The Monero Moon (Issue 66)
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
Network Metrics
Entertainment
Development, Releases, and Technology
Haveno has recently launched v1.0.3. Haveno is a decentralized exchange specifically designed for Monero, allowing users to trade XMR against various other cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies securely and privately. Key updates include improved error handling strategies such as retrying wallet operations and refining timeout resets during transactions. The update also includes the introduction of an arbitrator-assigned trade fee address and the removal of redundant error notifications, enhancing the overall user experience. Additionally, the update upgraded to monero-java 0.8.26 and addressed issues with continuous integration tests. This release also marks the first contribution from a new developer, further expanding the community's development team. These improvements collectively aim to optimize trade processes, especially under scenarios of network congestion, thereby bolstering the platform's reliability.
woodser has also updated the Haveno documentation to guide users on setting up a public Haveno network on Monero's main network. This includes steps for starting and syncing a Monero node, setting up seed nodes, and registering arbitrators.
Justin Berman has completed his full-time Seraphis CCS proposal after contributing 480 hours of work. His efforts included enhancing the async wallet scanner, reviewing full-chain membership proofs (FCMPs), and advancing the Seraphis wallet library. He plans to continue his work through a new CCS proposal, aiming to spend another three months on Monero and Seraphis development, focusing on integrating FCMPs into Monero, improving the Seraphis wallet library, and reviewing the P2P SSL implementation. Learn more about Seraphis here.
Jeffro256 has provided an update for April 2024 on Monero and Seraphis development, highlighting a shift from intensive coding to a focus on reviewing and planning, including an in-depth look at tevador's Jamtis-RCT proposal. The month featured several key PRs authored for both Monero Core and the Seraphis Library. Future plans include enhancing the Seraphis library to support Jamtis-RCT and tackling the recent Out of Memory (OOM) daemon issue, signaling a strategic pivot in Monero's development efforts.
MrCyjanek has released the first progress report for the Unnamed Monero Wallet development, detailing significant updates such as multisig wallet creation capabilities, fixes for Windows builds, and initial support for iOS. The wallet, known for its commitment to portability and close alignment with wallet2_api.h, aims to offer robust privacy and security features without relying on external databases, ensuring user data remains protected. More information can be found here and here.
Selsta's recent CCS proposal to continue part-time work on Monero development through July 2024 has been successfully funded. In the coming months, Selsta will concentrate on testing, PR reviews, Monero release engineering, and further development of both CLI and GUI components. The full proposal is available for review here.
Top I2P developer eyedeekay has submitted a CCS proposal to redesign and modernize Monero's I2P support using the SAMv3 client protocol. The proposal aims to provide a more flexible and long-term solution by updating the GUI and documentation, abandoning i2p-zero, and enabling users to install I2P themselves. For more information and to read the full proposal, click here.
Monero public remote onion nodes were overloaded after dozens of large 150-input transactions were broadcast, likely around blocks 3,144,650 to 3,144,700. The sudden influx overwhelmed the nodes, causing wallet syncing delays. This incident might be linked to a recent spam attack on Monero that started in early March. Developer 0xFFFC is currently working on fixing potential bottlenecks in Monero node code that contributed to the overload. More information here.
Hinto-janai has released version 1.3.7 of Gupax, addressing a bug that prevented startup on Windows systems lacking OpenGL 3.3 support. Gupax is a GUI for mining Monero on P2Pool using XMRig. Detailed changelog, source files, and verification files are available on Github.
Monero mining is now available on Zergpool.com, featuring a low fee of 0.5%. Join the mining pool for auto-exchange mining pool benefits. More information can be found here.
Sophia1tipsycakes is mining Monero using an old phone. While this is unlikely to be profitable, it's great for helping secure the network. It is highly recommended that you run a Monero node to enhance network security. You can set up a node using old CPUs or mobile devices at home. Helpful guides can be found here and here, making it accessible even for non-technical users to run a Monero node.

Cake Labs has launched Cake Wallet v4.16.0 (a multi-coin Monero wallet), introducing support for the Ledger hardware wallet, initially compatible with BTC, ETH, and Polygon. This update, part of their commitment to open-source, privacy-first solutions, also includes security improvements, bug fixes, and other enhancements. The wallet APKs are available for verification and download on their GitHub repository. Fingers crossed Ledger support is extended to Monero soon. If you require a mobile wallet that supports Ledger devices, check out a wallet such as Monerujo.
