Anonymizing transactions is extremely important nowadays. There are a huge number of ways to steal funds through deanon users. Despite the fact that cryptocurrencies provide a fairly high level of privacy, they cannot provide it completely. Bitcoin mixers eliminate the shortcomings of blockchains, making it possible to completely maintain anonymity in the transaction network.
Blockchain Anonymity Is Exaggerated
Blockchain was created as a confidential means of payment that has no restrictions. Bitcoin was the first to do this. No personal data is required, and transactions can be carried out worldwide, without increasing international transfer fees.
Despite all its advantages, bitcoins have a significant drawback. It is pseudo-anonymous. What does this mean?
There is really no need to use personal data in the blockchain. It is enough to have public and private keys and coins directly to conduct a transaction. However, the blockchain itself provides a lot of indirect information that can be used to identify the names of the participants in the operation.
The problem is that each transaction, despite passing through many nodes, records the addresses of the sender and recipient, the amount of coins, and the so-called UTXO. The last two points are of interest directly to the participants, as they give an understanding of the amounts that are stored in wallets.
As a result, attackers use a variety of software, tools and services to identify owners who are interested in their wallets.
Therefore, it is extremely important to cut your connection with the transaction. Bitcoin mixers come to the rescue for this. They are services that use mixing and obfuscation technologies during operations. It is enough to conduct a transaction through them to ensure complete anonymity.
How Does a Bitcoin Mixer Work?
To understand how a Bitcoin mixer works, you need to understand how a transaction occurs. Operations in the blockchain are recorded in blocks along with data on them. Each block includes several transactions, which, when mined, are recognized as valid and reach the recipient.
It is impossible to change or falsify transactions, since they are stored in the blockchain chronologically. When a transaction occurs, it is entered into the blockchain registry - a kind of ledger. Just like in accounting, you can easily determine where these coins were before and who they belonged to.
A special feature of Bitcoin is its identification. Each BTC has its own unique number. Therefore, tracking by address is not difficult.
The transactions themselves display a range of data. Add to this the digital footprint that absolutely everyone leaves on the Internet and even on the blockchain. Together, they make it possible to track the owner of the wallet right up to his real residential address.
The Bitcoin mixer breaks the transaction, replacing both part and absolutely all of the data in the operation, depending on the security level selected by the user.
First of all, the service replaces the coins received from the address. After all, it is through them that it is easiest to track further movement. To do this, the coins are first split into satoshis, mixed with other such parts and new coins are generated.
After the service action depends on the functionality selected by the user. The mixer can send them directly to the specified address or use additional options that the user has chosen:
1. Time delay. Coins will be sent after a set interval. Its variability depends on the service itself.
2. Splitting the amount into several parts. The mixer sends coins in batches from several crypto addresses.
3. Sending to several addresses. The point is that the mixer also splits the sum into several parts. However, it already sends it to the addresses specified by users. As a rule, there are no more than five of them.
These functions can be combined. This makes it simply impossible to track the transaction. In addition, a good mixer uses data encryption methods. It does not require user registration, but issues special codes. When using the latter, the mixer ensures that your coins that you sent before will not reach you again.
Are All Bitcoin Mixers Reliable?
As in any other industry, there are good and reliable service providers, and there are scammers or underqualified ones. This also applies to Bitcoin mixers. The risks of use are extremely high if you are not careful when choosing a service.
A Bitcoin mixer aims to break the connection between the sender and the recipient in a transaction. However, if he has a database of his clients, which displays who sent funds and where, then the whole point of using them is lost.
Fraudsters easily sell this data to third parties, which then leads to the theft of cryptocurrencies from wallets. If the service is not qualified enough, then it is simply not able to provide the level of privacy protection that is necessary. It's enough to hack to get the information you need.
Therefore, it is extremely important to approach the choice of Bitcoin mixer with caution.
How to Choose a Bitcoin Mixer
From all of the above, you can already guess about the main accents that are worth paying attention to. Nonetheless, a more detailed list of parameters to consider when selecting a Bitcoin mixer is provided below:
1. Anonymity. If a service asks you to register to gain access to functionality, avoid it. There is no absolute protection, therefore, any hack will cause your de-anonymization. Not to mention the fact that such services have a database of users, which they can transfer to third parties.
2. Zero logs policy. The bottom line is that your transaction data and connection with the Bitcoin mixer must be completely deleted. Otherwise, there will be the same risks as in the previous paragraph.
3. Security level. All data that connects you with the mixer must be encrypted at the highest level. This will hide your digital traces. There should also be no storage of cookies to improve the user experience.
4. Functionality. The service should provide you with the necessary functionality so that you can completely anonymize your transaction. In this case, these functions must be performed with high accuracy.
5. Commissions. Of course, no one wants to overpay. However, there should be variability here, since a fixed fee is a clear sign of using a mixer. Too low commissions with a large selection of functions should be alarming. This is a sign that the owners of the service make money somewhere else, for example, by selling user databases.
In addition, the mixer should be easy to use and offer various benefits. For example, have an affiliate program or discounts on services. There are services that not only provide this, but also provide special protection through a number of innovative technologies. Thanks to this, the user can receive discounts, but not have a direct connection with the mixer itself.
