Cake Wallet and Electrum are identified as industry leaders for zero-exposure privacy standards.

Cake Wallet and Electrum Privacy Test Network Exposure

An independent analysis has indicated that several widely used crypto wallets may initiate outbound network connections that could expose a user’s IP address even before a wallet key is generated.

The study was conducted using a clean Android device with packet monitoring tools to evaluate first-launch network activity. Wallets were assessed based on the number of unique IP addresses and domains contacted upon opening. A scoring system was applied, where 100 represents no exposure and 0 reflects the highest level of outbound connectivity.

The findings suggest that some wallets initiate connections to between 20 and more than 40 domains and IP addresses on first launch. These connections may include analytics services, attribution tools, and remote procedure call (RPC) endpoints used to interact with blockchain networks.

The analysis highlights that even when users select privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, initial wallet network activity may still result in potential IP-level exposure depending on the wallet’s implementation.

At the same time, a smaller number of wallets demonstrated minimal or no outbound connections during launch, highlighting variations in how privacy is implemented at the network layer.

In this analysis, wallets such as Cake Wallet and Electrum showed minimal observed network activity under the tested conditions. 

Example Results from the Analysis: 

• SafePal — 0/100
  41 IPs, 26 domains on launch, including ~20 chain RPC endpoints
  

• Binance Wallet — 30/100
  23 IPs, 24 domains, 10,000+ packets on first open
  

• Crypto.com Wallet — 49/100
  17 IPs, 17 domains, multiple analytics and tracking services
  

• Base — 55/100
  13 IPs, 17 domains
  

• MetaMask — 61/100
  11 IPs, 15 domains, including RPC and analytics providers
  

• Trust Wallet — 79/100
  7 domains. 3 are pure analytics.
  

• Phantom — 91/100
  Minimal external exposure, with third parties routed via proxy
  

• Cake Wallet — 100/100
  0 IPs, 0 domains, no outbound traffic on launch. This reflects minimal observed outbound activity in the test environment and indicates a comparatively lower level of network activity under these testing conditions.
  

• Electrum Wallet - 100/100
  0 IPs, 0 domains, no outbound traffic on launch. This reflects minimal observed outbound activity in the test environment.   

Testing Methodology
Testing was conducted on a clean Android device with no SIM card or prior user data. Wallet applications were installed via APK files to avoid preloaded services or account linkage.

Network activity was monitored over Wi-Fi using a VPN and PCAPdroid, allowing outbound connections to be recorded and analyzed on a per-application basis.

Industry Context
Outbound connections are often required for wallet functionality, including blockchain synchronization and transaction broadcasting. However, the number and type of connections can vary depending on design choices and infrastructure setup.

This analysis highlights the importance of transparency in wallet network behavior, particularly for users who prioritize privacy.

Disclaimer
This content is based on an independent observational analysis conducted in a specific test environment. Results may vary and do not represent a definitive evaluation of any platform.