Blog
Guides and notes on spending Monero, privacy, and growing the circular economy.
How to Buy Gold and Silver with Monero in 2026: Dealers, Premiums and KYC
Which bullion dealers accept XMR in 2026, what a coin really costs in Monero, KYC and VAT rules in the US and EU, and delivery vs vault storage.
Monero Wallet Recovery: Zero Balance, Restore Height, Stuck Transactions and Lost Seeds
Balance shows zero after restoring? Half your XMR missing? Stuck at 0 confirmations? The real causes behind the most common Monero support posts and how to fix each one.
How to Run Your Own Monero Node in 2026: Hardware, Pruning, Raspberry Pi and Docker
What it takes to run monerod at home in 2026: disk and RAM sizes, pruned vs full, PiNodeXMR, Docker, ban lists, Tor, and the config we would use.
Monero Security Checklist: How People Actually Lose Their XMR (and How to Stop It)
Clipboard malware, fake wallets, exchange hacks, seed phrase mistakes - the real ways Monero gets stolen in 2026, with a practical checklist to avoid each one.
Monero Hardware Wallets in 2026: Trezor, Ledger and Air-Gapped Options Compared
Which hardware wallets support Monero in 2026, how they connect, what each one can and cannot do, and how to set them up with Feather, Cake Wallet or the GUI.
How to Buy Monero with a Debit or Credit Card in 2026
A step-by-step look at which services let you buy XMR with a Visa or Mastercard in 2026, what they charge, and which ones skip the ID check.
Monero Wallets by Platform: macOS, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS in 2026
The official GUI has no Windows ARM or Linux ARM build, the macOS package has been notarised since 2020, and iOS is weaker than Android for two specific documented reasons. A platform-by-platform guide built on the local-scan vs view-key distinction every listicle skips.
Monero Mining Profitability in 2026: The Numbers Calculators Leave Out
Network hashrate is down 18% from January's peak, RandomX ASICs exist but can't beat a desktop CPU per watt, and EU electricity prices make mining cost more than buying. Real figures, the break-even maths, and why P2Pool nano matters.
Which Exchanges Still List Monero in 2026 (Verified, Not Copied)
Coinbase never listed XMR, Kraken restricted only the EEA, and HTX trades $23M a day. Live API-verified listing status, the delisting timeline with dates, and why $16M of order-book depth matters more than any of it.
Monero Debit and Virtual Cards in 2026: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why 30% Are Scams
No card settles from XMR -- here's what you're actually buying. Directory data on 33 card services, the 38% vs 12.5% scam-rate gap between prepaid and gift cards, real fee stacks, and the EU rules that close in 2027.
Where to Swap Monero in 2026: Instant Swap vs Atomic Swap vs P2P vs DEX
Atomic swaps only go BTC to XMR, THORChain hasn't launched Monero yet, and only ~13 swap makers are actually online. A method-by-method comparison of who can freeze your funds, with data from 380 exchange listings.
Monero Web Wallets in 2026: MyMonero Is Gone, and What to Use Instead
MyMonero shut down in January 2026 on principle. Why Monero can't have a MetaMask, what a view key really exposes, and why every scam-flagged wallet in our directory is browser-based.
Monero Address Types Explained: Standard, Subaddress and Integrated
Why some Monero addresses start with 4 and others with 8, what an integrated address is for, and why reusing a Monero address does not harm your privacy the way reusing a Bitcoin address does.
Monero Lending, Staking and Yield: What Actually Exists (and What Doesn't)
Monero has no staking — it is proof of work. So every product advertising XMR yield is custodial lending, a wrapped derivative, or a scam. Here is how to tell which, with our own scam-flag data.
Buying Proxies with Monero: How the Market Works and What to Avoid
Proxies are widely sold for Monero, and the market has a serious consent problem — many residential proxy networks are built from malware-infected devices. Here is how to buy responsibly.
Monero Transaction Fees Explained: Why XMR Is So Cheap to Send
Monero fees are typically a fraction of a cent. Here is what an XMR transaction actually costs, why it stays low, and how the priority setting and network load change the number.
How to Sell Monero and Cash Out (Without a Frozen Account)
Selling XMR is the mirror image of buying it, but with an extra risk: exchange freezes. Here are the working routes to cash out Monero in 2026 and how to avoid a source-of-funds hold.
Private Search Engines for Monero Users: Independent, Proxy and Self-Hosted
If you run Monero for privacy, your search engine is the other half of the leak. Here is how private search engines actually differ — independent index, Google proxy, or self-hosted metasearch.
