Common-input analysis, change identification and gas sponsorship all suggest that separate addresses belong to one operator. Applied carefully this collapses a sprawling graph into a handful of actors.
Applied carelessly — across coinjoins, batched exchange payouts or shared infrastructure — it produces confident nonsense. Good practice records the reasoning behind each grouping rather than presenting it as fact.
Related terms
Onchain tracing
Following value across addresses using published ledger data, and classifying where the trail ends.
Attribution
Linking an address to a real-world service or person, using information from outside the ledger.
Peel chain
A long sequence of transfers that each split off a small amount while the bulk moves on.
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Guides that use this term
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