Computing in Kent

  A study of user experiences and network analysis on anonymity and traceability of bitcoin transactions  M A Hannan Bin Azhar and Robert Vause Whitehead  School of Engineering, Technology and Design, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK This paper investigates the anonymity of bitcoin transactions and the significance of awareness of the technology by bitcoin users, alongside their experiences in tracing transactions. Bitcoin enables users to carry out transactions anonymously with the virtual currency they possess without unveiling where the real-world source of the income has come from. These transactions may occur without revealing the location or any personal identifiable information of the person who is sending or receiving bitcoin. While there are existing surveys which test bitcoin user’s awareness of the technology, they do not focus on bitcoin user’s own experience using the technology in terms of tracing transactions and use of anti-forensic tools to increas...