Top 5 Best Bitcoin Mixers and Tumblers in 2022
Bitcoin’s pseudonymity raises privacy concerns among active bitcoin users as transactions can be linked to a user’s identity through a variety of blockchain deanonymization methods. As a result, more and more Bitcoiners choose to mix their coins using so-called Bitcoin mixers or tumblers.
Read on to find out what bitcoin mixers are, why you should or shouldn’t use them, and a list of the most popular bitcoin mixing services on the market.
What are Bitcoin Mixers?
Bitcoin Mixers is a service that allows you to anonymize your bitcoin transactions by ‘mixing’ them with other users’ bitcoin transactions. This makes it much more difficult for someone to track your whereabouts bitcoin came from or where you sent them to, essentially enabling transactional privacy for Bitcoiners.
There are two types of bitcoin mixers: centralized mixers and decentralized mixers.
Centralized mixers vs. decentralized mixers
Centralized mixers (also called centralized bitcoin tumblers) are operated by a single entity, while decentralized bitcoin mixers are operated by a distributed network of users. Both types of mixers have their advantages and disadvantages. Centralized mixers are usually easier to use and have more features than decentralized mixers. However, they are also more vulnerable to attack and censorship.
Decentralized mixers, on the other hand, are more resistant to attack and censorship, but they can be more difficult to use. However, both centralized and decentralized mixers can help you protect your privacy when using bitcoin.
Which type of mixer is best for you will depend on your needs and preferences.
Benefits of using a Bitcoin mixer
There are several benefits of using a bitcoin mixer.
- Increases your transactional privacy and anonymity.
- Helps you keep your bitcoin safe from thieves or hackers.
Disadvantages of Using a Bitcoin Mixer
There are also some downsides to using a bitcoin mixer.
- The mixer you use can be hacked or stolen, resulting in a complete loss of your coins.
- The mixer may be shut down by the authorities and your bitcoin may be frozen or seized.
- If you use a centralized mixer, you’re putting your trust in a single entity, which can be risky.
Overall, using a bitcoin mixer can be a good way to increase privacy and anonymity when using bitcoin. However, there are some risks involved.
How Bitcoin Mixers Work
Bitcoin mixers work by taking your bitcoin and mixing it with other users’ bitcoin in their pool. This makes it much harder for someone to trace where your bitcoin came from or where they went. The mixers then send you back an equal amount of bitcoin from their pool, minus a service fee.
There are a few different ways bitcoin mixers perform their primary function of increasing bitcoin user anonymity.
Some mixers allow you to specify how many jumps you want your coins to take before they are sent back to you. The more hops, the safer, but also more expensive. Some mixers allow you to set a time delay before the bitcoins are sent back to you, making it even more difficult to trace where they came from. Other mixers have multiple pools that mix bitcoin, making it even more difficult to track a user’s bitcoin.
Nevertheless, remember that mixing your coins does not make them completely anonymous. If someone knows which addresses belong to you, they can still track your transactions.
The main disadvantage of using a bitcoin tumbler is that in most cases you have to trust the provider of your bitcoin tumbling service. If the jar is not honest, they can simply keep your bitcoin and never send them back. Therefore, it is important to only use recognized tumblers.
Fortunately, there are a handful of bitcoin tumblers that have been around for years and have built up a good reputation, some of which we highlight below.
Popular Bitcoin Mixing Services
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular bitcoin mixing services available today.
Wasabi wallet
Wasabi wallet is a popular bitcoin wallet that includes a Chaumian CoinJoin mixer.
Although the site’s servers may technically be centralized, it is cleverly designed so that the operator cannot de-anonymize users or steal funds. Also, the service has a nice user interface to make it clear which coins have been mixed and which haven’t.
Samurai
Samurai offers another popular bitcoin mixing service. The wallet is known for its privacy-centric features, making it the perfect choice for those who want to keep their bitcoin transactions private.
