Getting Monero without an exchange account in 2026

  • Several large exchanges removed Monero from 2024 onward, some everywhere and some for part of their users.
  • Three routes remain: a swap from another coin, a direct trade with a person, and mining.
  • Monero protects what is written on its chain, but timing and IP data sit outside it.

Monero (XMR) has become harder to find on large trading platforms.

Since early 2024, several big exchanges have removed it, some for all users and some for part of their user base.

For many holders, the practical question is now how to get Monero without an exchange account, and what that route asks of them.

This article looks at the routes that remain, the wallet to set up first, and the checks that matter during a swap.

For a full walkthrough, a step-by-step guide from HiddenSwap shows how to get Monero without KYC with a wallet and a single swap.

Key points

  • Several large exchanges removed Monero from 2024 onward, some everywhere and some for part of their users.
  • Three routes remain: a swap from another coin, a direct trade with a person, and mining.
  • A wallet you control comes first, because every route pays out to an address.
  • A swap turns coins you already have into XMR without creating an account.
  • Monero protects what is written on its chain, but timing and IP data sit outside it.

Why fewer exchange accounts offer Monero

The removals came in steps. In January 2024, one large exchange delisted XMR, stating that the coin no longer fit its listing standards.

The next month, a second big platform ended XMR trading after reviewing which assets it would keep.

In late October 2024, a third halted XMR trading and deposits for a group of its customers.

The announcements pointed to listing criteria and asset reviews. Monero’s design is part of the picture too.

An exchange cannot read the history of XMR on the chain the way it can with Bitcoin, because Monero keeps that data private by design.

None of this changed how the network itself works.

XMR kept in a private wallet is not affected, and the chain runs as before. What changed is where people can get XMR.

Routes that remain for Monero without an exchange account

Three routes are left. The first is a swap, where you send a coin you already have, such as Bitcoin or Tether, and receive XMR at your own address.

The second is a peer-to-peer trade with another person. The third is mining, which pays new XMR in return for computing work.

Each route has a cost. A direct trade depends on trust in the other side, and scams are common where no escrow protects the deal.

Mining needs hardware and electricity, and it pays out in small amounts over time.

For most people who already own some crypto, a swap is the shortest path.

HiddenSwap (hiddenswap.com) is a no KYC crypto exchange for crypto-to-crypto swaps: no account, no email, and no ID are needed to swap.

The user gives a receiving address, sends the deposit, and gets XMR in a wallet they control.

Set up a Monero wallet first

Every route ends with coins sent to an address, so the wallet comes first.

The Monero project publishes an official wallet in two versions: a graphical app (GUI) and a command-line tool (CLI). Both are free and open source, and both are available on getmonero.org.

A new wallet shows a seed phrase when it is created. Write it down offline and never share it.

Anyone who has the seed controls the coins, and no honest swap service will ever ask for it.

The wallet then needs to sync with the network before it can show incoming coins.

Running your own node gives the most privacy. A remote node is quicker to start with, but its operator can see your IP address unless you connect through Tor.

Swapping another coin into XMR

A swap needs the coin you send and its network, the amount, and your XMR address.

An address for refunds, on the network of the coin you send, is optional.

It protects you if the swap cannot finish, which matters most when you send from a platform account.

Copy the XMR address your wallet shows under Receive, then look at the pasted text once more before you continue.

A new subaddress for each swap keeps your payouts separate from each other.

Send the exact amount in one transaction, on the network the order page names.

After the XMR arrives, it cannot be spent until 10 more blocks have been added, which takes about 20 minutes.

That lock is a Monero network rule, not a delay added by the swap service.

What Monero protects, and where metadata leaks

By default, Monero hides the amount, the sender, and the receiver of every payment.

Ring signatures blur which coin was spent, one-time addresses separate each payment from the public address, and RingCT hides the amount.

The project explains each of these on getmonero.org.

Metadata is a different layer. The point where coins enter from a public chain, the timing of payments and your IP address can still show patterns.

