Chainalysis has published a package of block-chain analyses that seeks to establish more uniform standards for address clustering, fund tracking and evidence use. According to the company, this set of proposals is aimed at investigators and law enforcement agencies, with a view to making the use of the chain data clearer and to making it easier to assess credibility.
The concept of cluster is to be removed.
Existing chain analysis tools often refer to “cluster” as a group of addresses, but there is no uniform definition of the concept within the industry. This time, Chainalysis broke it into several components, including wallet clips, attributions and levels of confidence, in an attempt to explain which conclusions were derived from chain data and which were merely extrapolations.
Law enforcement is the focus.
The chief scientist of Chainalysis, Jacob Illum, stated that the standards were designed to give investigators a clearer idea of what tools could and could not do. The company also mentioned that the methodology drew on the experience of the United States Department of Justice in the case of Roman Sterlingov, co-founder of Bitcoin Fog.
The tracking and identification are different.
Chainalysis emphasizes that tracking the flow of funds and identifying the actual wallet controller is two things. Analytical tools can point funds to exchanges or other trust entities, but often require subpoenas or other external information to identify specific users. Companies expect industry and law enforcement agencies to provide feedback on the package.