The Monero Moon (Issue 65)
The Monero Moon is a curated newsletter covering all the latest news within Monero (XMR). We are excited to return, driven by a compelling need to champion both freedom and financial privacy!
Table of Contents:
Development, Releases, and Technology
General News
Events
Exchanges and Merchants
Community Crowdfunding
Trading and Speculation
Performance
Entertainment
Development, Releases, and Technology
Luke "Kayaba" Parker has outlined the development of Full-Chain Membership Proofs (FCMPs) in a blog post on the official Monero website. These proofs, designed to replace traditional ring signatures, aim to expand the anonymity set from 16 to potentially the entire blockchain. There are two versions: one that will integrate with the upcoming Seraphis upgrade and another, FCMP++s, which introduces new features like transaction chaining and forward secrecy independently. This initiative is set to significantly enhance privacy without necessitating a full protocol migration. The Monero community encourages those in the academic and development spheres to contribute to this pioneering effort. Further information can be found here.
rbrunner7 announced that the Monero core software wallet API is likely transitioning from 'wallet2.h' to 'wallet2_api.h' to better accommodate future developments, including the implementation of FCMPs and other potential upgrades. This change is part of an ongoing effort to modernize and streamline the wallet API, enhancing functionality for developers and improving overall system performance for apps like the Monero CLI wallet and third-party applications.
Serai DEX's second testnet is now operational! Serai DEX, a decentralized exchange supporting cross-chain swaps for cryptocurrencies including Monero, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, emphasizes user privacy and security with its liquidity-pool-based trading system. The platform is crafted from scratch in Rust and utilizes economically secured multisig wallets, ensuring a robust and secure trading environment for all participants.
Haveno has released Haveno v1.0. Haveno is a decentralized exchange specifically designed for Monero, allowing users to trade XMR against various other cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies securely and privately. Installation notes can be found on the Haveno GitHub.
Woodser has released updated versions of two Monero libraries: monero-cpp (a C++ library for creating Monero applications) has been updated to v0.8.10 and monero-java (a Java library for creating Monero applications) to v0.8.26. More information can be found here.
XMRig v6.21.3 has been released. XMRig is a high-performance, open-source, cross-platform miner that supports various mining algorithms including RandomX, KawPow, CryptoNight, and GhostRider. It's capable of mining on both CPU and GPU, making it versatile for different hardware setups. XMRig also features a RandomX benchmark for testing hardware performance and a stratum proxy, which allows multiple mining devices to efficiently communicate with the mining pool. More information about XMRig and download links can be found here.
Gupaxx v1.1.0 has been released by Cyrix126. Gupaxx is a fork of Gupax integrating the XMRvsBeast Raffle. It's designed to simplify mining on P2Pool and offers an optional chance to participate in the XMRvsBeast raffle. More information can be found here.
Feather Wallet v2.6.7 is now available. This update addresses issues with startup on certain Linux distributions. It should also be noted that the release of Feather Wallet v2.6.6 fixed a critical bug that prevented any transactions from being constructed. Be sure to update to resolve this issue. Feather Wallet, designed in the style of Electrum, is a Monero wallet suitable for use on PCs. More details about Feather Wallet and to access download links can be found on the Feather Wallet website.
The AgoraDesk and LocalMonero v1.1.35 mobile apps have been released. LocalMonero is a peer-to-peer platform designed to enable users to exchange their local currency for Monero, accessible from anywhere in the world. More information and download links can be found here and here.
Pat is working on a Monero web wallet called Monujo to help facilitate BCH-XMR atomic swaps. The first-ever BCH-XMR atomic swap occurred in January 2024. Check out Monujo here.
Anonero v0.9.5 has been released. Anon is a privacy-focused Monero wallet for Android. The new release features a stealth mode where the app initially appears to be and operates as a calculator app until the passcode number has been entered. More information and download links can be found on their onion site and X.com page.
Cake Labs has released Cake Wallet v4.15.4 and Monero.com v1.12.2. Cake Wallet is an open-source, non-custodial, and private multi-currency crypto wallet for Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux. The Monero.com wallet is Cake Labs’ wallet for those wanting a wallet exclusively for Monero-only.
