Comparison · facts checked October 18, 2026
Haveno and RetoSwap vs a Monero (XMR) swap service
Haveno is open-source software for trading Monero peer to peer, and RetoSwap is the network built on it that most people use. SilentXMR is a swap service for crypto you already hold. Here is how the two approaches differ, and when each makes sense.
The short version
- Haveno / RetoSwap: peer-to-peer. You trade with another person in a desktop app that runs over Tor, with the coins held in 2-of-3 multisig escrow. Fiat payment methods are possible, and both sides usually post a security deposit.
- SilentXMR: a swap service. You send BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL from any wallet and receive XMR at your address. No app, no counterparty, no deposit, crypto only.
- Pick Haveno to buy or sell XMR for fiat, or to avoid trusting a single operator. Pick a swap if you already hold crypto and want XMR without installing anything.
Order
Send exactly
on the network to:
- You get (locked)
- Rate
- Your address
- Payout transaction
- Created
- Send the exact amount above from your wallet.
- We check the deposit wallet, and once your deposit confirms we send the amount quoted above to your address, even if the price has moved since.
- This page updates by itself. Keep your order ID to check later on the Track order page.
Questions? Email service@silentxmr.com with your order ID.
What Haveno and RetoSwap are
Haveno describes itself as a non-custodial, decentralized exchange for crypto and fiat currencies, built on Tor and Monero. It is a fork of Bisq. You install a desktop app (Windows, macOS or Linux), and every trade pairs XMR with another asset: fiat through a payment method, or another coin.
The Haveno project does not run a public network itself: its FAQ says it does not operate or endorse any network instance on Monero's main network. Networks are run by others, and RetoSwap is the one getmonero.org lists as active. RetoSwap trades XMR against BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH and USDT (on Ethereum and Tron), and against fiat by methods ranging from SEPA and ACH transfers to PayPal, Cash App, cash by mail and cash in person. It also offers an Android app; there is no iOS app.
Trades are secured by a 2-of-3 multisig wallet shared by the buyer, the seller and an arbitrator, who holds only one key. In Haveno's default settings both traders lock a security deposit of 15% to 50% of the trade (at least 0.1 XMR), returned when the trade completes, and buyers can take no-deposit offers up to 1.5 XMR. If a trade goes wrong, an arbitrator decides, and penalties come out of the security deposit. Each network can change these settings.
SilentXMR vs Haveno
Facts about Haveno come from its own website, documents and announcements, checked on October 18, 2026. "Not published" means we could not find it stated there.
| Feature | SilentXMR | Haveno / RetoSwap |
|---|---|---|
| Type of service | A single swap service for Monero. Every swap starts or ends in XMR. | Peer-to-peer exchange software (a fork of Bisq). You trade with another person. |
| Monero (XMR) | Yes, on every pair, in both directions. | Every trade is against XMR. |
| Coins and networks | BTC, ETH, LTC, SOL, USDT (ERC-20, TRC-20, SPL) and USDC (ERC-20, SPL), each to and from XMR. | On RetoSwap: BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH and USDT (Ethereum, Tron), plus fiat. |
| Account | None. | No account with a company. You create a trade profile stored in the app and shared with your trade partner. |
| ID checks (KYC) | No name, email address or ID requested. | "Haveno is and will always be non-KYC" (Haveno FAQ). Your payment details go to your trade partner. |
| Fees and pricing | Kraken's last price minus a 0.5% spread, shown before you send. You receive the quoted amount. | On RetoSwap: 0.1% maker fee; taker fee 0.8% for crypto, 2% for fiat. The price is set by the offer. |
| Minimum and maximum | $50 worth. Above $50,000, contact support first. | Haveno default: 0.05 XMR per trade. The maximum per trade depends on the payment method. |
| Rate | Locked when you create the order, with no expiry, even if the price moves before your deposit confirms. | The price is set by the offer you take or make. |
| Who holds the coins during the swap | You send to the deposit address on your order and we send the payout to your address. You trust SilentXMR between the two. | 2-of-3 multisig escrow between buyer, seller and arbitrator, plus security deposits (default 15% to 50%). |
| Fiat (bank, card, cash) | No. Crypto to crypto only. | Yes: SEPA, ACH, PayPal, Cash App, cash by mail or in person (RetoSwap). Fiat trades can take up to a week. |
| How you receive the coins | Deposits are checked and payouts sent by hand after your deposit confirms. Follow it with your order ID. | Released from escrow when the seller confirms payment. Crypto trades "typically complete within minutes" (RetoSwap). |
| What you need | A browser and the wallet you send from. | The desktop app (Windows, macOS, Linux) or RetoSwap's Android app, connected over Tor. |
Ready to swap? Lock your XMR rate now.
