at the same time we also know that in the case of privacy coins, when we make a transaction, the wallet address, transaction amount, etc are hidden.
Basically, in the case of other blockchains, transactions such as those that are publicly visible on the blockchain aren't visible in the case of these privacy coins. Now my question is that if money laundering is done using XMR or Zcash, how are they identified?
Since no transaction or address of the blockchain can be identified, then what technology is used to identify them?
Or is it never possible to identify them if you use XMR? 

[Charles-Tim]

Or is it never possible to identify them if you use XMR? 

Monero transactions can not be traced.

But people should not think they can be 100% untraceable to the government. There could be just a slight mistake from the person. I still remember few years ago that a monero transaction was traced and linked to someone. No one knew how it was traced and not definitely through the blockchain but probably through the person's mistake.

[Crypto Library]

Or is it never possible to identify them if you use XMR? 

Monero transactions can not be traced.

But people should not think they can be 100% untraceable to the government. There could be just a slight mistake from the person. I still remember few years ago that a monero transaction was traced and linked to someone. No one knew how it was traced and not definitely through the blockchain but probably through the person's mistake.

Can you please more elaborate on the incident like any source where I can see the details? Here my question is how is it possible to trace them if you don't even know the wallet address or the amount?
In this case, I think it's not possible to know anything about it until you get access to that person's wallet.

But yes, I understand at least this much that the government of their country can catch those who commit money laundering or those who are associated with crime, if they want, but not through Monero tracing, but when that person spends his money, like when he spends the money, the government can basically catch him if they investigate where his money comes from.

[Charles-Tim]

Can you please more elaborate on the incident like any source where I can see the details? Here my question is how is it possible to trace them if you don't even know the wallet address or the amount?
In this case, I think it's not possible to know anything about it until you get access to that person's wallet.

This is an example that I found out about which was a post in 2024: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5509696.msg64550340

I was unable to see the one that I am referring to because I thought I also commented on the thread at the time, but maybe it is as there are some threads that I may read and not join in the discussion.

[Kavelj22]

Can you please more elaborate on the incident like any source where I can see the details? Here my question is how is it possible to trace them if you don't even know the wallet address or the amount?
In this case, I think it's not possible to know anything about it until you get access to that person's wallet.

This is an example that I found out about which was a post in 2024: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5509696.msg64550340

It is not a method to make monero transaction traceable in general mean. Chainanalysis run many monero nodes around the world and was able to collect not so much data from the transactions. Only timestamps and maybe ip information can be traced which is not a vulnerability in the monero blockchain itself but a method that can be done with the blockchains. Just running your own node can protect you from traceability used by this method. Governments with the help of blockchain analysis companies can trace the one who does the first mistake like using any centralized service with his monero. Otherwise, running a private node can help avoid all kinds of troubles.

[Crypto Library]

Can you please more elaborate on the incident like any source where I can see the details? Here my question is how is it possible to trace them if you don't even know the wallet address or the amount?
In this case, I think it's not possible to know anything about it until you get access to that person's wallet.

This is an example that I found out about which was a post in 2024: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5509696.msg64550340

It is not a method to make monero transaction traceable in general mean. Chainanalysis run many monero nodes around the world and was able to collect not so much data from the transactions. Only timestamps and maybe ip information can be traced which is not a vulnerability in the monero blockchain itself but a method that can be done with the blockchains. Just running your own node can protect you from traceability used by this method.

The whole thing is still very complicated for me, and I still don't understand how IP can be traced. You say that you can't trace if you run your own node, but again, I saw another person's post there, if you use their node instead of using TOR, IP trace is possible.

Governments with the help of blockchain analysis companies can trace the one who does the first mistake like using any centralized service with his monero. Otherwise, running a private node can help avoid all kinds of troubles.

As far as I know that in the case of Monero, Monero Ring Signature and RingCT are used to keep the data of the transaction amount and the coins sent secret, so how will they actually trace it here? Even if someone uses it on a centralized platform, like if they don't use the amount more than once, they use it little by little, then it shouldn't be possible to catch it.

[hugeblack]

On-chain, Monero (XMR) transactions are untraceable and highly private, but you may be tracked via metadata and exchanges, IP addresses, or by using a closed-source wallet to manage XMR transactions. Therefore, unless you are careful, any mistake could lead to your accounts being tracked.

[asriloni]

Monero is actually untraceable. I remember back IRS made a bounty to trace monero transaction, and you know what? IRS ended in using off-chain transaction to trace it. Their bounty to trace monero didn't work.

The blockchain firm such as chain analysis who claimed able to trace monero never proven their work to public. So it's basically untraceable and blockchain forensic who claimed they could trace monero was actually BS.

On-chain, Monero (XMR) transactions are untraceable and highly private, but you may be tracked via metadata and exchanges, IP addresses, or by using a closed-source wallet to manage XMR transactions. Therefore, unless you are careful, any mistake could lead to your accounts being tracked.

Using VPN + tor makes it not possible to track through IP. So i guess not many people were stupid enough by connecting to monero using their real IP.

[blek5000]

One distinction that gets lost here is blockchain tracing versus linking a transaction to a person. Monero is designed to hide the amount and obscure sender/recipient links on-chain: RingCT, stealth addresses and ring signatures each cover a different part of that picture. That does not make every surrounding record disappear; exchange records, wallet/device data or other identity links are a separate source of attribution. So “untraceable” is too broad, but a claim that a firm traced a specific transfer also needs evidence of what was actually observed. People are often arguing about different meanings of “trace” without noticing it.