Monero

Privacy by Default

• All transactions are private — sender, receiver, and amount hidden by default
• Ring signatures hide sender — your transaction mixed with decoys
• Stealth addresses hide receiver — one-time addresses for each transaction
• RingCT hides amounts — transaction values encrypted
• No transparent mode — unlike Zcash, privacy isn't optional

Address Types

• Standard addresses start with "4" — 95 characters long
• Subaddresses start with "8" — recommended for receiving, unlinkable to main address
• Integrated addresses include payment ID — for exchanges, starts with "4"
• Never reuse addresses — generate new subaddress for each transaction

Transaction Characteristics

• Confirmations take ~2 minutes per block — 10 confirmations recommended for security
• Transactions are larger than Bitcoin — more data for privacy features
• Fees based on transaction size — typically $0.01-0.05
• No RBF — can't speed up stuck transactions
• Unlock time: 10 blocks — funds locked for ~20 minutes after receiving

Wallet Types

• Monero GUI — official desktop wallet, full or remote node
• Monero CLI — power users, scripting
• Feather Wallet — lightweight desktop, recommended for most users
• Cake Wallet — mobile, iOS and Android
• Hardware: Ledger supports XMR — via Monero GUI or Feather

Node Considerations

• Running own node = maximum privacy — no one sees your queries
• Remote nodes see your IP and query patterns — use Tor for privacy
• Trusted remote nodes: community-maintained lists exist
• Node sync takes days — hundreds of GB storage required
• Pruned nodes save space — ~50GB vs ~150GB+ for full

View Keys and Audit

• View key allows seeing incoming transactions — but not outgoing or balances
• Useful for accounting without spending access
• Proving payments requires tx key — generated per transaction
• No public explorer can track you — unlike Bitcoin

Exchange Considerations

• Some exchanges delisted XMR — regulatory pressure
• KuCoin, Kraken, others still support — verify current status
• Withdrawals may require extra confirmations — exchanges are cautious
• No memo/tag needed — address only
• Atomic swaps available — decentralized BTC-XMR swaps

Mining

• CPU mineable by design — ASIC resistant RandomX algorithm
• Solo mining possible — GUI has built-in miner
• Pool mining for consistent rewards — many pools available
• P2Pool for decentralized mining — no pool operator trust needed

Common Issues

• "Wallet not synced" — wait for blockchain sync to complete
• Balance shows 0 — wallet scanning blockchain, be patient
• "Unlock time" — received funds locked for 10 blocks
• Transaction stuck — wait, Monero doesn't have RBF
• "Daemon not connected" — node connection issue, check settings

Security Best Practices

• Use subaddresses — main address should rarely be shared
• Run own node or use Tor — remote nodes see your IP
• Verify wallet software — download from getmonero.org only
• Hardware wallet for large amounts — Ledger integration available
• Keep seed phrase offline — standard crypto security

Payment Verification

• Provide tx key + tx ID + recipient address — proves payment
• Receiver can verify without revealing their view key
• Block explorers can't verify — privacy preserved
• Useful for disputes — cryptographic proof of payment

Regulatory Awareness

• Banned or restricted in some jurisdictions — check local laws
• Some exchanges refuse XMR — regulatory compliance
• Travel rule compliance impossible — by design
• Not illegal in most countries — but scrutinized