A wallet that connects over Tor and a fresh subaddress for each payment reduce what others can link.

The coin you send into a swap also keeps its own record.

A Bitcoin deposit stays visible on the Bitcoin chain. Only the Monero side of the swap gets Monero’s protections.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get Monero if I have no crypto yet?

A swap needs coins to send, so it only helps people who already have some crypto. Without any, the options are mining or a direct trade with another person. Both take more time and more care.

Which coins can be swapped into XMR?

Common choices are Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ether and Tether. HiddenSwap lists more than 1,000 coins and networks. Always send on the network the order page shows.

When can I spend the XMR I receive?

The deposit first needs confirmations on its own network. After the payout arrives, Monero locks the new coins for 10 blocks. Then they can be spent like any other XMR.

A wallet you control and one careful swap are all you need to get started with Monero without an exchange account today.

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XRP jumps 8% as crypto short squeeze and Ripple developments draw attention

Key takeaways

  • XRP rose more than 8% in 24 hours as the broader crypto market rallied.
  • Its trading volume increased 55% to approximately $4.7 billion.
  • Crypto-wide short liquidations reached about $665 million; that figure is not specific to XRP.

XRP outpaces major cryptocurrencies

XRP gained more than 8% over 24 hours amid a broad cryptocurrency rally. Trading volume rose 55% to approximately $4.7 billion, equivalent to about 5% of XRP’s circulating market value.

The higher volume shows that trading activity increased alongside the price. It does not, by itself, establish how much of that activity came from new buyers rather than sellers closing positions.

A wider short squeeze may have contributed to the move. Across the crypto market, short liquidations climbed to approximately $665 million, according to the figures cited in the report. Liquidations force some traders betting on falling prices to close their positions, which can amplify a rally.

XRP’s gains also come as Ripple continues to expand its payments business and develop uses for the XRP Ledger.

The report points to a newly released developer kit for building AI agents that can make payments using the ledger and Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. It also describes Stripe as potential supporting infrastructure for that use case. The scale of any resulting payment activity remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, two XRP Ledger proposals under consideration could help establish a framework for lending that uses XRP as collateral and RLUSD for settlement. Their eventual effect depends on approval, implementation and adoption.

RLUSD’s market capitalization was near $2.4 billion in the figures cited by the report. Growth in the stablecoin may increase activity in Ripple’s ecosystem, though it does not guarantee a corresponding rise in XRP’s price.

XRP faces $1.50 breakout test

The technical analysis in the report identifies a breakout from a descending flag pattern on XRP’s daily chart. 

The next test is $1.50: a sustained move above that level would strengthen the case for a rise toward $1.80.

XRP/USD Daily Chart

The analyst also projects a medium-term target of $2.10 based on the pattern’s measured move, implying roughly 41% upside from the price used in that forecast.

Those targets remain conditional. After a sharp rally and substantial short liquidations, XRP will need continued buying interest to hold its breakout and advance through $1.50.

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Avalanche price eyes 90% rally as tokenization demand lifts AVAX

Key takeaways

  • AVAX surged nearly 50% in one week, reaching an eight-month high of $10.82 on Sunday.
  • Institutional tokenization developments involving ICE, New York Life Investment Management, Aave and Janus Henderson have boosted sentiment.
  • Avalanche’s Helicon upgrade is scheduled for Sept. 22 and will reduce the minimum staking period from 14 days to 48 hours.

Avalanche’s AVAX token has climbed nearly 50% over the past week, reaching an eight-month high of $10.82 on Sunday as institutional tokenization developments renewed demand for the cryptocurrency.

One of the rally’s leading catalysts involves Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange. ICE has reportedly spent about a year testing Avalanche as it explores infrastructure for round-the-clock trading of tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds.

ICE has not selected Avalanche or announced a commercial partnership. However, Ava Labs President Charley Cooper said the company remains actively engaged with the network.

