One of the foundational privacy features on Penumbra is the use of ephemeral addresses. These are single-use, one-directional addresses designed to keep transactions untraceable. Unlike traditional blockchain addresses that can be reused and linked to identities, ephemeral addresses are automatically generated for each transfer and discarded after use.

Why Ephemeral Addresses Matter

On Penumbra, every transaction is shielded by default. When someone sends you funds from outside the shielded pool (e.g. from a Cosmos chain like Osmosis or Noble), they use your full viewing address, which allows the network to route the funds correctly. However this could, in theory, reveal that you’re receiving assets if the same address is reused.

When you send funds out, however, using an ephemeral address, this means that this address:

• Cannot be linked back to your full viewing address
  Prevents chain analysis from identifying who sent what asset to whom
  
  

This means that even the recipient of your transfer cannot trace your identity or link the funds to your account history. The result? True, untraceable privacy. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through sending funds from your Prax Wallet using an ephemeral address, and show you how to verify the transaction anonymously using the public ledger.

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 What You Need

• A Prax Wallet account with shielded assets (e.g., USDC or UM)
• Access to app.penumbra.zone
  
  

Step-by-Step Guide: Send Funds Privately on Penumbra

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1. Open the “Send” Tab in Portfolio View

• Go to app.penumbra.zone
• Navigate to the “Send” tab in your Shielded Funds section
  
  

2. Paste the Recipient’s Ephemeral Address

• Enter the penumbra1... address shared with you by the recipient
  
  
  
  

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3. Enter Amount and Token Type

• Specify how much you want to send 
• Confirm the token type from the dropdown
• Write your personal “Memo”
• Click the Send button
  
  
  

4. Review and Approve the Transaction

• Review all the input details are correct
• Click “Approve” to submit the transfer
  You’ll receive a confirmation that the transaction has been broadcast and included once it’s completed

 5. Verify Transaction in Public Ledger (Optional)

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• Once the transfer is successful, you will receive a confirmation prompt.
  Click “See details” to check the transaction record

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• Navigate to the “Public View” tab in your portfolio
• You can verify that a transaction occurred without revealing sender/recipient identity

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