De-Anonymisation
Definition
The process of linking a pseudonymous address or cluster to a real-world identity. Most commonly achieved through exchange KYC records, but also through IP logs, blockchain explorer account data, and open-source intelligence.
- Goal
- Link a pseudonymous blockchain address to a real identity
- Primary source
- Exchange KYC records obtained via legal process
- Secondary sources
- IP logs, blockchain explorer account data, open-source intelligence
- Field
- Cryptocurrency tracing and blockchain forensics
- Precondition
- Usually follows address clustering to group related addresses first
Common questions
Why is de-anonymisation usually the final step rather than the first step in tracing?+
Investigators typically cluster related pseudonymous addresses together first using heuristics such as common-input ownership, then apply de-anonymisation to the cluster as a whole. Attempting it address by address wastes effort on addresses that later turn out to belong to the same actor.
Can de-anonymisation be done without a subpoena or court order?+
Some of it can, through open-source intelligence such as public forum posts linking a wallet address to a person, but the most reliable source, exchange KYC data, generally requires legal process because exchanges do not release customer records voluntarily.
Related terms
- Attribution Database
- A commercial or law-enforcement dataset that maps known addresses or address clusters to real-world entities: exchanges, darknet markets, ransomware operators, sanctioned individuals,...
- Change-Address Heuristic
- The inference that one output from a Bitcoin transaction (usually the smaller one, to a fresh address) is change returning to the...
- Co-Spend Heuristic
- The inference that when multiple Bitcoin inputs appear in one transaction, all those input addresses are controlled by the same entity, because...
- Mixing (Tumbling)
- A service or protocol that accepts cryptocurrency inputs from multiple users and returns equivalent outputs in a way designed to break the...
- Peel Chain
- A transaction pattern where one large input is repeatedly split, sending most of the value one hop forward and a small remainder...