Best Cryptocurrencies for Privacy Curated by Github Users

Abstract

This technical assessment provides an evidence-based analysis of cryptocurrency privacy protocols. This framework prioritizes empirical analysis via independent security audits, public source code availability, cryptographic design, and default privacy guarantees.

Simply the facts.

Methodology

Evaluation Criteria

Our evaluation considers:

1. Code Transparency: Public availability of source code

2. Independent Verification: Third party review and audits

3. Architectural Verifiability: Privacy by design vs policy

4. Default Privacy: Mandatory vs optional privacy

5. Privacy Architecture: Technical implementation and cryptographic guarantees

Ignore the marketing. Read the facts.

Privacy Coin Comparison

Rank	Cryptocurrency	Source Available	Proof	Default Privacy	Hide Sender	Hide Receiver	Hide Amount	No Trusted Setup	Network Privacy
1	Monero	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
2	Zano	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
3	Beam	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
4	Pirate Chain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
5	Firo	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
6	Zcash	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
7	Grin	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
8	Dash	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
9	Bitcoin	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
10	Ethereum	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No

Critical Understanding: Architectural vs Policy Based Privacy

Class 1: Architectural Privacy (Mandatory by Design)

The following cryptocurrencies represent the highest standard of on-chain privacy in this comparison. Their blockchains do not reveal transaction details by default; any disclosure requires explicit user opt-in (for example, via view/audit keys or off-chain sharing).

Monero: Privacy is mandatory for all transactions through ring signatures, stealth addresses, and RingCT. Battle-tested over 11+ years with no trusted setup required.
Zano: Default-private CryptoNote-based L1 with hidden PoS and confidential assets. No trusted setup required.
Beam: Mimblewimble-based privacy with mandatory confidential transactions and Lelantus-MW for enhanced anonymity sets. No trusted setup required.
Pirate Chain: 100% shielded zk-SNARK transactions with no transparent addresses. Privacy is architecturally enforced but inherits historical trusted setup from Zcash Sapling.

Class 2: Optional Privacy (User Choice Required)

These cryptocurrencies offer strong privacy when used, but require users to actively choose privacy features.

Firo: Lelantus Spark provides strong privacy with large anonymity sets, but not all transactions use private mode.
Zcash: zk-SNARK shielded pool offers exceptional privacy for shielded transactions, but transparent transactions are common. Historical trusted setup ceremonies create supply integrity considerations.

Class 3: Weak or No Privacy by Default

These cryptocurrencies provide minimal privacy or require external tools.

Grin: Mimblewimble provides some privacy improvements over Bitcoin but vulnerable to network analysis attacks.
Dash: CoinJoin-based PrivateSend is optional and off by default. Base chain is transparent.
Bitcoin/Ethereum: Transparent by default with pseudonymous addresses. Chain analysis is standard industry practice.

Detailed Cryptocurrency Analysis

1. Monero

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Extensive academic research and cryptographic review; primitives iteratively improved
Privacy architecture: Ring signatures hide sender; stealth addresses hide receiver; RingCT hides amounts; Bulletproofs for efficient range proofs
Default privacy: Mandatory for all transactions
Trusted setup: None required
What's revealed on-chain: Nothing (sender, receiver, and amount all hidden)
Network privacy: Dandelion++ for transaction broadcast obfuscation; commonly paired with Tor/I2P, but still subject to known P2P-layer deanonymization limits
Operational history: ~11 years

2. Zano

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Growing academic coverage; based on proven CryptoNote primitives
Privacy architecture: dv-CLSAG ring signatures; stealth addresses; Bulletproofs+; hidden-amount PoS (Zarcanum); confidential assets
Default privacy: Mandatory for all transactions and assets
Trusted setup: None required
What's revealed on-chain: Nothing (sender, receiver, amount, and asset type all hidden)
Network privacy: Strong protocol-level protections for transaction data; like other P2P networks, IP metadata still exists unless users add Tor/VPN or similar
Operational history: ~6 years

3. Beam

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Multiple audits; Mimblewimble research base
Privacy architecture: Mimblewimble with Confidential Transactions; Lelantus-MW for larger anonymity sets; Dandelion++ for network privacy; no addresses stored on-chain
Default privacy: Mandatory for all transactions
Trusted setup: None required
What's revealed on-chain: Nothing (amounts and graph structure obscured)
Network privacy: Dandelion++-style broadcast privacy, with known academic attacks against Mimblewimble network-layer anonymity
Operational history: ~7 years

