Does a wallet address identify a person?¶

No. A wallet address identifies a destination or source within a blockchain system, not automatically a real-world person.

Avoid the dangerous assumption¶

The dangerous assumption is that finding an address on a device, website or exchange record proves personal ownership and control.

An individual may control the address, but so may an exchange, merchant, wallet provider, smart contract, organisation or shared group.

One person may control many addresses.

One custodial service may control addresses used for thousands of customers.

An address may also be displayed by someone who does not control it, such as in a message requesting payment.

Attribution requires additional evidence.

An exchange may link a deposit or withdrawal address to a verified customer account.

A device may contain wallet software, transaction history, keys, seed phrases, screenshots or copied addresses.

Communications may show that a person requested payment to the address or discussed controlling it.

A signed message or controlled test transaction may sometimes demonstrate technical control, but specialist support may be required.

Even proof of technical control at one time does not automatically prove control at the time of every historical transaction.

Preserve the complete address, network, transaction hashes, provider account identifiers and device context.

Do not state that the address “belongs to” a person unless the evidential basis is clear.

Use wording such as linked to, attributed to or controlled by, with the supporting evidence identified.

Operational takeaway¶

Treat a wallet address as pseudonymous blockchain infrastructure and attribute it to a person only through corroborating provider, device, communication or proof-of-control evidence.