← Glossary

Glossary

Trace funds

Follow outbound crypto transfers on a public blockchain from a wallet or transaction hash through each hop — using explorer data, not private keys.

What it means

To trace funds is to map where assets moved after a transfer — wallet to wallet, through DEX routers, bridges, or toward exchange deposit patterns. Every step is verifiable on-chain with a transaction hash.

What you need

  • Victim wallet address or anchor transaction hash
  • Correct network (Ethereum, Base, BNB Chain, Solana, etc.)
  • Approximate time of loss in UTC for incident-day scoping

Honest limits

Tracing stops or weakens at mixers, some privacy tools, and cross-chain gaps unless you continue on the destination chain. A serious report states those limits instead of inventing a path.

Related terms