Samourai Wallet, like Wasabi Wallet, comes with a Chaumian CoinJoin mixing service, called Whirlpool. But while the Wasabi wallet is only available on desktop, Samourai is also available on mobile.
Nevertheless, in order for users to make completely anonymous transactions from the wallet and protect themselves from snooping (even from the Samourai team), they must connect the wallet to their full Bitcoin node.
Mixer.money
Mixer.money is a bitcoin blender that divides the funds received from each user into smaller parts and mixes them with other customers. This way you receive untraceable coins to your new address as smaller payments.
The platform uses two hashing algorithms to anonymize users’ transactions, and it deletes all data used in those transactions after 48 hours.
Mixer.money does not require registration and the bitcoin mixing process takes up to six hours. The service supports transactions ranging in size from 0.003 BTC to 50 BTC – and charges 4-5% per transaction plus a small fee for each output address (0.0007BTC). It is also a TOR friendly bitcoin mixer.
Join the market
Join the market is an open source software project that allows users to merge their coins and then trade them back and forth, mixing their history in the process. This makes it much harder for someone to trace where your coins came from or where they are going.
JoinMarket is easy to use and requires no additional setup or configuration. Just download the software and run it on your computer. Once you’ve done that, you can start mixing your coins right away.
One of the great things about JoinMarket is that it doesn’t require you to trust anyone else. The software is open source and all transactions are done directly between users. There is no need to worry about a third party stealing your coins or taking your personal information.
Blind mixer
Blind mixer uses a special method called “blind signatures” to make transactions anonymous. It functions as both a wallet and a centralized mixing service.
The mixer uses its proprietary coin selection algorithms and supports lightning transactions. It also allows users to transfer money between each other instantly and for free.
BlindMixer’s wallet has a standalone application for Windows and Linux. It uses SegWit natively, offers low transaction fees out of the box, and supports Lightning Network transactions.
Should You Use a Bitcoin Mixer?
When it comes to protecting your privacy and security online, there are a few different options available to you. One of these options is to use a bitcoin mixer.
While some believe you should never commingle your bitcoin, others believe it’s a necessary evil.
So, should you use a bitcoin mixer?
The short answer is that it depends.
If you just want to buy goods or services online with bitcoin, there is probably no need to mix your coins. However, if you want to invest a large amount of bitcoin or hold it for a long period of time, you may want to consider using a mixer.
There are a few reasons why you might want to mix bitcoin.
- First, if you are holding bitcoin for investment purposes, you may not want people to know how much bitcoin you have. This can lead to people trying to hack you to steal your coins.
- Second, if you are going to do large transactions with bitcoin, you may not want people to know where the coins come from. This can lead to people trying to track down the source of the coins and potentially steal them.
- Third, if you are concerned about government actions against Bitcoiners, mixing coins can help keep your identity and transactions private.
- Finally, if you just want to add an extra layer of security to your bitcoin transactions, mixing coins can help make it harder for someone to track down your wallet address.
The main risk associated with using a bitcoin mixer is that you trust the service to keep your coins safe and anonymous. While most mixers do their best to keep your coins safe, there is always the possibility that something could go wrong.
There have been cases in the past where mixers have been hacked, and users’ coins have been stolen. Another risk is that if the service goes down, you may lose access to your coins. A possible solution to these problems is to use a trusted decentralized bitcoin mixer.
Although bitcoin mixers can be used for a variety of purposes, such as making it harder for people to track your spending, or increasing your privacy when using bitcoin, there are a few things to keep in mind when using a bitcoin mixer.
- First, remember that not all mixers are created equal. Some have been known to steal user funds, so it is important to choose a reputable mixer.
- Second, mixing your coins will usually cost you a small fee.
- Finally, remember that mixing your coins does not make them completely anonymous. If someone knows which addresses belong to you, they can still track your transactions.
Now that you know what bitcoin mixers are and have a variety of them to choose from, you can confidently start keeping your bitcoin transactions private.
