Cryptocurrency privacy ratings
Cryptocurrencies designed for private payments.
5 private cryptocurrencies are rated against 4 public criteria, and 5 have enough evidence for a letter grade. Of the 1 with a known jurisdiction, 1 is based in a Five Eyes country, and 1 in the wider Fourteen Eyes.
Open-source private cryptocurrencies only · Criteria for this category · Suggest an addition · Markdown
| Name | Grade | Score | Data | Jurisdiction | Open source | No trackers or telemetry | No ads or data sales | Independent audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decentralized cryptocurrency and payment network. Every transaction, address and amount is recorded on a public blockchain, so payments are pseudonymous rather than private. |
Grade A | 100 | 100% | – | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Cryptocurrency that hides the sender, receiver and amount of every transaction by default, using ring signatures, stealth addresses and RingCT. |
Grade A | 100 | 100% | – | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Decentralized network where subnets compete to produce machine learning and other digital work, rewarded in its TAO token. All transactions and balances are recorded on a public blockchain. |
Grade B | 80 | 100% | – | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Decentralized blockchain platform for smart contracts and applications, with Ether as its native currency. All transactions and contract activity are recorded on a public blockchain. |
Grade B | 75 | 100% | – | Yes | Partial | Yes | Partial |
Cryptocurrency that uses zero-knowledge proofs to offer shielded transactions, which hide the sender, receiver and amount. Transparent transactions are also supported, so privacy depends on using shielded addresses. |
Grade C | 70 | 100% | United States Five Eyes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Questions
What is the most private option among private cryptocurrencies?
No pick has been made yet. The table above is sorted by score, based on public evidence.
How are private cryptocurrencies rated?
Each entry answers 4 questions: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales and independent audit. Answers need links to evidence. See the full criteria.
Does jurisdiction matter?
Jurisdiction decides which laws can compel a provider to hand over data. Each entry shows its country and whether it is in the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes. The data a provider can hand over depends mostly on what it stores and who holds the keys. Read about jurisdictions and the CLOUD Act.