CoinJoin Is Not a Crime: A Technical Primer

CoinJoin is a technique that allows multiple Bitcoin users to combine their transactions into a single transaction, making it harder for outside observers to trace individual coins.

How It Works

In a typical CoinJoin, several participants contribute inputs and receive outputs of equal size. Because the outputs are indistinguishable from one another, blockchain analysis becomes significantly less reliable.

Not a Mixer

Unlike centralized mixers, non-custodial CoinJoin coordinators never take control of user funds. The users retain their private keys throughout the process.

This distinction is central to the Samourai case: the developers are accused of operating a money-transmitting business even though no funds ever passed through their control.