How is this ensured? The user is given a special encrypted code. It hides all data from third parties. At the same time, the service itself deciphers the code, receiving the necessary information.
Is It Legal to Use a Bitcoin Mixer?
Many people associate Bitcoin mixers with money laundering and illegal activities. In reality, this is a completely erroneous opinion. Chainalysis, a research service, annually analyzes the use of mixers, and it's important to note that the overall volume of such transactions through mixers remains relatively small. This highlights that the majority of mixer users employ them for legitimate purposes, aiming to enhance the privacy and security of their transactions.
There is currently no law that would prohibit the use of Bitcoin mixers to conduct transactions and maintain anonymity in the blockchain. The Constitution of all countries states that every person has the right to privacy. Therefore, maintaining anonymity on the Internet and blockchain is also such a right.
Bitcoin mixers, generally considered legal in many places, can be used responsibly to enhance transaction privacy. It's always good to be aware of your local laws, but for the most part, you can use these tools confidently to secure your crypto activities.
Additional Protection
Turning on a VPN while using Bitcoin mixers can add an extra layer of security to the process. It changes your device's IP address, eliminating one of the most significant types of digital footprint. When visiting different sites, the device leaves data about its IP address. It is assigned to each PC or smartphone by the provider for identification on the network.
Therefore, it is extremely important to hide it from prying eyes. The IP address leaves a significant trace on the network, making it possible to determine a user's actions.
A VPN allows you to change the IP address, essentially pointing to a completely different location of the device. For example, you are in London, and the VPN shows that your location is now in Tokyo. For the entire digital world, this is where you will be, as the IP address will correspond to this region.
Consistently using a VPN can be beneficial for enhancing online security. At the same time, avoid free versions or cheap services. They can introduce malware onto your device and sell databases. VPN payments should also be made in cryptocurrency. This will help maintain your anonymity online.
Top Bitcoin Mixers
The following is a curated selection of the best Bitcoin mixers known for their high-quality services. This list can save time for those who prefer a ready reference. However, do not forget to analyze it yourself to be sure that the service is exactly right for you.
1. Tumbler.io
A young service, Tumbler.io, thanks to its unique technologies, is poised to become the best next year. First of all, it is worth noting that no data is saved here. First of all, it is worth noting that Tumbler.io saves no data. The service supports the No-Log policies. Tumbler.io provides effective mixing through the use of a Tumbler code and temporary freezing of 'new coins'
Additionally, Tumbler.io's Tumbler code is fully encrypted and updated after each use. It works like this:
1. You do the mixing and you are given a code.
2. When reapplying, use this code to avoid receiving your own coins from the previous mixing.
3. At the same time, the user is given a new code
The point is that with each new request the code changes. The service does not store a database of these codes, as all information is directly encrypted within the Tumbler code. In this way, the service ensures that the connection is broken, since after mixing, all data is deleted. When you enter the code, the system will decipher the amount of the deposit and discounts, which are also included in the code itself. All this is stored by the user, which eliminates the possibility of leaking the database on this issue.
Tumbler.io's encryption system employs innovative technology, including RSA encryption. It allows you to encrypt all critical traffic that could be used to track the user. It also prevents the possibility of a man-in-the-middle attack.
A few more features:
• Unique mixing algorithms. Not only the usual mixing is used, but also a hybrid of CoinJoin technology.
• The developers took into account all Blockchair heuristics to ensure maximum confidentiality.
• Full protection from ddosguard.net and other analytical services.
• Transaction details are deleted within 24 hours of mixing.
• Deposit addresses are permanently deleted to prevent the mixer from being compromised.
• A letter of guarantee is provided to fulfill obligations. At the same time, it is encrypted using cryptography methods.
• Wide variability of commissions. The minimum is only 0.4% + network commission.
• The service reserve is 500 BTC.
• Minimum sending from 0.0001 BTC.
At the same time, it offers a wide range of functionality, starting from three levels of protection. Here you can specify up to 10 addresses to receive payments. The delay in dispatch ranges from an hour to three days. You can distribute funds by interest. At the same time, an interactive calculator is provided that will accurately calculate the size of the deposit and payments.
The best Bitcoin mixer Tumbler.io is actively present on Bitcointalk and has its own thread. Provides a user-friendly and responsive website on Clearnet. It is possible to use Tor using a separate link.
There is a detailed FAQ where the user can get the maximum amount of information.
2. Yomix
A young service that was launched this year. However, it has already achieved fame and popularity. Here you can quickly mix coins and use a variety of functionality for anonymity. The service does not save user logs after services are provided.
A version without Javascript is available on the site. The minimum amount for mixing is 0.001 BTC, and the maximum is unlimited. Various address formats are supported: Legacy, SegWit, P2SH and Native SegWit. The commission ranges from 0.7% to 5%, to which a network fee is added. There is also a thread on Bitcointalk. There are plans to expand the capabilities by adding other cryptocurrencies besides BTC.
