Bitcoin and the need for financial privacy

Quick TakeToday’s financial system is extensively surveilled by governments and private entities.Bitcoin is one of the few ways to transact privately today. Due to the network’s public nature, transacting privately with Bitcoin is still difficult.Analytics companies and governments are surveilling the blockchain in search of illicit activity.Blockchain analytics companies have been criticized on ethical grounds, as well as for their handling of customer data.This report serves the first installment of The Block Research’s Bitcoin Privacy & Surveillance Guide: a five part series written by Karim Helmy, Matthew Batsinelas, and John Dantoni.