Everywhere Finance announced that the XMRT project will launch in early June. XMRT is set to be a wrapped version of Monero and will be available on several different blockchains. Everywhere Finance aims to acquire more than 10,000 XMR to be able to mine the first 10,000 XMRT and create a locked liquidity pool on Uniswap containing $2,000,000. They also claim they will share their hot wallet’s private view key, and provide proof of reserves to provide transparency for outgoing transactions. The immediate reaction of the Monero community was one of skepticism due to Everywhere Finance’s indication that it might censor transactions between XMR and XMRT, and because of the lack of information regarding the custody and transparency of the project. More information regarding the XMRT project and community commentary can be found here.
d4ndox has released Monero Named Pipes (MNP) v0.1.0. Monero Named Pipes (MNP) is a lightweight payment processor designed to monitor incoming payments within a Unix shell environment, such as bash or zsh. More information can be found here.
Vlad Costea recently tweeted that syncing a full Monero node from scratch took about 6 hours and 30 minutes. For comparison, Bitcoin Core required 7 hours and 40 minutes, Litecoin took 5 hours, and Bitcoin Cash only 2 hours and 20 minutes. It is highly recommended you run a node to help secure the Monero network. You can easily set up a Monero node using an old CPU you may have at home. Helpful guides can be found here and here, making it accessible even for non-technical users to run a Monero node.
Monero Observer has released a new Monero Dev Activity Report to provide a big-picture view of Monero's development activity throughout the past week. If you’re interested in the nitty gritty, check it out here.
General News
Monero recently celebrated its 10th birthday on April 18th, 2024. Immense gratitude is extended to all those who contribute — from programmers and translators to designers, testers, and artists, as well as those guiding newcomers through the intricacies of wallets and mining, and the community for spreading the word of Monero. Their efforts are crucial in promoting the values of unrestricted, censorship-free financial systems and peaceful resistance. Long-standing community member jwinterm shared insights on Reddit about Monero's current status -
“It's been ten years and Monero has added Ring-CT to hide amounts, increased mandatory ring size several times, added bulletproofs to improve tx size, and implemented network privacy functions like dandelion+. At the same time it has managed to become the dominant currency of choice in the counter economy, even in the face of a long line of setbacks and attacks from BitcoinExpress in the early days to large exchange delistings and fuckery recently. Now we seem to be on the precipice of full chain membership proofs, which is an exciting time, and maybe further improvements to the protocol via Seraphis after that, and then...who knows, but I am happy to be here, where despite all the differences among members of the community there is a consensus that privacy by default is probably required to enable a real censorship resistant currency, and I am excited to see where we will be in another ten years.”
The recent public audit of XMR reserves, called MoneroRun, which involved users withdrawing their XMR from exchanges, was completed successfully. Most exchanges are currently operational and demonstrated their ability to handle these withdrawals efficiently. The audit highlighted a few exchanges with excellent records (Kraken, Bitfinex, WhiteBit) and others that had issues with XMR withdrawals, illustrating the broader challenges and concerns regarding the handling of cryptocurrencies by exchanges. Some exchanges may be using a fractional reserve system, potentially lacking the full reserves necessary to cover all customer balances. This situation underscores the importance of proceeding with caution when interacting with certain platforms.
Over the past few weeks, there has been a large number of donations to the Monero General Fund. The General Fund is used to financially support Monero contributors in their efforts to build out, strengthen, and advance the Monero ecosystem.
Monero Talk interviewed Luke Parker aka KayabaNerve to discuss the development, implementation, and implications of Full Chain Membership Proofs (FCMPs). Check out the video here.
Monero Talk also interviewed Aaron Day, to discuss the imminent threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Aaron Day, an author, activist, and one-time presidential candidate, voices concerns about the potential risks posed by CBDCs and underscores the importance of decentralized financial solutions.
The Monero Standard #103: 18 Apr 2024 - 25 Apr 2024 newsletter has been published. Check it out to keep up with Monero news!
Revuo Monero Issue #193 has been published. Check it out for a weekly dose of Monero news.
Coin Center has filed an amicus brief in defense of the Tornado Cash developer, arguing that publishing open-source software is protected by the Constitution and should not be conflated with the users' actions. This legal effort emphasizes that developers cannot control how their software is used, challenging the notion that they should be liable for users' activities under sanctions laws. Coin Center stresses this will be a watershed moment in digital rights.
