How to Reverse ChangeNow & SimpleSwap.io Transactions - Vic

Cryptocurrency bridging platforms such as ChangeNow and SimpleSwap.io have become increasingly popular for exchanging different cryptocurrencies without relying on centralized exchanges (CEX). While these platforms primarily facilitate transfers between blockchain networks, some users attempt to leverage them to obscure their transaction history.

The Odin team has advanced tracking capabilities that stay ahead of these obfuscation attempts. This guide will demonstrate how to identify wallets that have recently received funds through bridging platforms and trace them back to their original source wallets.

For simplicity, we will focus on Solana-to-Solana (SOL-SOL) exchanges, as cross-chain bridges involve more complex processes that require additional time to investigate.

Understanding the Bridging Process

Step 1: Initial SOL Transfer

When bridging SOLANA to SOLANA, users first send a specific amount to the exchange's temporary wallet.

Temporary Wallet Characteristics:

• Newly created for each transaction.

• Handles receiving and withdrawing SOLANA only.

• Transactions occur in close succession.

Example Temporary Wallet: 2HCoPfFMpGtdDXZ3vNSLxdPE1pmCRGrSfTfbFpcyBWXj

Step 2: Temporary Wallet Operations

Each transaction uses a fresh temporary wallet with distinct timestamps, which can serve as an indicator of these freshly made wallets.

Step 3: Main Wallet Transfer

The platform transfers funds from the temporary wallet to its main wallet. For SOLANA transactions, both ChangeNow and SimpleSwap use the same main wallet address:

Main SOLANA Wallet: G2YxRa6wt1qePMwfJzdXZG62ej4qaTC7YURzuh2Lwd3t

This wallet exclusively handles SOLANA transactions.

As a summary, this is the workflow:

Reversing Transactions

Now that we understand the platform's operations, we can trace transactions backwards. This technique is primarily effective for SOL-to-SOL transfers. Below are two scenarios:

Successful Case Study

Example Wallet: 37d7AEne3KCgTzkEAAtYjuVDJTVwyVb5eEBz4WeLos8n

Steps to Reverse:

1. Analyze the transaction history to identify funds received from the platform's main wallet.

2. Match the transaction value (e.g., 3.70 SOL) with the main wallet's outgoing transactions.

1. Identify the corresponding incoming transfer from a temporary wallet.

1. The minimal time gap (e.g., 8 seconds) between transactions confirms a SOL to SOL bridge operation.

2. Trace further to the original source wallet: 3eJ2vXTUMr3Tt8au2x9r2b8Quafc7eCYvbJBhbcCNFPt

Unidentifiable Case Study

Cross-chain transactions pose significant challenges as the incoming funds may have been converted from other cryptocurrencies.

Example Wallet: 33uvmRYEfJuFE7fE5iTsWzSPmL7aqkNuUrb5D9bhhz2v

Challenges:

• Absence of a corresponding incoming SOL transaction.

• The incoming funds were likely converted from a different cryptocurrency.

• Significant time gaps between transactions.

Additional Information

The table below lists mother wallets of these exchanges based on the exchanged token:

By following the methods outlined in this guide, users can effectively trace SOL to SOL transactions and identify original funding sources with precision. Cross-chain transactions, however, require additional resources and deeper analysis.