# What does a bitcoin transaction reveal about me?

> Every amount, every address and how they link together, forever and in public. Chain analysts guess which inputs are yours, which output is your change, and what wallet you used. Your name joins in once one address is linked to you, often through an exchange.

- Web version: https://few.guide/answers/what-a-transaction-reveals.html
- Checked against the Bitcoin Wiki privacy page (https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Privacy) on 19 October 2026

## Steps

1. Paste the txid or address into our explain tool to see what it shows.
2. Use a new receive address every time. Address reuse links all those payments.
3. Use coin control so you don’t merge coins from different sources in one payment.
4. Run your own node, so your wallet doesn’t tell someone else’s server which addresses are yours.
5. Coins bought from an exchange with your ID are tied to you from the start. Plan around that.

## FAQ

**Can people see my balance?**
If they know one of your addresses, they can see what it holds and follow the coins from there.

**What is the change output?**
When you pay, the leftover comes back to you on a new address. Analysts try to spot it, for example by round numbers or address type, to keep following you.

**Does Lightning help?**
Lightning payments don’t appear on the chain one by one. Opening and closing channels does, and the services routing your payments can see some of it.

## Go deeper

- [Explain a transaction](https://few.guide/tools/explain/)
- [Run your own node](https://few.guide/guides/umbrel-bitcoin-node.html)
- [Bitcoin Wiki: Privacy](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Privacy)