Wasabi Wallet CoinJoin Coordinator Shutdown
Wasabi Wallet did not shut down. zkSNACKs shut down its own WabiSabi CoinJoin coordinator on June 1, 2024. The distinction matters because current Wasabi releases can connect to another coordinator.
What zkSNACKs stopped
Wasabi's official documentation records the shutdown of the zkSNACKs coordinator on June 1, 2024. The company stopped running the service that had coordinated Wasabi's default CoinJoin rounds. It did not end development of the open-source wallet or remove ordinary send, receive, recovery, and hardware-wallet functions.
The coordinator's role was to assemble a round from participant inputs and outputs. Wasabi's description of the WabiSabi protocol explains why the service was necessary to the automatic workflow. When the default service stopped, clients configured only for that endpoint could no longer complete rounds through it.
Wasabi CoinJoin continued with other coordinators
Wasabi's current getting-started documentation requires users to configure a coordinator before joining a round. The project added coordinator settings after the zkSNACKs shutdown. This means the wallet still contains CoinJoin support, but there is no longer a company-run default service to rely on.
Do not paste in a coordinator address without checking who operates it, its fee policy, its minimum input rules, its availability, and whether its software and public claims can be inspected. A coordinator cannot sign away your bitcoin, but it sets round terms and sees network interactions unless the client's protections work as intended. Low participation can also produce weak privacy.
What the alternatives actually do
| Option | What it does | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| Wasabi with another coordinator | Runs WabiSabi rounds through a configured service | You must assess the coordinator and available liquidity |
| JoinMarket | Matches fee-paying takers with makers who provide CoinJoin liquidity | Setup and operation demand more technical work |
| Payjoin | Combines sender and receiver inputs in a payment | Both parties need compatible support |
JoinMarket's project documentation describes its maker and taker model. It does not depend on the former zkSNACKs service and uses a different protocol and workflow.
BIP 78 defines Payjoin as a two-party payment negotiation. It can break common blockchain-analysis assumptions, but it is not a general replacement for a multi-party CoinJoin. The receiver must offer a Payjoin endpoint and the sender's wallet must support it.
What to change in old instructions
Remove any step that assumes Wasabi will automatically use the zkSNACKs coordinator. State that CoinJoin requires a separately configured coordinator. Include the coordinator's identity, fee policy, and the date those details were checked.
Keep the limits clear. CoinJoin can make transaction tracing harder. It does not hide exchange records, reused addresses, browser activity, IP leaks, or later transactions that merge separated outputs. The shutdown changed one service dependency. It did not change those limits.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Wasabi Wallet shut down?
No. zkSNACKs shut down its coordinator on June 1, 2024. Wasabi Wallet remains maintained and still supports ordinary wallet functions. Current versions can connect to another WabiSabi coordinator.
Can Wasabi Wallet still make CoinJoins?
Yes, but not through the former zkSNACKs coordinator. A user must configure another compatible coordinator. That choice adds operational and trust questions that the user must assess.
What are the main alternatives?
JoinMarket provides a separate maker and taker CoinJoin system. Payjoin lets a sender and receiver negotiate a joint payment transaction, but it requires support from both sides and is not a substitute for a multi-party CoinJoin round.