The development has strengthened expectations that Avalanche could play a role in bringing traditional financial assets onchain.

New York Life plans tokenized fund on Avalanche

New York Life Investment Management provided another institutional catalyst by announcing plans to launch its first tokenized fund on Avalanche through Centrifuge.

The offering will bring the firm’s U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Strategy onchain, giving eligible investors access to exposure tied to high-yield corporate debt.

Other financial companies are also expanding their involvement with Avalanche. Aave is developing an institutional real-world asset lending market on the network, while Paxos has added support for AVAX and USDC.

Asset manager Janus Henderson has also joined Avalanche as a validator, further strengthening the network’s institutional credentials.

Together, these developments reinforce Avalanche’s positioning as a blockchain for tokenized funds, credit products and other real-world assets.

Avalanche’s upcoming Helicon upgrade provides an additional potential catalyst for AVAX.

Scheduled for Sept. 22, the upgrade will reduce the minimum staking lockup period from 14 days to 48 hours. The change could make staking more flexible by allowing participants to commit their tokens for substantially shorter periods.

Helicon will also modify validator requirements and reward structures. Lowering the time commitment may encourage more users to participate in network validation, although the full impact will depend on how validators respond to the revised economics.

The timing of the upgrade, alongside growing institutional interest, has added momentum to AVAX’s recovery.

Falling wedge points to $19–$20 target

AVAX’s weekly chart is showing a potential long-term recovery setup after the price rebounded from the lower boundary of a large falling wedge that has developed since its 2021 peak.

Falling wedges are generally viewed as bullish reversal patterns when the price rebounds from the lower trendline and eventually breaks above descending resistance.

The latest recovery started around the $5.80–$6.50 region, a historical support zone that has repeatedly attracted buyers. AVAX subsequently climbed above its 20-week Exponential Moving Average near $7.97, strengthening the case for a broader recovery within the wedge.

If the rebound continues, the next major upside target lies between $19 and $20. The wedge’s descending upper trendline is converging in this area with the 0.236 Fibonacci retracement level near $19.86.

A move from approximately $10.50 to that resistance zone would produce an estimated gain of 85%–90%.

Before AVAX can approach $19, it must overcome resistance around its 50-week EMA. A rejection from this moving average could slow the recovery or send the token back toward lower support levels.

AVAX/USD Daily Chart

The broader bullish setup would weaken if AVAX loses the wedge’s lower trendline and falls decisively below $5.80. That level currently serves as the primary invalidation point for the recovery thesis.

AVAX’s outlook therefore remains constructive while it holds above the reclaimed 20-week EMA and maintains the wedge’s lower support. 

However, the projected move toward $19–$20 remains conditional on the token clearing intermediate resistance and sustaining institutional-driven demand.

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XRP holds $1.30 as falling futures interest signals weak demand

Key takeaways

  • The failed CLARITY Act vote and the Federal Reserve’s rate increase have weighed on sentiment.
  • XRP futures open interest fell from 2.25 billion to 2.12 billion tokens, signaling softer speculative demand.
  • The 50-day and 100-day EMAs provide support between $1.28 and $1.26.

Ripple’s XRP remained under bearish pressure on Friday, trading just above $1.30 as buyers attempted to defend a cluster of short-term moving-average supports.

The token has struggled since rising to $1.50 on Monday. Sentiment weakened after the U.S. Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act and the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75% to 4.00%.

Higher interest rates can reduce liquidity and weaken demand for risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. However, the Fed’s decision was widely anticipated, limiting the immediate market reaction.

Ripple highlights XRP’s existing legal clarity

Despite the legislative setback, Ripple maintains that XRP already has a meaningful legal advantage following the company’s lengthy court battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ripple said the litigation established that XRP is not inherently a security, giving the company and token firmer legal footing even without a comprehensive U.S. digital-asset framework.

The company acknowledged that the CLARITY Act could have offered greater certainty across the broader crypto industry. Still, it argued that XRP remains on “settled ground” compared with many other digital assets.