The co-founders of Samourai Wallet, a Bitcoin mixer, have been arrested on charges of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The Justice Department alleges that the mixer handled over $2 billion in illegal transactions and facilitated $100 million in money laundering linked to various criminal activities. Both face significant prison sentences if convicted, and the company's assets and app distribution have been severely restricted. Keonne Rodriguez, one of the co-founders of Samourai Wallet, has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Released on a $1 million bond, Rodriguez is confined to his home under strict conditions that bar him from cryptocurrency transactions and Samourai Wallet activities.
Check out the recent Monerotopia episode where they discuss the Samourai Wallet issues related to freedom and privacy. Discussion begins around 1:17:00.
New legislation in the UK now empowers the National Crime Agency and police to seize, freeze, and potentially destroy crypto assets linked to criminal activities, enhancing their capability to tackle crime involving digital currencies without prior arrest requirements. These reforms aim to curb the misuse of cryptocurrencies while fostering their legitimate use for economic growth. The article from the UK Home Office mentions if a privacy coin happens to be used for illicit purposes, it may be destroyed instead of returned to circulation.
One of the primary reasons why I have decided to restart this newsletter is because I am deeply troubled by the DOJ's recent approach to prosecuting non-custodial wallet developers, which seems to overturn the U.S. government's long-standing policy on money transmission. This new direction, highlighted by the cases against Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash developers, feels like a move towards enforcing regulations through criminal charges. It's alarming because it stretches the definition of money transmitters to include developers who don't control user assets, threatening fundamental principles like liberty, due process, and privacy.
In these times, Monero emerges as a pillar of hope, offering a path to safeguard financial privacy in an age where such freedoms are rapidly eroding. Choosing Monero transcends mere cryptocurrency usage; it is a declaration that privacy is a fundamental right, essential to the liberty of every individual. Monero is neither a tool for laundering funds nor a fraudulent venture; it is a mechanism for secure, private transactions, facilitating the discreet transfer of value between people. As privacy becomes a scarce commodity, Monero provides the power for individuals to manage their financial futures independently and without intrusion.
Events
Cake Wallet is sponsoring a Monero meetup in San Francisco on Sunday, May 5th, 2024! This event is a fantastic opportunity for privacy advocates to celebrate Monero, learn about innovative tools for privacy, and embrace self-sovereignty. Enjoy an engaging evening filled with insightful crypto discussions, delicious tacos, and vibrant vibes. Don’t forget to RSVP to ensure you’re part of this exciting gathering!
The MoneroKon Hackathon, scheduled for June 7-9, 2024 in Prague, Czechia, promises an engaging 48-hour event focused on enhancing security, privacy, and decentralization within the Monero ecosystem. Limited to 100 participants, the hackathon will feature projects aimed at developing the Monero core codebase and its broader ecosystem, providing attendees with free access to the MoneroKon conference, as well as complimentary food, drinks, accommodations, and the opportunity to win over $6,000 in prizes and bounties. For more details and to register, visit Monerokon.org.
In related news, the next MoneroKon 2024 Planning Meeting is set for Saturday, May 4th, 2024 at 1700 UTC in the #monero-events channel. This meeting will cover important updates and planning details for the upcoming conference. More information regarding the meeting can be found here and here.
MoneroKon 2024 itself will run concurrently with the hackathon in Prague. This annual event draws privacy advocates, cypherpunks, researchers, and developers from around the globe, dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of privacy-enhancing technologies and distributed systems.
The Monerokon 2024 event schedule can be viewed here.
A Monero Research Lab (MRL) meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 1st 2024 17:00 UTC. You can find more information about the meeting here, thanks to the Monero Observer. The MRL meeting will take place in the #monero-research-lab channels if you want to lurk in real time.
A Seraphis Wallet Workgroup meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 6th 2024 1800 UTC in the #no-wallet-left-behind IRC channel. More information can be found about the meeting can be found here. You can learn more about Seraphis here.
If you're in Los Angeles next weekend, don't miss the chance to see a film that features Monero! The film titled LÍMITE, which has garnered multiple awards at various film festivals, will be showing as part of Newfilmmakers LA on Saturday, May 4th, at 2:30 PM. For more details and tickets, visit the Newfilmmakers LA website.
