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Get Started

Use this path for a new wallet. To bring an existing wallet over, follow recovery and migration instead.

1. Choose An Interface

Interface Setup
Command line (CLI, recommended) Install, then configure Bitcoin and Tor
Terminal menu (TUI) A wrapper over the CLI: complete its setup, then open the terminal menu
Browser interface Use JAM and follow its own installation and wallet guides

The CLI is JoinMarket NG's main interface, and the steps below use it. JAM is a separate project; its wallet files cannot be opened with jm-wallet.

You can install the software, read command help, and create an unfunded wallet without sending bitcoin. Complete the backup and setup steps before using funds.

2. Create And Back Up A Wallet

Check that your backend is synced before continuing. In a terminal where the installation is activated, run:

jm-wallet generate

The command creates an encrypted wallet file and displays its recovery words. Record them offline before continuing. The wallet-file password protects this local file; it is not a substitute for the recovery words.

If you use an additional BIP39 passphrase, keep that exact passphrase too. Different passphrases derive different wallets. Never put recovery words or passphrases in a shell command, screenshot, support message, or website. See what to back up.

3. Get A Deposit Address

jm-wallet address new 0 --label "deposit"

This reserves a fresh address in mixdepth 0, the first wallet compartment. Check that it belongs to the intended wallet and network before sending to it. Generating an address does not fund the wallet.

When ready to use funds, start with an amount you are prepared to risk. Keep coins with unrelated histories separate. There is no fixed recommended deposit: a CoinJoin needs enough confirmed funds for its amount, maker fees, and mining fees, and depends on available offers.

4. Check The Balance

jm-wallet info

Wait for the deposit to appear and confirm. The displayed balance can include coins that are not yet eligible for a CoinJoin. The default taker proof requires an eligible UTXO with at least five confirmations; a newly confirmed deposit may still be too young. For missing funds, check sync first.

5. Choose Your Next Task

  • Run a CoinJoin to move an equal-value output to the next mixdepth. Review the proposed amount and fees before approving.
  • Run a maker to offer liquidity while you keep the wallet online.
  • Run the tumbler to schedule a longer sequence with several destinations. Learn the single-transaction workflow before leaving it unattended.

A mixdepth is a privacy compartment, not a privacy score. Before spending the result, read how change and later payments affect privacy.