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Since lightning channels are offchain. When you send bitcoins to a lightning network node or wallet. Is there a way for companies like chainalysis to see if your on the lightning network? And then from there track your coin movements there?

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Is there a way for companies like chainalysis to see if your on the lightning network?

Not really. Funding a channel will look just like sending coins to a P2WSH address. Closing a channel cooperatively also just looks like that P2WSH address sending to two addresses. This does not tell any outside observer that you are actually using the Lightning Network.

And then from there track your coin movements there?

Coin movements over LN are not easily trackable since not all LN nodes see all LN transactions.

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  • So if a large payment channel like coinbase or some other big exchange opens up a lightning channel and it never closes. You can technically have anonymous bitcoin transactions assuming someone comes up with offchain privacy features?
    – Patoshi パトシ
    Apr 5, 2018 at 19:48
  • I believe that is the case.
    – Andrew Chow ♦
    Apr 5, 2018 at 19:59

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