How do I install the Bitcoin Privacy Tor skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add claude-dev-suite/bitcoin-privacy-tor in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Bitcoin Privacy Tor safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Bitcoin Privacy Tor?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Bitcoin Privacy Tor free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Bitcoin Privacy Tor?

claude-dev-suite (@claude-dev-suite) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Bitcoin Privacy Tor by claude-dev-suite

Name: Bitcoin Privacy Tor
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: claude-dev-suite

Bitcoin Privacy Tor

Bitcoin over Tor: Tor v3 hidden services, onion-only nodes, bitcoind torcontrol integration, Lightning over Tor. USE WHEN: hardening node privacy, configuring onion-only setups, debugging Tor + bitcoind interaction.

claude-dev-suite Updated Sep 8, 2026 28 repo stars

File contents

Bitcoin over Tor

Bitcoin Core has built-in support for routing P2P traffic over Tor. Both inbound and outbound. Same for Lightning impls.

Configuration (bitcoind)

proxy=127.0.0.1:9050
listen=1
listenonion=1
torcontrol=127.0.0.1:9051
torpassword=...           # OR cookie auth
externalip=...           # auto-discovered via Tor v3 hidden service

# Onion-only: drop all clearnet

bitcoind connects to Tor's controlport, creates a Tor v3 hidden service automatically, advertises it via gossip.

Tor v3 only

BIP155 addrv2 introduced support for Tor v3. Tor v2 deprecated by Tor project + Bitcoin Core.

Format: 56-character .onion (Tor v3 vs the older 16-char v2).

Lightning over Tor

LND, CLN, LDK all support Tor:

Inbound via tor.v3=true or similar config.
Outbound: SOCKS5 to Tor proxy.
Hidden service for receiving connections + invoices via private routes.

Privacy benefit

IP address concealment — peers don't learn your IP.
Geographic concealment — no inferring location.
Censorship resistance — Tor circumvents IP-based blocks.

Privacy gotchas

Tx broadcast leaks if you broadcast a tx to a random peer that knows your IP. With onlynet=onion, all P2P over Tor → no leak.
Block download also goes over Tor → slower IBD.
DNS leak if proxy is set but DNS queries go elsewhere → use dns=0 and pre-bootstrap nodes via addnode=.
Time correlation — even over Tor, tx timing can leak info. Mitigation: Dandelion++ (BIP156) randomizes broadcast.

Performance

Tor v3 hidden service: ~50-100 ms RTT typical.
IBD over Tor: ~2-3x slower than clearnet.
Lightning channel ops: minor latency hit.

I2P alternative

Bitcoin Core supports I2P via SAM:

i2psam=127.0.0.1:7656

Less common than Tor but provides a different network.

CJDNS

Mesh-network IPv6 (fc00::/7). Bitcoin nodes can reach each other without exiting to clearnet:

cjdnsreachable=1

Niche; mostly used by experimental peer-to-peer enthusiasts.

Common bugs

Forgetting listenonion=1 → no inbound from Tor peers.
Mixing clearnet + Tor without onlynet=onion → mixed routing.
Tor circuit failures cause peer drops; bitcoind retries automatically.
externalip= set incorrectly → wrong gossip advertisement.

---name: bitcoin-privacy-tordescription: Bitcoin over Tor: Tor v3 hidden services, onion-only nodes, bitcoind torcontrol integration, Lightning over Tor. USE WHEN: hardening node privacy, configuring onion-only setups, debugging Tor + bitcoind interaction.---# Bitcoin over TorBitcoin Core has built-in support for routing P2P traffic over Tor.Both inbound and outbound. Same for Lightning impls.## Configuration (bitcoind)```iniproxy=127.0.0.1:9050listen=1listenonion=1torcontrol=127.0.0.1:9051torpassword=... # OR cookie authexternalip=... # auto-discovered via Tor v3 hidden service# Onion-only: drop all clearnetonlynet=onion````bitcoind` connects to Tor's controlport, creates a Tor v3 hiddenservice automatically, advertises it via gossip.## Tor v3 onlyBIP155 addrv2 introduced support for Tor v3. Tor v2 deprecated byTor project + Bitcoin Core.Format: 56-character `.onion` (Tor v3 vs the older 16-char v2).## Lightning over TorLND, CLN, LDK all support Tor:- Inbound via `tor.v3=true` or similar config.- Outbound: SOCKS5 to Tor proxy.- Hidden service for receiving connections + invoices via private routes.## Privacy benefit- **IP address concealment** — peers don't learn your IP.- **Geographic concealment** — no inferring location.- **Censorship resistance** — Tor circumvents IP-based blocks.## Privacy gotchas- **Tx broadcast leaks** if you broadcast a tx to a random peer that knows your IP. With `onlynet=onion`, all P2P over Tor → no leak.- **Block download** also goes over Tor → slower IBD.- **DNS leak** if `proxy` is set but DNS queries go elsewhere → use `dns=0` and pre-bootstrap nodes via `addnode=`.- **Time correlation** — even over Tor, tx timing can leak info. Mitigation: Dandelion++ (BIP156) randomizes broadcast.## Performance- Tor v3 hidden service: ~50-100 ms RTT typical.- IBD over Tor: ~2-3x slower than clearnet.- Lightning channel ops: minor latency hit.## I2P alternativeBitcoin Core supports I2P via SAM:```inii2psam=127.0.0.1:7656```Less common than Tor but provides a different network.## CJDNSMesh-network IPv6 (fc00::/7). Bitcoin nodes can reach each otherwithout exiting to clearnet:```inicjdnsreachable=1```Niche; mostly used by experimental peer-to-peer enthusiasts.## Common bugs- Forgetting `listenonion=1` → no inbound from Tor peers.- Mixing clearnet + Tor without `onlynet=onion` → mixed routing.- Tor circuit failures cause peer drops; bitcoind retries automatically.- `externalip=` set incorrectly → wrong gossip advertisement.## See also- [../../core/operations/SKILL.md](../../core/operations/SKILL.md)- [../../protocol/p2p/SKILL.md](../../protocol/p2p/SKILL.md)- [dandelion/SKILL.md](../dandelion/SKILL.md)

Frequently asked questions