Translated material
Как выбрать кошелек для криптодонатов
When NGOs and independent media are looking for ways to accept crypto-donations safely, and donors want to support projects anonymously, the first question sounds like this: «What wallet to choose?». Many people are looking for «anonymous wallet without KYC (personality verification)», but in practice they are faced with the fact that privacy depends not on the application, but on blockchain and user behavior.
Удобные кошельки создают публичный список доноров, приватные решения отпугивают массовую auditoriю, а компрозы между безопасностью и узабилити часто неоевидны. Давайте разберемся, что же все-tаки лучше подходит для donatov.
Why the "anonymous wallet" is a myth
Кошелек – simple interface for working with blockchain. He does not make transactions private per se. Privacy is determined by the architecture of the block chain (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash - different networks with different logic of operation), how the user manages addresses, and through which services funds pass: exchanges with KYC, RPC-providers, public nodes.
We're taking MetaMask, a popular browser wallet for Ethereum. There is netKYC, but by default the wallet transmits your IP address and wallet address to the Infura RPC server. Ethereum is transparent by design: every transaction is publicly visible, and anyone can restore a full list of donors.
Three basic problems
1. Ethereum and stablecoins are transparent by design. Any address shows the balance of ETH, cryptocurrency networks Ethereum, and all tokens (USDC, DAI), full transaction history and connections to exchanges. If you collect donations in USDC at one address, you can easily build a detailed donor graph.
2. Zcash is private only when properly used. Zcash has two types of addresses: t-address (transparent - everything is visible) and z-address (protected - hidden sender, receiver and sum). The problem is that many exchanges only support t-address. Esli NKO konvertiruet ZEC в обычные деньги через такую бержу, все входящие потоки можно будет отследить.
3. Bitcoin-privacy-stack technically complex. Bitcoin with CoinJoin, Tor and proprietary nodes can give a very high level of privacy when properly configured. Но ето требует технической диспилины: избегания повторного использования адресов, аккуртного управления транзакциами. One mistake - for example, a withdrawal through the KYC exchange - and you open the entire network of wallets.
«Bitcoin is mistakenly characterized as an «anonymous» currency. At the same time, it is relatively easy to connect people with bitcoin addresses, and using big data analytics, you can connect the address to yourself and get a very detailed picture of a person's transaction in bitcoin.
Andreas Antonopoulos, Blockchain and Security Expert
What works: three scenarios with different balance
🟢 For critically sensitive payments: Bitcoin stack
Риски: требует технических знаний, высокий порог входа для массовых доноров.
Esli vy prinimaete kriptodonaty
- You can use Bitcoin wallets with built-in privacy support: Samourai Wallet (mobile wallet with CoinJoin), Sparrow Wallet (desktop wallet for advanced users), Electrum (light wallet with flexible settings).
- Рекомендуется подключать собственную ноду (full node) – this is a full copy of the Bitcoin blockchain, which allows you to verify transactions without sending data to public servers.
- It's worth working through Tor (anonymous network for hiding IP address).
- Можно использовать CoinJoin. Possible to realize through Whirlpool (service in Samourai) or Wasabi (separate wallet with CoinJoin).
- Important to create a new address for each donation campaign. Reuse of addresses combines all transactions into one graph.
Если вы отправляете криптодонаты
- Можно использовать Bitcoin wallets with CoinJoin and Tor.
- It is worth avoiding the withdrawal of funds from the KYC exchange directly to the NKO address. It connects your personality with donation.
- Рекомендуется варьировать время и summy переводов, чтобы не зоздавать певоденческие патнеры. Регулярные одинаковые действия помогают аналитикам связывать адрес.
🟢 For private donations with a balance of comfort and safety: Zcash
Risks: not all exchanges support z-address, regulatory pressure on privacy-coins.
Esli vy prinimaete kriptodonaty
- It is possible to use Zcash wallets with support for unified addresses (a single address that combines transparent and private components) and autoshielding (autoshielding - automatic transfer of incoming funds to private mode).
- Рекомендуется принимать донаты только на з-адреса, не на t-адреса.
- Стоит предупреждать доноров: если они отправляют с т-адреса и через биржу, которая поддерживает только t-адреса, привятиять теряется.
- If you convert ZEC to fiat, it's important to check if the z-address is supported by the exchange. Many centralized exchanges (Binance, Kraken, and others) work only with t-addresses, and this exposes the whole chain of donations.
If you are sending crypto donations:
- Можно покупать ZEC on the exchange, withdraw it to a wallet with z-addresses, then send NKO z→z transaction.
- If the exchange only supports t-address, it is worth using an intermediate wallet with autoshielding function to transfer funds to private mode before sending.
🟢 For mass donations with an emphasis on convenience: Ethereum and stablecoins
Risks: a full on-chain graph of donations (all transactions visible in the blockchain) is available to everyone, address-screening (checking of addresses for communication with sanctions) and risk-scoring by Chainalysis and similar services, and the wallet with stablecoins can be frozen - read about it in our article .
Esli vy prinimaete kriptodonaty
- Ethereum and stablecoins (USDC, DAI) are suitable for mass donors: almost all exchanges and payment gateways support them.
- Можно использовать кошельки MetaMask , Rabby (browser wallet with improved security for DeFi - decentralized finance) or Trust Wallet (mobile multi-chain wallet) for accepting funds, but it's important to remember: everything is transparent.
- Critically important: if you publish one address for the donation collection on the site, it creates a public list of all donors. Anyone can see who, when and how much he sent.
- Рекомендуется обновлять адрес периодически, чтобы разривать цепочка связей между донорами.
- Стоит добавлять на сайт предупреждение для доноров: «Transactions in Ethereum and stablecoins are visible publicly. If privacy is important to you, use Bitcoin with CoinJoin or Zcash with z-addresses».
Если вы отправляете криптодонаты
- If you use MetaMask, it's important to remember: by default, it sends your IP address and wallet address to the Infura RPC server (a ConsenSys service for connecting to Ethereum) with every transaction. Можно подключить собственный Ethereum-node or another RPC-provider, if it is critical.
- Your address and entire transaction history are publicly visible. If you sent funds from the KYC exchange, analytical companies can associate your address with a person.
- Рекомендуется использовать разные адреса для разных целей: не отправлять донаты с адреса, который связан в вашим личным местродные и бочичим целей.
Почему NKO используют Ethereum несмотря на проблемы с празразностью
- It's easy to send 50 USDC to a donor in 2-3 clicks.
- MetaMask and Trust Wallet provide a simple UX, like a banking application.
- Widgets for donations are already integrated with Ethereum.
Stop-list: what is NOT worth using
🚫 KYC exchange for direct withdrawal/input of sensitive means. Биржи связывают ваш паспорт с адрес кошелька, что раскрывает всю цепочка донатов.
🚫 One address for all donations on the site without transparency warnings. Это создает публичный список всех доноров, доступный налитическим компаниям.
🚫 Zcash t-address instead of z-addresses for private donations. The T-address is as transparent as Bitcoin - if privacy is important to you, use only the Z-address.
Hopefully, this material was useful to you - save it, share it, and use it when working with cryptodonats. And still subscribe to our mailing list, where we regularly talk about how to effectively and safely use crypto-currency in the non-commercial sector — and not only that.
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