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JoinMarket Taker Client

Mix your bitcoin for privacy via CoinJoin. Takers initiate transactions and pay small fees to makers.

Installation

Install JoinMarket-NG with the taker component:

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/joinmarket-ng/joinmarket-ng/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --taker

See Installation for backend setup, Tor configuration, and manual install.

Quick Start

1) Create a wallet

jm-wallet generate --output ~/.joinmarket-ng/wallets/default.mnemonic

Store the mnemonic offline. See Wallet guide.

2) Fund and inspect

jm-wallet info --mnemonic-file ~/.joinmarket-ng/wallets/default.mnemonic --backend neutrino

3) Run a CoinJoin

jm-taker coinjoin \
  --mnemonic-file ~/.joinmarket-ng/wallets/default.mnemonic \
  --amount 1000000

Default destination is INTERNAL (next mixdepth), which is the standard privacy-preserving path.

Common Use Cases

# Mix to next mixdepth (INTERNAL)
jm-taker coinjoin --mnemonic-file ~/.joinmarket-ng/wallets/default.mnemonic --amount 500000

# Mix and send to external destination
jm-taker coinjoin --mnemonic-file ~/.joinmarket-ng/wallets/default.mnemonic \
  --amount 500000 --destination bc1qexampleaddress...

# Sweep one mixdepth
jm-taker coinjoin --mnemonic-file ~/.joinmarket-ng/wallets/default.mnemonic \
  --amount 0 --mixdepth 2

Increase counterparties (for larger anonymity sets) with --counterparties.

Tumbler

For multi-step automated mixing, run jm-taker tumble <schedule.json>.

  • Schedule format and operational guidance are in taker/README.md.
  • Privacy model and protocol-level behavior are in Technical Privacy Notes.

Configuration Notes

Configuration merges as: config.toml < environment variables < CLI flags.

Backend setup and defaults: Installation.

taker.tx_fee_factor controls additive fee randomization, not a direct multiplier. A value of 0.2 picks a session fee rate between the base rate and base_rate * 1.2; 0 disables randomization.

For all option details, use auto-generated command help below (jm-taker coinjoin --help, jm-taker tumble --help).

Ignored makers

The taker keeps a persisted list of makers that previously misbehaved (rejected PoDLE commitments, returned an invalid signature, etc.) at <data-dir>/ignored_makers.txt. This list is treated as a soft preference: the maker selector tries to avoid these nicks, but if the resulting eligible pool is too small to fill the requested counterparty count the selector tops the pick up from the ignored list rather than failing the whole CoinJoin. Use jm-taker clear-ignored-makers to reset the list.

In contrast, makers that explicitly reject the current CoinJoin attempt (e.g. a fresh blacklist response in this fill phase) are hard-excluded from that attempt only — they will be retried in future runs unless they also end up on the persisted ignored list.

Docker Deployment

This component ships with docker-compose.yml for containerized operation.

Typical flow:

docker-compose up -d bitcoind tor
docker-compose run --rm taker jm-taker coinjoin --amount 1000000
docker-compose logs -f taker

Takers only require Tor SOCKS; no Tor control port is needed.

Command Reference

jm-taker --help
 Usage: jm-taker [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...

 JoinMarket Taker - Execute CoinJoin transactions

╭─ Options ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ --install-completion          Install completion for the current shell.      │
│ --show-completion             Show completion for the current shell, to copy │
│                               it or customize the installation.              │
│ --help                        Show this message and exit.                    │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─ Commands ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ coinjoin              Execute a single CoinJoin transaction.                 │
│ tumble                Run a tumbler schedule of CoinJoins.                   │
│ clear-ignored-makers  Clear the list of ignored makers.                      │
│ config-init           Initialize the config file with default settings.      │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
jm-taker coinjoin --help
 Usage: jm-taker coinjoin [OPTIONS]

 Execute a single CoinJoin transaction.

 Configuration is loaded from ~/.joinmarket-ng/config.toml (or
 $JOINMARKET_DATA_DIR/config.toml),
 environment variables, and CLI arguments. CLI arguments have the highest
 priority.