3. Coinomize
This service stands out for its cost-effectiveness among its peers: the commission ranges from 1% to 5% plus 0.0003 BTC. The minimum amount for mixing is 0.003 BTC. Only one confirmation is required to transfer funds. It is possible to set a time delay for mixing, which increases the level of privacy.
By selecting multiple receive addresses, each will have a random time delay, avoiding the possibility of tracking mixer usage. The service enjoys an excellent reputation online due to its high quality of work, user-friendly interface and prompt transactions.
4. UniJoin
The service uses CoinJoin technology to mix funds. Currently only supports Bitcoin, but plans to expand capabilities to include Ethereum, Litecoin and USDT in the future. Absolutely does not store any logs or data about transactions performed.
Service features:
• Commission varies from 1 to 3%, additional network commission is charged.
• The minimum amount for transactions varies depending on conditions.
• There is absolutely no need to create an account to use the mixer.
5. Blindmixer
This Bitcoin wallet is designed to mix transactions while providing complete privacy thanks to the use of Schnorr circuit technology. Its uniqueness lies in its status as the most private mixing service on the market. However, to use this function, you must create a wallet on this platform.
Important aspects:
• Instantly exchange assets with other users without waiting for network confirmations.
• The wallet works on the principle of custodial storage, which requires trust in Blindmixer to store funds. All users' cryptocurrency funds are stored offline.
• The user has the ability to retrieve his seed phrase at any time.
• The minimum amount for transactions is 100 satoshi.
• There are no commissions for mixing amounts from 0.01 BTC; for smaller amounts the commission is 100 satoshi.
However, Blindmixer has a significant drawback: it is possible to get back some of your own coins due to the nature of the mixing process. All coins are "blinded" and it becomes impossible to determine who owned which of them. If this situation does not suit you, consider other services.
6. CryptoMixer
Bitcoin mixing service CryptoMixer is a platform aimed at serving the needs of its community and strives to gain the trust of a large number of users.
Platform features:
• Use of unique mixing algorithms.
• Providing the ability to mix large amounts thanks to the presence of a reserve of 2000 BTC.
• Low commissions and discount system.
• 24/7 technical support.
• Personalized settings for the percentage of funds distribution and delays in the execution of operations.
• Affiliate program availability.
• Ability to reuse input and output bitcoin addresses.
• Active presence on Bitcointalk.
• Commission: 0.5% + 0.0005 BTC.
• Minimum amount: 0.001 BTC.
• Support for mobile devices.
This platform is one of the most popular Bitcoin mixers. Has a lot of positive reviews.
7. MixTum
MixTum.io, created in 2018, is a Bitcoin mixer that is unique due to its integration with the Jambler.io platform. Unlike typical BTC mixing services, MixTum.io does not mix its own funds in its accounts, but rather uses coins purchased from crypto exchanges. Thanks to this approach and the huge volumes of trading on exchanges, all transactions are guaranteed to remain transparent and flawless. Algorithms built into the system check the purity of incoming coins, ensuring a high level of reliability and security.
Features of the site:
• Money is merged in pools without using special mixing codes.
• The service does not record order identification data and their characteristics.
• The user is not able to set the time frame for mixing products.
• Coins are purchased on exchanges such as Binance, OKX, DigiFinex, Cryptonex and others.
• Each request has unique parameters. The mixer randomly determines the values of time delays (from 1 to 6 hours), selects intermediate wallets, sets the number of output transactions, the commission fee (from 4 to 5% + 0.0007 BTC) and determines what part of the funds will be returned to the user-specified wallets.
• The minimum amount for mixing is 0.005 BTC.
• There is a link to a discussion on the Bitcointalk forum.
When placing an order, by default, two addresses are provided for delivery, but the system also supports individual settings, if necessary. When returning clean coins, the system automatically determines the best option for using an intermediate wallet, from which 10% to 90% of the total amount is transferred. Clear coins are sent through multiple transactions, each of which occurs at different time intervals for different amounts. This method is designed to complicate the process of cluster analysis.
8. Anonymixer
The creators claim that their service provides complete anonymity when using the Bitcoin mixer. Key features include:
• The minimum amount for mixing is only 1 satoshi.
• Commission ranges from 1% to 2%, plus network commission.
• No log storage.
• Ability to use up to 10 addresses for deposits and up to 20 addresses for withdrawals.
• Presence on the Bitcointalk forum.
The service provides a letter of guarantee in PDF and text formats. Working with a resource is possible both using JavaScript and without it, and the second option is considered safer. The site is also convenient for use on mobile devices.
In conclusion, when evaluating the landscape of Bitcoin mixing services, it becomes evident that each platform offers unique features catering to diverse user needs. Amidst this competitive field, Tumbler.io stands out due to its comprehensive approach to security, privacy, and user convenience. The innovative use of Tumbler code technology, combined with a commitment to no-log policies, positions Tumbler.io as a frontrunner in the realm of digital currency privacy solutions.
Furthermore, its user-friendly interface and proactive approach to incorporating user feedback contribute to its growing reputation. While the choice of a mixer ultimately depends on individual requirements and preferences, Tumbler.io's blend of advanced features and steadfast security measures certainly make it a top contender to be considered the best in its class.
