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Wallets Since 2015 Reviewed 22 Oct 2026

Samourai Wallet is closed

Former privacy-focused Android Bitcoin wallet, shut down by US authorities in 2024

Closed

Status

No longer operating

Domain and servers were seized and the developers arrested in April 2024; they were sentenced in November 2025.

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Samourai Wallet review in short

Samourai Wallet was a wallet and is no longer operating. Domain and servers were seized and the developers arrested in April 2024; they were sentenced in November 2025.

Category
Wallets
KYC level
0 of 4: ID never required
Sign-up
No account needed
Custody
non-custodial
Incidents on record
1
Last reviewed
22 Oct 2026
Cite this review

NoKYC Score, "Samourai Wallet review", reviewed 22 Oct 2026, https://nokycscore.com/service/samourai-wallet

Also available as plain text.

What Samourai Wallet is

Samourai Wallet was an open-source, self-custodial Bitcoin wallet for Android known for privacy features including its Whirlpool collaborative-transaction system. On 24 April 2024 the US Department of Justice announced the arrest of its two developers and the seizure of its web domain and servers, alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering and to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The developers later pleaded guilty to the unlicensed money transmitting conspiracy and were sentenced in November 2025 to five and four years. The official domain no longer resolves. Funds remained under users' own keys and recoverable with other wallet software.

What Samourai Wallet offers, and what to watch

7 of 13 privacy and safety features, 0 warnings in its terms.

"Not stated" means its own pages do not say.

Identity

  • ID never required Yes The terms rule identity checks out, or the design makes them impossible.
  • No account needed Yes Usable without creating an account, or the account is only a random number.
  • No email needed Yes An email address is not required to sign up or use it.
  • No phone number Yes A phone number is never required.

Payment

  • Accepts Monero Not stated
  • Accepts Lightning Not stated

Access

  • Tor onion address Not stated
  • Works without JavaScript Not stated

Trust

  • Never holds your funds Yes The operator never controls user funds, so it cannot freeze them.
  • Open source Yes The code that matters is public and can be inspected.
  • Independent audit Not stated
  • Company named Not stated
  • 5+ years operating Yes Has operated continuously for five years or more.

Warnings

  • May ask for ID Not in terms
  • Screens deposits Not in terms
  • Holds your funds Not in terms
  • Email required Not in terms
  • Phone number required Not in terms
  • Closed source Not in terms
  • Nobody accountable Not in terms

Incidents on record

critical

Seizure

US authorities arrested the developers and seized the wallet's domain and servers

On 24 April 2024 the US Department of Justice announced charges against the two developers of Samourai Wallet, alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering and to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, together with the seizure of the project's web domain and servers. According to later press coverage, the developers pleaded guilty to the unlicensed money transmitting conspiracy and were sentenced in November 2025. Users' coins remained under their own keys.

Service closed Source: justice.gov ↗

User reviews

Reviews never change a grade. Reviews with a transaction reference are marked.

No reviews yet.

What to use now that Samourai Wallet is gone

All alternatives →

Electrum

Long-established open-source Bitcoin wallet with Lightning support

Privacy 8.6
Safety 8.5
Never KYC 0 Docs reviewed

Phoenix

Self-custodial mobile Lightning wallet from ACINQ with automatic channels and swaps

Privacy 8.6
Safety 8.5
Never KYC 0 Docs reviewed

Wasabi Wallet

Open-source desktop Bitcoin wallet that routes all traffic through Tor

Privacy 8.9
Safety 8.0
Never KYC 0 Docs reviewed

ZEUS

Open-source self-custodial Bitcoin and Lightning wallet and remote node manager

Privacy 8.6
Safety 8.0
Never KYC 0 Docs reviewed

Samourai Wallet: common questions

Is Samourai Wallet still operating?

No. Domain and servers were seized and the developers arrested in April 2024; they were sentenced in November 2025. See the alternatives listed on this page.

Listing history

  • Listing added. Facts and KYC level set from the service's own terms and documentation.
  • Incident recorded: US authorities arrested the developers and seized the wallet's domain and servers