[capableweb]

> If I can't get Bitcoin anonymously, how is the promise of crypto still valid for newcomers

The promise of Bitcoin was never "You are able to be anonymous" since one of the core features of it is a distributed public ledger of all transactions on the network. It goes against the fundamental idea of Bitcoin, that everything is public.

Other cryptocurrencies have made "You are able to be anonymous" a core feature in their protocols, see zCash or Monero for example. But most cryptocurrencies go with how Bitcoin implemented things, meaning everything is public.

One of the core value propositions of Bitcoin (and most cryptocurrencies) has always been "If you own the keys and can connect to the network, no one can stop you from making a transaction".

[qeternity]

> It goes against the fundamental idea of Bitcoin, that everything is public.

Anonymous doesn't mean invisible, it means without connection to an identity.

The only identity that you have on chain is an address, which most people would consider equivalent to anonymity.

[capableweb]

In order to broadcast a transaction, you need to be connected to the network, which requires a IP, which I'd consider part of identity.

If that identity belongs to your ISP or a VPN or something else is irrelevant, as that would be anonymity on the IP level rather than the level of the Bitcoin protocol.

[0des]

You do not need an IP to broadcast a transaction, you could feasibly do it on paper, or broadcast through a remote node or overlay network gateway through TOR, I2P etc.

[capableweb]

> you could feasibly do it on paper

Have you done this? You know of anyone who have done this? I know in theory it's possible to do, but claiming it's "feasible" I'm not sure is accurate.

> broadcast through a remote node

Which requires you to connect to the remote node, again using the traditional TCP/IP stack.

> overlay network gateway through TOR, I2P

Yeah, that would mask your IP, but IP still required, meaning your anonymous on the IP level, just like I argued in my previous comment.

[0des]

Calm down sport I'm just trying to supply some options just in case someone else is in a bind. There are always options. Borrow an ethernet port at a hospital or something and use a VPN if you're super worried.

[capableweb]

Sorry, I'm already calm, my bad if you got the impression I'm not.

While the context might have been lost these deep in the thread, I was simply trying to rebut "If I can't get Bitcoin anonymously, how is the promise of crypto still valid?" which WA wrote earlier.

[cowtools]

It's pretty far from anonyminity when you have exchanges KYCing users and companies like chiphertrace actively tracking them

[qeternity]

> exchanges KYCing

Offchain.

> companies like chiphertrace actively tracking them

Mostly without attribution, which people would consider anonymous.