Exchanges and Merchants
Val Venis, a professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment, has opened a Monero Market store and is encouraging others to follow suit. Check it out here and all the other listings on Monero Market.
Monezon is a new service that allows you to shop on Amazon and pay with XMR, ensuring user anonymity through encrypted communications and order deletion post-delivery. Utilizing a wishlist system, Monezon enables purchases without sharing your physical address, maintaining privacy throughout the shopping process. More information can be found on their website. You can also earn $3 in XMR for each order when you join their affiliate program and others use your referral code. Feel free to use ours by clicking here.
Sigmanero.org has launched as a new sports betting exchange that utilizes Monero’s multisig wallets for each individual bet, enhancing security and privacy by enabling users to bet against each other rather than the house. While currently experiencing low volume, as participation increases, this platform promises to offer a uniquely secure and decentralized betting experience. Learn more and join the action at Sigmanero.org.
Cryptotalks.ai has updated its platform to include a web interface similar to ChatGPT, allowing users to interact with AI models like GPT-4 and Claude 3 using Monero for payments. This update makes AI technology more accessible, especially for those valuing privacy or lacking access to conventional financial systems, without requiring credit card details or email addresses. Check it out and provide feedback at cryptotalks.ai/chat.
Community Crowdfunding
Several crowdfunding proposals are awaiting community feedback before they can start accepting funds through the Community Crowdfunding System (CCS). For now, they are just proposals, but if they receive some positive feedback from the community they will be moved to a “Funding Required” stage so that they can accept Monero donations through the CCS.
Trading and Speculation
After a lackluster performance in price, XMR/USD has retreated to support levels that have not been seen since late 2020 and mid 2022. Bulls are hopeful that this support will hold firm and propel the price upward from this region.
Performance
Total Monero in Circulation — 18,430,606 XMR
Monero Total Marketcap — $2,203,539,074
Coinmarketcap Ranking — #45
XMR/USD Price — $119 USD
XMR/BTC Price — 0.001997 BTC
LocalMonero.co Peer to Peer Street Price — $128 USD
Average Transaction Fee — 0.00038 XMR ($0.046)
Monero Network Hashrate —2.04 Ghash/s
Monero Mining Pools Hashrate Distribution —
Entertainment
Donate
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Have we missed something?
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Support Monero
Want to help contribute to the Monero Project? Developers, marketers, event coordinators, translators, Instagram personalities, meme creators, and public speakers — whatever your skills may be, it is extremely likely there is something you can do to assist. Reach out to the Monero community on Reddit, IRC, GitHub, Twitter, or Telegram. The official Monero website is GetMonero.org.
Past Issues
Issue 64 / Issue 63 / Issue 62 / Issue 61 / Issue 60 / Issue 59 / Issue 58 / Issue 57 / Issue 56 / Issue 55 / Issue 54 / Issue 53 / Issue 52 / Issue 51 / Issue 50 / Issue 49 / Issue 48 / Issue 47 / Issue 46 / Issue 45 / Issue 44 / Issue 43 / Issue 42 / Issue 41 / Issue 40 / Issue 39 / Issue 38 / Issue 37 / Issue 36 / Issue 35 / Issue 34 / Issue 33 / Issue 32 / Issue 31 / Issue 30 / Issue 29 / Issue 28 / Issue 27 / Issue 26 / Issue 25 / Issue 24 / Issue 23 / Issue 22 / Issue 21 / Issue 20 / Issue 19 / Issue 18 / Issue 17 / Issue 16 / Issue 15 / Issue 14 / Issue 13 / Issue 12 / Issue 11 / Issue 10 / Issue 9 / Issue 8 / Issue 7 / Issue 6 / Issue 5 / Issue 4 / Issue 3 / Issue 2 / Issue 1
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DISCLAIMER: This publication contains opinions for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Information may contain errors and omissions. Use solely at your own risk. The author of this publication and/or the authors of articles linked to or from this site may have financial investments that may bias their opinions, including ownership of Monero currency. Always do your own research, form your own opinions, and never take risks with money or trust third parties without verifying their credibility.