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Topic: When is it a good idea to change your wallet address? (Read 524 times)

donator
Activity: 1218
Merit: 1015
For the sake of privacy, much more so than security, you should generate a fresh receiving address for every single transaction.

The privacy problem is this: when you tell someone your public address, they can now associate you with that address, and monitor how much you have (at that address) and who you are sending money to (if they also have that information). They can also give the information to people or organizations that want to track people and their money.

I don't think there is a lot to be gained by using an address for every transaction since that just replaces the need to associate one address with the need to associate multiple addresses. Furthermore, when you spend the money at those addresses, there is a good chance that they will be used together in a single transaction, and thus be associated with each other and linked to you as a result.
Most major BTC clients support coin control, now, where you select the inputs, minimizing or eliminating the risk of adding "You Taint" to other addresses. This can prevent any association with you, so long as you aren't mixing coins from, say, MtGox, with coins you earned or purchased pseudonymously. I mean - I guess it's up to everyone to decide, but I think once you start using Bitcoin as more than a novelty, you maybe don't want a government or private corporation (like MtGox itself) to be able to find out every single person and business you've transacted with. Idunno where you live, but my government doesn't even need a search warrant for most digital information, so maybe I'm paranoid.

Anyway - in most clients, the implementation is super-easy for the end-user, where you just scroll through a list of addresses you've received coins at, and select the ones you want to send from.
full member
Activity: 164
Merit: 100
The only reason to get a static Bitcoin address is to accept Bitcoin donations while being stuck on static plaintext/HTML or to brag with your shiny unique vanity Bitcoin address.
sr. member
Activity: 281
Merit: 250
If I understand correctly it is good to change your address every now and then to increase security. When is it recomended?

Just keep changing addresses so you can identify every payment. For example for particular faucet I use one unique address, and changing it everytime I request payment
newbie
Activity: 3
Merit: 0
I use a few different wallet addresses, but if I'm ever receiving coins I generate a new wallet, pretty much so I can keep better track on stuff myself.

In terms of a new wallet for every single transaction, seems overly secure! (But maybe that is the best way and I'm just lazy!)
member
Activity: 112
Merit: 10
Ok, thank you!
legendary
Activity: 4466
Merit: 3391
For the sake of privacy, much more so than security, you should generate a fresh receiving address for every single transaction.

The privacy problem is this: when you tell someone your public address, they can now associate you with that address, and monitor how much you have (at that address) and who you are sending money to (if they also have that information). They can also give the information to people or organizations that want to track people and their money.

I don't think there is a lot to be gained by using an address for every transaction since that just replaces the need to associate one address with the need to associate multiple addresses. Furthermore, when you spend the money at those addresses, there is a good chance that they will be used together in a single transaction, and thus be associated with each other and linked to you as a result.
member
Activity: 112
Merit: 10
For the sake of privacy, much more so than security, you should generate a fresh receiving address for every single transaction.

Every transaction!? Wow that's a lot specially if you use regularly faucets. But ok thanks for the tip!
donator
Activity: 1218
Merit: 1015
For the sake of privacy, much more so than security, you should generate a fresh receiving address for every single transaction.
member
Activity: 112
Merit: 10
If I understand correctly it is good to change your address every now and then to increase security. When is it recomended?
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