Monero Remote Nodes and Privacy: What Your Node Actually Sees
A remote node cannot steal your Monero, but it can see your IP and which transactions you broadcast. Here is what a node knows about you, when to run your own, and how to pick a public one.
Anonymous Hosting and VPS You Can Pay for with Monero
Paying for a server with Monero is one of the strongest reasons XMR exists. Here is how to choose privacy-friendly VPS and hosting that accept Monero — and why this category needs extra care.
Is RetoSwap Safe? Haveno P2P Trading Status After the 2026 Exploit
RetoSwap suspended trading after a $2.7M exploit in May 2026. Here is what happened, what it means for Haveno-based P2P exchanges, and which no-KYC options for Monero still work today.
Which “No-KYC” Swap Services Actually Freeze Monero — And Why
No-KYC does not mean no compliance. Here is why instant swap services put holds on Monero trades, which patterns trigger it, and how to reduce the chance of your funds being frozen.
Monero Delistings: Which Exchanges Still List XMR in 2026, by Country
Kraken removed XMR for Canada and India in 2026, following the EEA in 2024. Here is what a delisting actually does to your balance, the deadlines that matter, and where Monero still trades.
Is FCMP++ Live on Monero Yet? Network Status and What Changes
Several sites claim FCMP++ activated on Monero mainnet in early 2026. It has not. Here is how to verify the network's actual consensus version yourself, and what FCMP++ will change when it does ship.
The State of the Monero Economy: What 1,556 Services Tell Us
We analysed every service in the XMRList directory — 1,556 listings across 93 countries. Here is what the data says about who actually accepts Monero in 2026, and where the economy is concentrated.
Where to Spend Monero (XMR) in 2026
From gift cards and VPNs to hosting, email, eSIMs and travel — here is where to spend Monero (XMR) in 2026, with no-KYC merchants that accept private payments.
Best VPNs That Accept Monero in 2026
Paying for a VPN with Monero closes the loop: a no-logs provider you funded without a card. Here is what to look for and the providers that take XMR.
What Is a Monero Circular Economy — and Why It Matters
A circular economy is value that stays inside Monero instead of being cashed out to fiat. Here is what that means in practice, why it matters, and how to take part.
Is Monero Legal? Privacy Coins, Delistings and the 2027 EU Rules
Owning and using Monero is legal in most countries. What is changing is what regulated companies may offer — not what individuals may hold. Here is the distinction that most coverage gets wrong.
Monero Mining for Beginners: RandomX, P2Pool and Whether It's Worth It
Monero is the last major coin you can still mine on an ordinary CPU. Here is how RandomX works, how P2Pool differs from a traditional pool, and how to work out whether mining pays where you live.
How to Spend Monero: Paying, Confirmations and Getting It Right
The mechanics of actually paying with XMR — wallets, addresses, confirmations and avoiding mistakes. For where to spend it, see our merchant guide.
Monero Atomic Swaps Explained: Trustless BTC ↔ XMR
Atomic swaps trade Bitcoin for Monero with no exchange and no custodian — either both sides complete or both refund. Here is how they work, what they cost you, and when to use one.
How to Buy Gift Cards with Monero (and Avoid the Scams)
Gift cards are the fastest way to spend Monero at stores that don't take crypto — but it is also the most scam-heavy category we track. Here is our data, the providers that check out, and how to vet the rest.
Best No-KYC Exchanges for Monero in 2026 (and What “No-KYC” Really Means)
A current comparison of no-account swaps, aggregators, P2P venues and atomic swaps for Monero — including which ones can still freeze your funds mid-trade.
How to Accept Monero Payments for Your Business
Accepting XMR means no chargebacks, tiny fees and a privacy-minded customer base. Here is how to set it up — self-hosted, processor, or in-wallet — and how to handle refunds and accounting.
Monero vs Bitcoin Privacy: How Private Is Each, Really?
Bitcoin is a public ledger; Monero hides sender, receiver and amount by default. Here is the concrete difference, where each leaks, and what it means in practice.
How to Buy Monero Without KYC: A Beginner's Step-by-Step
A plain walkthrough of acquiring Monero with no account and no ID — the process, not a list of services. For the service comparison, see our no-KYC exchanges guide.
Best Monero Wallets in 2026: Mobile, Desktop, Hardware and CLI
A practical comparison of Monero wallets — which to use for daily spending, which for savings, and which to avoid entirely. Based on the 35 wallets tracked in our directory.