What is coinjoin and is it still safe in 2026?

CoinJoin is a Bitcoin transaction in which multiple participants pool their inputs and split equal outputs, breaking the deterministic on-chain link between any one participant's input and output. It is collaborative — it requires several users coordinating. In 2026 the two practical implementations are JoinMarket (peer-to-peer, no central coordinator, takers pay makers for liquidity) and Wasabi 2.x (WabiSabi protocol with a central coordinator). In 2024, the zkSNACKs coordinator that runs the official Wasabi build began screening inputs against a sanctions list, which reduces the no-discrimination property users expected from coinjoin. Forks (notably Ginger Wallet) run alternative coordinators without screening. The Samourai/Whirlpool coordinator was seized by U.S. authorities in April 2024 and the developers arrested; the brand is no longer trustworthy. For users prioritizing coordinator-free coinjoin, JoinMarket is the reference design — at the cost of running your own Bitcoin node and learning the CLI tooling.