Derivatives activity has weakened alongside XRP’s fading price recovery. Futures open interest fell to 2.12 billion XRP on Friday from 2.25 billion the day earlier. It has also retreated considerably from the 2.78 billion XRP recorded on August 15.

Falling open interest indicates traders are closing leveraged positions or becoming less willing to establish new ones. If the decline continues, XRP may struggle to attract the speculative demand needed for a sustained move back toward $1.50.

The token nevertheless displayed some resilience following the Fed’s expected rate increase. 

XYO co-founder Markus Levin noted that the central bank’s improved growth outlook suggests policymakers do not believe the U.S. economy is approaching a severe downturn.

However, the effects of higher borrowing costs could emerge gradually as financial conditions tighten.

XRP bulls defend the $1.26-$1.28 support zone

XRP remains above the 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages, which provide support around $1.28 and $1.26, respectively.

The 200-day EMA at approximately $1.36 represents the first major resistance. A decisive break above that level could improve momentum and reopen the path toward $1.50.

Technical indicators currently point to consolidation with a bearish tilt. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator has fallen further below zero, while its expanding negative histogram suggests bullish momentum is weakening.

XRP/USD Daily Chart

Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index stands at 49, slightly below its neutral midpoint.

A daily close below the $1.26-$1.28 support cluster would strengthen the bearish outlook and potentially trigger a deeper correction. 

Conversely, holding this zone and reclaiming $1.36 would provide an early sign that buyers are regaining control.

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XRP recovers but weak derivatives data limits bullish conviction

Key takeaways

  • XRP’s long-to-short ratio stands at a bullish 1.06 as funding rates turn negative. 
  • XRP holds above its 50-day and 100-day EMAs at $1.284 and $1.255.
  • A daily close above the 200-day EMA at $1.353 could place $1.90 in focus.

XRP extended its recoveries on Thursday after finding support at important technical levels. However, conflicting funding rates, long-to-short positioning, and on-chain signals indicate that traders remain uncertain about whether the rebounds can continue.

XRP traded near $1.30 while holding above its 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages. A close above the 200-day EMA at $1.353 is required to strengthen its recovery.

XRP traders show mixed positioning

XRP’s long-to-short ratio rose to 1.06 on Thursday, approaching its highest level in more than a month, according to CoinGlass.

A ratio above one means traders hold more long positions than shorts, signaling a moderately bullish positioning bias.

Funding rates complicate the derivatives outlook for both tokens. XRP’s funding rate turned negative on Wednesday and stood at -0.0040% on Thursday. 

Negative funding means short-position holders are paying longs, indicating that bearish positioning has become more aggressive.

This conflicts with XRP’s bullish long-to-short ratio and highlights the lack of consensus among futures traders.

CryptoQuant’s summary indicators point to cautious conditions across XRP’s spot and futures markets.

XRP is showing signs of overheating, while its futures market reflects sell-side dominance. Increased activity from retail traders could also introduce additional volatility if leveraged positions become crowded.

Taken together, the metrics suggest that XRP has not attracted enough consistent demand to confirm a sustained recovery.

XRP holds above the $1.25–$1.28 support zone

XRP traded near $1.30 on Thursday, maintaining a neutral and range-bound technical structure. The token remains slightly above its 50-day EMA at $1.284 and its 100-day EMA at $1.255. These moving averages create a broader demand zone between approximately $1.25 and $1.28.

The Relative Strength Index stands near 46, signaling neutral-to-weak momentum. Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator remains below zero, showing that bullish pressure has yet to recover fully.

XRP/USD Daily Chart

A break below the moving-average support cluster could expose the psychological $1 level.

The 200-day EMA at $1.353 represents XRP’s most important near-term resistance. A daily close above this level would improve the technical outlook and could open a path toward the next major horizontal resistance near $1.90.

Failure to clear $1.353 would keep XRP trapped within its current range and leave the $1.30 area vulnerable to another pullback.

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