Academy › Privacy and mixing › Lesson 11
What is a coin mixer? A neutral explanation
Mixing tries to break the public link between where coins came from and where they go.
01The basic idea
A mixer pools coins from many users and pays out different coins, so the public link between deposit and withdrawal is harder to follow.
02Trust involved
Custodial mixers hold your coins for a while. You depend on the operator to pay out and not to keep records.
03Common risks
Fake mixers that never pay out, operators shutting down, and outputs that other services may refuse.
04Not a guarantee
Analysis firms study mixing patterns, and mistakes before or after mixing can undo the intended effect.
Key pointA coin mixer pools and redistributes coins, but it requires trust and carries real scam and legal risks.