What does the --tx-proxy option do in monerod?

The --tx-proxy option tells monerod, the Monero node program, to send locally submitted transactions through a SOCKS proxy to peers on Tor or I2P. Its purpose is to make it harder to connect a transaction’s origin to your normal internet address; it does not route all your node’s traffic through that proxy.

What traffic it changes

When your wallet submits a transaction to your node, that node needs to pass it to other Monero nodes. This is called transaction relay.

With --tx-proxy, you can send that initial relay through an anonymity network:

• Tor routes connections through several relays and supports destinations with .onion addresses.
• I2P is a separate anonymity network that supports destinations such as .b32.i2p addresses.
• A SOCKS proxy is a local service that accepts a connection from your node and carries it through the chosen network.

This protects a different layer from Monero’s built-in transaction privacy. Monero hides details on the blockchain, while --tx-proxy helps protect the network path used to announce your transaction.

It does not make you untraceable. Your wallet setup, proxy configuration, and other network activity still matter.

What the option looks like

A Tor example is:

monerod --tx-proxy tor,127.0.0.1:9050

Here:

• tor selects the anonymity network.
• 127.0.0.1 means the proxy is running on your own computer.
• 9050 is the proxy’s listening port, a common choice for Tor.

The general format is:

--tx-proxy <network>,<proxy-ip>:<port>[,<max-connections>][,disable_noise]

The parts in square brackets are optional; you do not type the brackets. The connection setting limits proxy connections. The disable_noise flag turns off background cover traffic used for privacy, so it is not something to add casually.

You must run and configure the proxy separately. This option does not install Tor or I2P for you. Your node also needs reachable Monero peers on the chosen anonymity network; merely pointing it at a SOCKS port is not a complete setup.

What it does not do for mining or your node

Despite its name, --tx-proxy is not a general “put Monero behind a proxy” switch.

It does not, by itself:

• Hide your node’s ordinary public-network peer connections.
• Route blockchain downloads and block relay through Tor or I2P.
• Make your node accept incoming anonymous connections. That uses separate settings, including --anonymous-inbound.
• Proxy your wallet’s connection to a remote node.
• Change mining speed, rewards, or the chance of finding a block.

If you run a node for solo mining or P2Pool, this option concerns transaction privacy—not mining work or P2Pool’s own network connections. Mining rewards are created inside blocks, rather than submitted through the same path as a normal wallet payment.

The bottom line

Use --tx-proxy when you want an anonymity-network path for transactions submitted through your node. Treat it as one targeted privacy setting, not a blanket shield for your wallet, node, or mining setup.