Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

BitPoolz ("we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Bitcoin pooling platform at bitpoolz.com ("the Platform").

By using BitPoolz, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Email Address: Required for pool entries, notifications, and winner contact
• Lightning Address: Required for paid pool entries to receive payouts if you win
• Phone Number: Optional, for SMS notifications and account verification
• Payment Information: Bitcoin transaction data (wallet addresses, transaction IDs, amounts)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent, clicks, entry timestamps
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address
• Cookies: Authentication tokens, session data, preferences
• Log Data: Server logs, error messages, performance metrics

2.3 Blockchain Data

• Bitcoin Transaction Data: All Bitcoin transactions are publicly visible on the blockchain
• Lightning Network Data: Payment hashes, channel states (pseudonymous)
• Draw Anchors: Bitcoin block heights and hashes used for draws (public)

3. How We Use Your Information

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 Public Display (Privacy-Protected)

We display limited information publicly:

• Masked Emails:Shown on leaderboards as "re***@gmail.com" (first 2 chars + domain only)
• Entry Amounts: Sats contributed and win probability percentages
• Entry Timestamps:When entries were made ("5m ago")
• Winner Announcements: Masked email of winner after draw

Full email addresses and Lightning addresses are NEVER displayed publicly.

4.2 Third-Party Services

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request, including:

• Compliance with subpoenas or legal processes
• Protection against fraud or illegal activity
• Defense of legal claims or rights
• Emergency situations involving safety risks

4.4 We DO NOT Sell Your Data

✅ We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Data Security

⚠️ WARNING: No method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

How Long We Keep Your Data:

• Active pool entries: Retained indefinitely for audit trail and verification
• Draw records: Permanent (required for provably fair verification)
• Payout records: 7 years (tax and legal compliance)
• Session data: 30 days after last activity
• Marketing emails: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion

Blockchain data (Bitcoin transactions, block hashes) is permanent and immutable - we cannot delete it as it exists on the public Bitcoin blockchain.

7. Your Privacy Rights

7.1 General Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Portability: Export your data in machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to certain processing activities
• Withdraw Consent: Revoke consent for optional data uses

7.2 GDPR Rights (EU Users)

If you are in the European Union, you have additional rights under GDPR:

• Right to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities
• Right to restrict processing in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability for automated processing

7.3 CCPA Rights (California Users)

California residents have the right to:

• Know what personal information is collected and how it's used
• Request deletion of personal information (with exceptions)
• Opt-out of sale of personal information (we don't sell data)
• Non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

7.4 How to Exercise Your Rights

8. Cookies and Tracking

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

8.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using certain features of the Platform.

9. Third-Party Links

BitPoolz may contain links to external websites (Bitcoin explorers, Lightning wallets, etc.). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any information.

10. Children's Privacy

⚠️ BitPoolz is NOT intended for users under 18 years of age.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately at privacy@bitpoolz.com and we will delete it.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. These countries may have different data protection laws.

By using BitPoolz, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other countries where our service providers operate.

For EU users: We use standard contractual clauses and ensure adequate safeguards are in place.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Material changes will be communicated via email (if you've provided one).

Continued use of BitPoolz after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact: