Node Types & Colors
Every circle on the Bubble Map represents one Ethereum address. The color of each circle tells you what type of entity that address is.
Node Type Reference
| Color | Node Type | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Light / white | Wallet (EOA) | A standard Ethereum wallet controlled by a person — an externally owned account |
| Blue | Smart Contract | A contract address that executes code automatically when triggered |
| Orange / amber | CEX | A centralized exchange address — funds deposited here are commingled with other users' funds |
| Purple | DEX | A decentralized exchange router — a shared contract that processes swaps for many users |
| Teal / cyan | Bridge | A cross-chain bridge contract — funds that pass through a bridge leave the Ethereum network |
| Red | Mixer | A privacy protocol — funds sent through a mixer are intentionally obscured |
Why Node Types Matter
The type of address a node represents determines what happens to funds that flow through it — and whether the trace can continue past it.
CEX, Bridge, and Mixer nodes are almost always terminal. Once funds reach these addresses, Wallet Tracer stops following them:
- A CEX commingles deposited funds with other users, making individual fund tracking impractical
- A Bridge moves funds to another blockchain, where they can no longer be traced on Ethereum
- A Mixer intentionally breaks the on-chain link between sender and receiver
When a trace ends at one of these nodes, the node is shown as a terminal address with a reason for why the trace stopped.
Wallet and Contract nodes generally allow the trace to continue deeper into the network, provided there are more transactions to follow within the configured depth.
The Starting Address
The address you entered to start the trace is always placed at the center of the graph. It is typically displayed with a distinct visual treatment to make it easy to identify as the origin point.
Clicking a Node
Click any node to open the inspector panel and see details for that address, including:
- Address type and label
- Inflow and outflow totals
- Transaction count
- Links to block explorer
See Clicking Nodes & Edges for the full walkthrough.