The Bitcoin tool WalletExplorer, owned by Chainalysis, automatically logs visitor IP addresses and requested URLs containing wallet addresses, sharing this data within the company. Other major explorers like mempool.space, Blockchair, Etherscan, Blockchain.com and OKLink apply substantially different retention and disclosure policies, with storage periods ranging from 10 days to 24 months. In 2021, CoinDesk reported that WalletExplorer IP data associated with Bitcoin addresses was used to generate leads for law enforcement. A search on a public explorer only reveals that an internet connection sought information about a public address at a particular time, without proving ownership or identity of the holder.
Source: Read the original article
