<blockquote>
  <p>Is there a way for companies like chainalysis to see if your on the lightning network?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>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.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>And then from there track your coin movements there?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Coin movements over LN are not easily trackable since not all LN nodes see all LN transactions.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-05T19:48:37.087Z
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
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-05T19:59:18.577Z
I believe that is the case.
Ava Chow
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-05T17:11:05.050Z
2018-04-05T17:11:05.050Z
Ava Chow
<p>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?</p>

<transactions><privacy><lightning-network><tracking><chainanalysis>
Is there a way to link a bitcoin user's transaction to entering a lightning network channel?
Patoshi パトシ
# Is there a way to link a bitcoin user's transaction to entering a lightning network channel?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-05)

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?

**Tags:** transactions, privacy, lightning-network, tracking, chainanalysis


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-04-05. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

> 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.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 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?  
> **username_1**: I believe that is the case.  

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