A bitcoin start-up, SABR closed a seed funding round to provide a service for monitoring and identifying bitcoin transactions.

SABR claims that they possess a technology capable of tracking down and identifying people involved in bitcoin transactions and help authorities to investigate crimes related to digital currencies. The company also states that its unique partnerships in the digital currency world will ensure their strategies of eliminating criminal activity and illicit bitcoin usage are effective. According to Venturebeat, SABR has already attracted attention of government structures such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House.

SABR's mission is “to provide law enforcement with a view beneath the surface of multiple blockchains. SABR aims to ensure that bitcoin and other digital currencies are not utilized for illicit purpose”, the website reads.

However, it is not explained what technology supports the ability to “monitor multiple blockchains to identify and locate criminal activity”. The process of integrating data from the blockchain as well as other public or proprietary sources does not sound very hi-tech. Nevertheless, SABR mentions a team of engineers being involved as well as some type of software to be offered to customers.

A Reddit user pointed out that the contact address on the start-up’s website matches the address of Barry Silbert’s Digital Currency Group. 

The service offered by SABR is not unique. For instance, WalletExplorer.com is a blockchain analysis tool that groups addresses and labels wallets. Other tools include BlockSeer, Numisight, CryptoCrumb, Blockonomics. Coinalytics is one of them, offering software for gathering transaction and address information with an option of visualisation.

Aliona Chapel