Tornado.cash is a peer-to-peer anonymity service built on the Ethereum platform. It enables users to hide transaction origins, offering advanced financial privacy.
Unlike custodial mixers, Tornado mixer uses smart contracts that are self-executing and trustless, ensuring that users retain complete custody of their funds at all times. This decentralized design brings transparency and removes any central point of failure or censorship.
The core of Tornado mixer lies in zero-knowledge cryptography, which let users prove without disclosing specific deposit information. This ensures unlinkability between the deposit and the withdrawal.
Thanks to its robust security, Tornado mixer quickly became widely adopted by those seeking on-chain anonymity. It’s used for protecting wallet privacy, among other legitimate needs.
However, this tool has also attracted legal attention from regulators. In 2022, the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC blacklisted the use of Tornado Cash, citing allegations of unauthorized use. Still, the protocol remains active since its smart contracts are unalterable and cannot be taken offline.
Many argue that Tornado mixer is a non-judgmental protocol, much like the internet itself — and that tools should not be blamed, even tornado mixer if some actors misuse them.
Use cases for Tornado mixer include:
Avoiding surveillance on major transfers
Sending donations safely
Avoiding doxxing
As governments around the world push for more monitoring, the demand for tools like Tornado.cash continues to increase steadily. The future of on-chain anonymity hinges on whether permissionless systems will be protected or suppressed.
Whether you're a developer or just someone looking to secure your wallet, Tornado Cash remains a powerful tool in the world of on-chain confidentiality.