Monero

About Monero (XMR)

What Is Monero (XMR)?

Monero (XMR) is a privacy-first cryptocurrency designed for everyday digital cash. Unlike transparent blockchains where transactions can be traced, Monero makes privacy the default by obscuring the sender, receiver, and amount on-chain.

XMR is commonly used to:

• Send private payments
• Store value with strong financial privacy
• Pay for goods and services where XMR is accepted
• Transact without publicly revealing balances and transaction history

Official resources:

• Monero

How Monero Works

Monero uses multiple privacy technologies to make transactions private by default:

1. Ring Signatures (Sender Privacy)

Ring signatures mix the real spender's signature with decoy signatures, making it difficult to identify the true sender from on-chain data.

1. Stealth Addresses (Receiver Privacy)

Each payment generates a one-time destination address so the recipient's public address does not appear directly on the blockchain.

1. Confidential Transactions (Amount Privacy)

Monero uses cryptography (often referred to as RingCT) to hide transaction amounts while still allowing the network to verify validity.

What Makes Monero Unique?

Monero is often associated with:

• Privacy by default (no opt-in privacy mode)
• Fungibility benefits because transaction history is obscured
• Proof-of-Work mining designed to be more accessible via CPUs

XMR Tokenomics

Monero does not have a hard cap. After the main issuance phase, it continues with a permanent "tail emission" to help incentivize miners over the long term.

Use Cases of Monero

Common Monero use cases include:

• Private peer-to-peer payments
• Confidential payroll and business transfers
• Donations where the donor or recipient prefers privacy
• Long-term holdings without exposing balances and transaction history publicly

How Monero Is Secured

Monero uses Proof of Work (PoW). Miners validate transactions and secure the chain.

Monero's PoW algorithm is RandomX, designed to favor general-purpose hardware and reduce ASIC dominance. Learn more at the RandomX repository.

Risks and Considerations

Key considerations include:

• Regulatory and exchange listing risk (availability can vary by jurisdiction)
• Privacy can reduce transparency for some compliance and monitoring use cases
• Operational security: privacy features do not replace safe wallet practices

Why Monero Matters

Monero targets a specific gap in crypto: default financial privacy. For users who treat transaction confidentiality as a core requirement (rather than an optional feature), Monero is purpose-built as private digital cash.

Where Can You Buy Monero (XMR)?

Because XMR is a privacy-focused asset, exchange availability can vary by jurisdiction. Common routes include centralized exchanges (where listed) and non-custodial options.

Major Centralized Exchanges (CEX)

XMR may be available on exchanges such as:

• Kraken
• Bitfinex

Some participants also use OTC desks depending on jurisdiction and requirements.

P2P and Non-Custodial Options

Users who prefer non-custodial routes may use:

• Bisq (P2P exchange)
• Atomic swaps (BTC ↔ XMR) using supported tools (availability varies)

Storage Options After Purchase

After buying XMR, it is commonly stored:

• In a non-custodial wallet (often preferred for privacy and self-custody)
• On a hardware wallet (where supported)
• On an exchange (custodial), noting withdrawal rules and counterparty risk