╭─ Options ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ *  --amount         -a                     INTEGER          Amount in sats   │
│                                                             (0 for sweep)    │
│                                                             [required]       │
│    --destination    -d                     TEXT             Destination      │
│                                                             address (or      │
│                                                             'INTERNAL' for   │
│                                                             next mixdepth)   │
│                                                             [default:        │
│                                                             INTERNAL]        │
│    --mixdepth       -m                     INTEGER          Source mixdepth  │
│                                                             [default: 0]     │
│    --counterparti…  -n                     INTEGER          Number of makers │
│    --mnemonic-file  -f                     PATH             Path to mnemonic │
│                                                             file             │
│    --prompt-bip39…                                          Prompt for BIP39 │
│                                                             passphrase       │
│                                                             interactively    │
│    --network                               [mainnet|testne  Protocol network │
│                                            t|signet|regtes  for handshakes   │
│                                            t]                                │
│    --bitcoin-netw…                         [mainnet|testne  Bitcoin network  │
│                                            t|signet|regtes  for addresses    │
│                                            t]               (defaults to     │
│                                                             --network)       │
│    --backend        -b                     TEXT             Backend type:    │
│                                                             descriptor_wall… │
│                                                             | neutrino       │
│    --rpc-url                               TEXT             Bitcoin full     │
│                                                             node RPC URL     │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             BITCOIN_RPC_URL] │
│    --neutrino-url                          TEXT             Neutrino REST    │
│                                                             API URL          │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             NEUTRINO_URL]    │
│    --directory      -D                     TEXT             Directory        │
│                                                             servers          │
│                                                             (comma-separate… │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             DIRECTORY_SERVE… │
│    --tor-socks-ho…                         TEXT             Tor SOCKS proxy  │
│                                                             host (overrides  │
│                                                             TOR__SOCKS_HOST) │
│    --tor-socks-po…                         INTEGER          Tor SOCKS proxy  │
│                                                             port (overrides  │
│                                                             TOR__SOCKS_PORT) │
│    --max-abs-fee                           INTEGER          Max absolute fee │
│                                                             in sats          │
│    --max-rel-fee                           TEXT             Max relative fee │
│                                                             (0.001=0.1%)     │
│    --fee-rate                              FLOAT            Manual fee rate  │
│                                                             in sat/vB.       │
│                                                             Mutually         │
│                                                             exclusive with   │
│                                                             --block-target.  │
│    --block-target                          INTEGER          Target blocks    │
│                                                             for fee          │
│                                                             estimation       │
│                                                             (1-1008). Cannot │
│                                                             be used with     │
│                                                             neutrino.        │
│    --bondless-all…                         FLOAT            Fraction of time │
│                                                             to choose makers │
│                                                             randomly         │
│                                                             (0.0-1.0)        │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             BONDLESS_MAKERS… │
│    --bond-exponent                         FLOAT            Exponent for     │
│                                                             fidelity bond    │
│                                                             value            │
│                                                             calculation      │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             BOND_VALUE_EXPO… │
│    --bondless-zer…      --no-bondless-…                     For bondless     │
│                                                             spots, require   │
│                                                             zero absolute    │
│                                                             fee              │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             BONDLESS_REQUIR… │
│    --select-utxos   -s                                      Interactively    │
│                                                             select UTXOs     │
│                                                             (fzf-like TUI)   │
│    --yes            -y                                      Skip             │
│                                                             confirmation     │
│                                                             prompt           │
│    --data-dir                              PATH             Data directory   │
│                                                             (default:        │
│                                                             ~/.joinmarket-ng │
│                                                             or               │
│                                                             $JOINMARKET_DAT… │
│                                                             [env var:        │
│                                                             JOINMARKET_DATA… │
│    --log-level      -l                     TEXT             Log level        │
│    --help                                                   Show this        │
│                                                             message and      │
│                                                             exit.            │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
jm-taker tumble --help
 Usage: jm-taker tumble [OPTIONS] SCHEDULE_FILE

 Run a tumbler schedule of CoinJoins.

 Configuration is loaded from ~/.joinmarket-ng/config.toml, environment
 variables,
 and CLI arguments. CLI arguments have the highest priority.

╭─ Arguments ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ *    schedule_file      PATH  Path to schedule JSON file [required]          │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭─ Options ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ --mnemonic-file         -f      PATH                  Path to mnemonic file  │
│ --prompt-bip39-passph…                                Prompt for BIP39       │
│                                                       passphrase             │
│                                                       interactively          │
│ --network                       [mainnet|testnet|sig  Bitcoin network        │
│                                 net|regtest]                                 │
│ --backend               -b      TEXT                  Backend type:          │
│                                                       descriptor_wallet |    │
│                                                       neutrino               │
│ --rpc-url                       TEXT                  Bitcoin full node RPC  │
│                                                       URL                    │
│                                                       [env var:              │
│                                                       BITCOIN_RPC_URL]       │
│ --neutrino-url                  TEXT                  Neutrino REST API URL  │
│                                                       [env var:              │
│                                                       NEUTRINO_URL]          │
│ --directory             -D      TEXT                  Directory servers      │
│                                                       (comma-separated)      │
│                                                       [env var:              │
│                                                       DIRECTORY_SERVERS]     │
│ --tor-socks-host                TEXT                  Tor SOCKS proxy host   │
│                                                       (overrides             │
│                                                       TOR__SOCKS_HOST)       │
│ --tor-socks-port                INTEGER               Tor SOCKS proxy port   │
│                                                       (overrides             │
│                                                       TOR__SOCKS_PORT)       │
│ --data-dir                      PATH                  Data directory         │
│                                                       (default:              │
│                                                       ~/.joinmarket-ng or    │
│                                                       $JOINMARKET_DATA_DIR)  │
│                                                       [env var:              │
│                                                       JOINMARKET_DATA_DIR]   │
│ --log-level             -l      TEXT                  Log level              │
│ --help                                                Show this message and  │
│                                                       exit.                  │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
jm-taker clear-ignored-makers --help
 Usage: jm-taker clear-ignored-makers [OPTIONS]

 Clear the list of ignored makers.

╭─ Options ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ --data-dir  -d      PATH  Data directory for JoinMarket files                │
│                           [env var: JOINMARKET_DATA_DIR]                     │
│ --help                    Show this message and exit.                        │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
jm-taker config-init --help
 Usage: jm-taker config-init [OPTIONS]

 Initialize the config file with default settings.

╭─ Options ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ --data-dir  -d      PATH  Data directory for JoinMarket files                │
│                           [env var: JOINMARKET_DATA_DIR]                     │
│ --help                    Show this message and exit.                        │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