If Bitcoin is like digital cash with a public receipt, Monero is like real cash: no one can see how much you send or to whom. Here's how it works, in plain words.
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01 · What it is
Monero (XMR) was created in 2014 as an open source, community-led project with no foundation and no leader. Unlike Bitcoin, where all transactions are visible in a public ledger, on Monero privacy is mandatory and on by default: every transaction, always, hides sender, recipient and amount.
This makes it the true fungibility cryptocurrency: every XMR is worth the same as every other XMR, because no coin carries a traceable "history" with it. On Bitcoin, by contrast, a coin that passed through a flagged address can be rejected by some services.
In all honesty: precisely because of this total privacy, some regulated exchanges have delisted Monero in various European countries and beyond. If you want to buy it, always check the availability and rules of the platform you choose.
2014
Born from the community
Monero was created as a fork of Bytecoin, run from the start by volunteer open source developers.
100%
Private transactions
There are no public transactions on Monero: sender, recipient and amount are always protected.
∞ (almost)
Smooth issuance
There's no hard cap: after the initial phase, the network issues a small fixed amount (0.6 XMR per minute) forever, incentivizing miners.
02 · How it works
01
When you spend, the wallet mixes the output you control with other blockchain outputs used as decoys. A ring signature proves that one in the group is authorized, without revealing which one; the network can verify the signature without identifying the real spend.
02
From your public address, the sender derives a different one-time address for each payment. Only your wallet, scanning the blockchain with its own keys, recognizes the outputs you received: two payments to the same recipient don't show the same address on the chain.
03
RingCT hides amounts with cryptographic commitments: nodes can check that inputs and outputs balance without reading their value. The proofs also verify that amounts are valid, preventing XMR from being created out of thin air.
04
Miners compete to add blocks via proof of work. RandomX is designed to be efficient on common CPUs and make specialized chips less advantageous; mining from home is possible, but doesn't guarantee a profit.
05
Every spent output produces a unique 'key image'. Nodes can detect and reject a second spend of the same output, even without knowing which ring member was the real one.
06
Monero protects details recorded on the blockchain, but it doesn't automatically hide your IP address, the identity you share with a service, or information you share yourself. Use a trustworthy wallet and also protect your connection and recovery phrase.
03 · Getting started
Due to privacy regulations, regulated platforms often don't list XMR: non-custodial exchange services are often the simplest route. At the bottom of the page you'll find a selection.
Use the official Monero GUI/CLI wallet, or apps like Feather and Cake Wallet. On Monero, privacy depends on the wallet you choose.
As with any long-term crypto, it's best to hold funds in your own wallet, with the seed phrase (25 words) saved offline.
Privacy is a right, but the tax and legal rules of your country still apply: inform yourself and declare what needs to be declared.
04 · Where to sign up
A selection of DEXs, non-custodial exchanges, hardware wallets and gift cards to get XMR. The links below are affiliate links: if you sign up through them, you support the site — the price doesn't change for you, and on some platforms you get an extra bonus.
⚠ Warning: due to privacy regulations, XMR is often missing from regulated platforms and has been removed in some European countries. Non-custodial services remain the most accessible route.
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05 · Frequently asked questions
No: owning and using Monero is legal in most countries, Italy included. Some platforms choose not to support it out of regulatory caution.
The community chose 'smooth issuance': after about 18.4 million XMR, the network issues 0.6 per minute forever. This keeps miners incentivized to protect the network for decades, with inflation under 1% per year.
It's currently considered the leading crypto with privacy by default and no transparency on transactions. That said, privacy security is an evolving field: no system should be considered 100% magic.
Yes, it's one of the few major cryptos mineable with a normal CPU thanks to RandomX. Modern returns are low compared to electricity costs: do it out of passion or to support the network, not for profit.