What is Breadcrumbs?
Breadcrumbs is a blockchain investigation and analytics platform for tracing crypto funds. It combines attribution data that identifies who owns crypto addresses with tools for mapping transactions on a graph. Its AutoTrace feature automatically finds where funds were sent and draws the full paths, which Breadcrumbs says can take cases from months to minutes. The company says it has more than 1 billion attribution data points and supports 21 blockchains.
Investigators can share reports and attribution data on the Breadcrumbs network, while law enforcement agencies and financial institutions have their own private networks and grant programmes. Breadcrumbs says more than 3,000 law enforcement users and more than 50,000 investigators use the network. Individuals who are not law enforcement or financial institutions can start with a free account.
Main Features
- Attribution data linking crypto addresses to known services and entities
- Graph view for mapping transactions between addresses
- AutoTrace for automatically following funds and drawing their paths
- Support for 21 blockchains
- Shared investigator network for reports and attribution data
- Private networks for law enforcement and financial institutions
- Training on how to use the investigation tools
How to Get Started with Breadcrumbs
- Go to breadcrumbs.app and choose Start free to create an account.
- Paste a wallet address or transaction you are researching.
- Use the graph and AutoTrace to follow where the funds went.
- Save your findings as a report, and pass the evidence to the police or the exchange involved if it is a theft.
Breadcrumbs Pricing
Breadcrumbs offers a free account for individual investigators. Paid plans and institutional access exist, and law enforcement agencies and financial institutions can apply for grant programmes. Current plan prices could not be confirmed from Breadcrumbs' own pricing page, so check breadcrumbs.app for the latest tiers.
Who Should Use It?
- Fraud and scam researchers following stolen funds
- Journalists tracing money in crypto investigations
- Law enforcement investigators building evidence for cases
- Compliance teams at financial institutions reviewing risky transactions
- Victims documenting where their crypto was sent before reporting it
Breadcrumbs Alternatives
- Arkham Intelligence: a blockchain analytics platform with entity labels, a visualizer and alerts.
- Etherscan: a free block explorer for looking up Ethereum addresses and transactions.
- Chainabuse: a free public database for reporting and checking crypto scam addresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Breadcrumbs free?
Breadcrumbs offers a free account for individual investigators who are not law enforcement or financial institutions. Paid and institutional options exist, and law enforcement and financial institutions can apply for grant programmes.
Can Breadcrumbs recover stolen crypto?
No. Breadcrumbs is an investigation tool. It can help you document where funds went, but recovery depends on law enforcement and on exchanges that receive the funds, so report a theft to the police and the exchange involved.
Which blockchains does Breadcrumbs support?
Breadcrumbs says it supports 21 blockchains, including Ethereum and Tron. Check the platform for the current list before starting a trace on a less common chain.