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Guide · facts checked October 18, 2026

Monero vs Bitcoin: XMR and BTC compared

Bitcoin and Monero are both open-source cryptocurrencies with no company behind them, but they make opposite choices on privacy and supply. Here is how they differ, using each project's own documentation, and how to move between them.

Quick answer

  • Privacy: Bitcoin transactions and balances are public. Monero hides the sender, the receiver and the amount of every transaction.
  • Supply: Bitcoin stops at 21 million coins. Monero adds 0.6 XMR per block after its main emission ended in 2022.
  • Speed: a Bitcoin block about every 10 minutes, a Monero block about every 2 minutes.
  • Many people hold both. Swap BTC to XMR or XMR to BTC here, with no account.
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Monero vs Bitcoin at a glance

Monero vs Bitcoin at a glance
FeatureBitcoin (BTC)Monero (XMR)
LaunchedSpecification published in 2009April 2014, from the CryptoNote code
What the blockchain showsAddresses, amounts and every address's balanceNot the sender, receiver or amount
SupplyStops at 21 million, halving over timeAbout 18.82 million (18 October 2026), plus 0.6 XMR per block forever
Block timeAbout 10 minutesAbout 2 minutes
MiningSpecialized hardwareRandomX, designed for ordinary CPUs
FeesChosen by the sender; higher fees can confirm fasterDynamic, set by transaction size and network load
Coins interchangeable?Each coin carries its address history1 XMR is functionally identical to any other 1 XMR

Sources: bitcoin.org's FAQ and privacy page for Bitcoin; getmonero.org and the Monero docs for Monero, checked 18 October 2026.

Privacy: the biggest difference

bitcoin.org says all Bitcoin transactions are public and permanently stored, and that anyone can see the balance and all transactions of any address. Its privacy page explains that addresses become linked to the history of every transaction they are involved in.

Monero makes privacy the default for every transaction: getmonero.org says ring signatures, stealth addresses and RingCT hide the sender, the receiver and the amount. You can still show your incoming payments to someone you choose, such as an accountant, by sharing a view key.

Supply and issuance

Bitcoin issues new coins at a falling rate, halving over time, until issuance stops at 21 million, according to bitcoin.org. After that, miners are expected to be paid by transaction fees.

Monero issued about 18.13 million XMR in its main emission, which ended in mid-2022. Since then each block adds a fixed 0.6 XMR, called the tail emission, which getmonero.org describes as under 1% a year and falling as a share of supply.

Speed, fees and mining

A Bitcoin block comes about every 10 minutes and a Monero block about every 2 minutes. Received XMR can be spent after 10 blocks, about 20 minutes.

On Bitcoin, the sender chooses the fee, and bitcoin.org says higher fees can encourage faster confirmation. On Monero, fees are dynamic and depend on transaction size and network load; on 18 October 2026 a typical transaction paid about 0.00003 to 0.00005 XMR.

Bitcoin is mined with specialized hardware. Monero uses RandomX, which getmonero.org says is designed to favour ordinary CPUs over specialised machines.

Hold BTC? Swap some to XMR.

  • Kraken's live price minus 0.5%. You see exactly what you get before you send.
  • Your rate is locked for 30 minutes from the moment you create the order. Send in time and the amount is yours.
  • BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL in, XMR out to your address. Or the other way round.
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Moving between BTC and XMR

You don't have to choose one. Many people keep BTC and use XMR when they want a payment's details kept off a public ledger, or the other way round. SilentXMR swaps in both directions at Kraken's last price minus 0.5%, locked for 30 minutes, with no account:

New to Monero? Start with what is XMR and Monero wallets compared.

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 for 30 minutes from the moment you create the order. Send in time and the amount is yours.
  • BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, LTC or SOL in, XMR out to your address. Or the other way round.
Start your swap →

Questions

What is the difference between Monero and Bitcoin?

Bitcoin transactions, amounts and balances are public, and its supply stops at 21 million. Monero hides the sender, receiver and amount of every transaction and adds 0.6 XMR per block indefinitely. Monero blocks come about every 2 minutes, Bitcoin blocks about every 10.

Is Monero more private than Bitcoin?

By design, yes: bitcoin.org says all Bitcoin transactions are public, while getmonero.org says every Monero transaction hides its sender, receiver and amount.

Is Monero faster than Bitcoin?

Monero blocks come about every 2 minutes and Bitcoin blocks about every 10. Received XMR can be spent after 10 blocks, about 20 minutes.

Does Monero have a supply cap like Bitcoin?

No. Bitcoin stops at 21 million. Monero finished its main emission in 2022 at about 18.13 million XMR and now adds 0.6 XMR per block.

Should I buy Monero or Bitcoin?

That depends on what you need, and we don't give investment advice. They do different things: Bitcoin keeps a public record, Monero keeps transaction details private. Many people hold both.

How do I swap BTC to XMR?

Create a BTC to XMR swap on SilentXMR, paste your Monero address and send the exact BTC amount. No account is needed and the minimum is $50. Questions go to service@silentxmr.com.

Sources

Pages we checked on October 18, 2026. Apps, exchanges and services change, so check the current version before you rely on a detail.

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