4. Pirate Chain

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Inherits Zcash Sapling zk-SNARK research; smaller dedicated literature
Privacy architecture: zk-SNARKs (Sapling) with shielded-only policy; no transparent addresses exist
Default privacy: Mandatory for all transactions (100% shielded)
Trusted setup: Historical SNARK setup ceremony inherited from Zcash (supply integrity consideration, not on-chain data privacy)
What's revealed on-chain: Nothing (sender, receiver, and amount all hidden)
Network privacy: Strong on-chain confidentiality; network metadata depends on wallet/node configuration (e.g., Tor/VPN)
Operational history: ~7 years

5. Firo

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Lelantus Spark audited by HashCloak (and additional independent review)
Privacy architecture: Lelantus Spark with burn-and-redeem anonymity; large anonymity sets; Spark Assets for private tokens; Dandelion++ for network privacy
Default privacy: Optional (strong privacy available but not enforced)
Trusted setup: None required for Spark
What's revealed on-chain: Depends on transaction type (transparent or Spark)
Network privacy: Dandelion++ transaction relay at the network layer; improves IP-level privacy but shares generic Dandelion++ limitations
Operational history: ~9 years (launched 2016 as Zcoin)

6. Zcash

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Extensively studied zk-SNARK implementation with multiple audits
Privacy architecture: Dual address system (t-addresses transparent, z-addresses shielded); zk-SNARKs hide sender, receiver, and amount for shielded transactions; Orchard + Halo2 (NU5) eliminates new trusted setups
Default privacy: Optional (users must choose shielded transactions)
Trusted setup: Historical multi-party ceremonies for Sprout/Sapling pools (supply integrity consideration)
What's revealed on-chain: Depends on transaction type; many transactions historically transparent
Network privacy: No built-in network-layer anonymity; both transparent and shielded transactions rely on standard P2P networking unless users add Tor/VPN or similar
Operational history: ~9 years

7. Grin

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Mimblewimble subject to known privacy analyses
Privacy architecture: Mimblewimble with Confidential Transactions and aggregate signatures; history compression through cut-through
Default privacy: Amounts hidden; sender/receiver linkability vulnerable to network analysis
Trusted setup: None required
What's revealed on-chain: Transaction graph partially obscured but vulnerable to monitoring attacks
Network privacy: Uses Dandelion/Dandelion++-style relay but still considered weak; research has demonstrated practical network-level deanonymization
Operational history: ~7 years

8. Dash

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Analyzed by blockchain forensics companies
Privacy architecture: Optional CoinJoin-based PrivateSend through masternode network
Default privacy: Off (must explicitly enable PrivateSend)
Trusted setup: None required
What's revealed on-chain: Full transparency unless PrivateSend used; mixing weaker than mandatory privacy coins
Network privacy: Minimal; standard transparent blockchain
Operational history: ~11 years

9. Bitcoin

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Most heavily reviewed cryptocurrency code
Privacy architecture: Transparent UTXO ledger with pseudonymous addresses
Default privacy: None (fully transparent)
Trusted setup: None required
What's revealed on-chain: All transaction details visible; address clustering and chain analysis standard
Network privacy: Minimal; IP addresses linkable to transactions without precautions
Operational history: ~16 years

10. Ethereum

Code transparency: Fully published
Verification: Extensive research and audit ecosystem
Privacy architecture: Transparent account-based model; all contract calls and state changes public
Default privacy: None (fully transparent)
Trusted setup: None at L1; privacy only via external tools (mixers, zk-rollups)
What's revealed on-chain: All wallet activity, token transfers, and contract interactions visible
Network privacy: Minimal; requires external privacy solutions
Operational history: ~10 years

Conclusion

Monero, Zano, and Beam represent the gold standard for cryptocurrency privacy through mandatory default privacy and no trusted setup requirements. Monero's 11+ years of operation and extensive cryptographic scrutiny make it one of the most battle-tested privacy coins.

Pirate Chain offers exceptional privacy through 100% shielded transactions but inherits supply integrity considerations from its historical trusted setup ceremony.

Optional privacy coins like Zcash and Firo provide strong cryptographic privacy when used but suffer from reduced anonymity sets due to transparent transaction options.

Bitcoin and Ethereum, while foundational to cryptocurrency, provide no meaningful privacy by default and require external tools for any privacy guarantees.