- Kraken's live price minus 0.5%. You see exactly what you get before you send.
- Your rate is locked the moment you create the order. No countdown, no re-quote.
- BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL in, XMR out to your address. Or the other way round.
When Haveno may suit you better
- You want to buy or sell XMR for fiat: a bank transfer, PayPal, cash by mail or in person. SilentXMR does not take fiat.
- You would rather use escrow that no single party controls than trust one operator with your coins between deposit and payout.
- You want to set your own price by posting an offer.
- You want BCH, which SilentXMR does not support.
- You don't mind installing a desktop app, syncing over Tor and waiting for a counterparty.
When SilentXMR may suit you better
- You already hold BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL and just want XMR in your wallet.
- You do not want to install software or lock a security deposit: you only send the amount you are swapping.
- You want a quote up front, Kraken's price minus 0.5%, instead of finding an offer at the price you want.
- You need SOL, USDC, or USDT on Solana, which RetoSwap does not list.
- You want to send from a phone wallet or an exchange account. Anything that can send to an address works.
Getting XMR without a P2P trade
If you hold crypto rather than cash, a swap skips the slowest parts of a peer-to-peer trade: finding an offer, waiting for the other side, and confirming payment. You send your coins to the deposit address on your order and receive XMR at your own address, for example in Feather, Cake Wallet or the Monero GUI wallet.
The trade-off is trust: between your deposit and the payout, you rely on SilentXMR to send what was quoted. Many people use both, a swap for turning existing crypto into XMR and Haveno when they want to trade against fiat.
Pick a coin and amount
The estimate updates from Kraken's live price as you type.
Add your receiving address
For XMR, paste the receive address from Feather, Cake or any Monero wallet.
Send and track
Send to the deposit address on your order. Your order page shows when we've received it and when your coins are on their way.
Swap pairs
Get Monero in your own wallet. No account, no ID.
- Kraken's live price minus 0.5%. You see exactly what you get before you send.
- Your rate is locked the moment you create the order. No countdown, no re-quote.
- BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL in, XMR out to your address. Or the other way round.
Questions
Is Haveno the same as RetoSwap?
No. Haveno is open-source software, and the Haveno project does not run a network on Monero's main network itself. RetoSwap is a network built on a fork of Haveno, with its own fees, releases and arbitrators.
Does Haveno require KYC?
Haveno's FAQ says it "is and will always be non-KYC", and RetoSwap says its software cannot verify identities. When you trade against fiat, though, your trade partner sees the payment details you use for that method.
What fees does RetoSwap charge?
RetoSwap lists a 0.1% maker fee, 0.8% for taking a crypto offer and 2% for taking a fiat offer, plus the Monero network fee. SilentXMR's spread is 0.5% on Kraken's last price, with no deposit to lock.
How long does a Haveno trade take?
RetoSwap says crypto trades typically complete within minutes and fiat transfers may take up to a week. Haveno's trade protocol also has both sides wait about 20 minutes for the escrow deposits to unlock.
Do I need a security deposit on Haveno?
Usually, yes. Both traders lock a deposit, which is returned when the trade completes. Haveno's FAQ says you can buy up to 1.5 XMR without one, using no-deposit offers.
Can I buy XMR with a bank transfer on SilentXMR?
No. SilentXMR only swaps crypto: BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL to XMR, and back. To pay with fiat, a peer-to-peer network such as RetoSwap is one option.
Is a swap service safe compared with multisig escrow?
They protect you in different ways. With multisig escrow no single party can move the coins, but you depend on a counterparty and lock a deposit. With a swap service you trust the operator between deposit and payout. SilentXMR shows the amount before you send, gives you an order ID and status page, and pays to the address you enter. Questions go to service@silentxmr.com.
Sources
The Haveno pages we checked on October 18, 2026. Services change their terms, so check the current version before you rely on a detail.
- Haveno: home page haveno.exchange
- Haveno: FAQ haveno.exchange/faq
- Haveno: trade protocol github.com/haveno-dex/haveno/blob/master/docs/trade_protocol/trade-protocol.md
- Haveno: default deposits and limits (source code) github.com/haveno-dex/haveno/blob/master/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/xmr/wallet/Restrictions.java
- Haveno: releases github.com/haveno-dex/haveno/releases
- RetoSwap: home page and FAQ retoswap.com
- RetoSwap: trading rules retoswap.com/Trading%20Rules.html
- getmonero.org: merchants and exchanges www.getmonero.org/community/merchants
SilentXMR is not affiliated with Haveno. Its name is used only to identify the service being compared.