AMLHow to check Bitcoin (BTC) for AML and sanctions
Updated: 25 August 2026 · sources: OFAC, Chainalysis, TRM, Tether/Circle blacklists
Before you accept BTC, screen the sender. Bitcoin can't be frozen on-chain — there is no issuer blacklist — but exchanges still block deposits with a mixer, darknet or ransomware trail, and that lands on you.
Because BTC has no central freeze switch, compliance shifts to the exchange layer. Deposits are scored by UTXO clustering and by taint from coinjoin mixers (Wasabi, Samourai), darknet markets and ransomware wallets. Coins a few hops from those sources can be held “pending review” the moment you try to withdraw.
How to check BTC in seconds
- Copy the sender’s address or a transaction hash.
- Paste it into the form below or send it to our Telegram bot.
- Get a verdict — ● low / ● medium / ● high risk — with the reasons, in seconds.
What we check for BTC
OFAC sanctions, mixer / coinjoin exposure, darknet and ransomware labels, the TRM risk score and the flow graph across hops — a consensus of independent sources, not a single list. High risk means a close link to sanctions, a mixer or a known illicit cluster.
Why it matters for P2P and OTC
For P2P and OTC this is the real BTC risk: the sender loses nothing, but your deposit is the one frozen on the first withdrawal. Checking the address — or the transaction that pays you — takes seconds.
FAQ
Do I need to connect a wallet?
No. A public address or a transaction hash is enough — never a seed phrase or a wallet connection. We never touch your funds.
Bitcoin can't be frozen — why check it?
True, no issuer can freeze BTC on-chain. But exchanges block deposits linked to mixers, darknet or sanctions, often retroactively. The freeze happens at the exchange, and it is your deposit that is held.
Can I check by transaction hash?
Yes. We resolve the sender from the hash (EVM / TRON / BTC) and screen that address.