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
MoneroTalk recently interviewed J.W. Verret, a seasoned lawyer and law professor, who shared insights from his experience as an expert witness in the Roman Sterlingov trial and discussed the broader implications of government actions on privacy and cryptocurrency technologies. The conversation also highlighted the supportive figures in U.S. Congress and the unique role Monero might play in safeguarding privacy against governmental overreach. Check it out here.
MoneroTalk also live-streamed Episode 165 of Monerotopia, featuring a Monero price report by Bawdy, weekly news with Tony, and discussions with special guests from LNC and FreeNauts about Monero Outreach at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention in D.C., plus coverage of the Enemies of the State D.C. Bash and more.
Decrypt published an article highlighting "Límite," a short film financially backed by the Monero community. Inspired by real-life events and featuring Monero in a symbolic role, the film emphasizes the importance of privacy and autonomy. The film was directed by Monero community member George Nicholas, aka geonic_.
Monero was featured in a recent Coin Bureau Clip YouTube video. If you want to hear a pundit’s opinion on Monero, check out the video below.
Monero Observer has published Monero Observer Blitz #29, providing a recap of everything that happened in the Monero community during April 2024. The issue covers key updates, developments, and events relevant to the Monero ecosystem. For the full summary, check out the Monero Observer's Blitz #29.
Revuo Monero Issue #194 has been published. Check it out for a weekly dose of Monero news.
The Monero Standard #104: 18 Apr 2024 - 25 Apr 2024 newsletter has been published. Check it out to keep up with Monero news!
Events
Join the upcoming OrangeFren.com meetup sponsored by eXch.cx in Lugano, Switzerland, set for Sunday, 26th of May at the Impact Hub Ticino. The event will start at 15:00, offering a fantastic opportunity for community engagement and networking. Tickets are free. Sign up for the event here.
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.
DangerousFreedom1984 is rallying participants for a collaborative project at the MoneroKon hackathon, aiming to enhance moneroinflation.com. The focus is on improving user experience and optimizing real-time block verification, welcoming coders of all skill levels. Interested hackers can join for free and should contact via email for more details.
In related news, the next MoneroKon 2024 Planning Meeting is set for Saturday, May 18, 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.
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 15, 2024 at 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 13, 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.
The next Cuprate Meeting is scheduled for May 14, 2024, at 18:00 UTC in the #cuprate channel on IRC. Cuprate is an alternative Monero node, written in Rust, designed to independently validate Monero consensus rules, providing added security, redundancy, and improved memory safety for the network. More information can be found here and here.
The next Community Workgroup Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 15:00 UTC in the #monero-community IRC channel. The Community Workgroup Meeting will discuss things such as CCS proposals and updates, community highlights and workgroup reports.
The recent "Cinco de Monero" meetup in San Francisco was a resounding success. The event brought together enthusiasts and advocates of privacy and cryptocurrency, particularly Monero. The evening was charged with insightful discussions on privacy technologies, the future of Monero, and the broader implications of using cryptocurrencies for self-sovereignty. Special thanks to SirJamzAlot for organizing such a memorable event and to everyone who participated. The community's engagement and enthusiasm underscored the importance of such meetups in fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of privacy in the digital age.
Exchanges and Merchants
LocalMonero and AgoraDesk have announced their decision to wind down operations after nearly 7 years. The winding-down process will be completed by November 7, 2024, with trading set to end on May 14, 2024. Users are encouraged to withdraw any remaining funds before the closure. The team expressed gratitude for the support received and remains confident in Monero's future due to the growing Monero ecosystem and emerging decentralized exchanges like Haveno and Serai.
Despite no official reason being provided for the closure, privacy coins and services have been targeted by global regulators in recent months. Arrests of Samourai Wallet's co-founders on money laundering charges, along with the shuttering of Wasabi CoinJoin and Trezor Coinjoin, reflect an intensifying privacy crackdown. Nonetheless, the loss of LocalMonero and AgoraDesk marks a significant shift for the privacy coin community.
OrangeFren has launched a bulletin board-style forum for the cypherpunk community focusing on Bitcoin and Monero discussions, featuring service threads like WizardSwap and Cryptosteel, with exclusive discounts for users. Additionally, the forum is hosting a MoneroKon ticket giveaway sponsored by eXch, offering four free tickets with winners selected soon. OrangeFren.com has introduced new updates, including a KYC-free prepaid card and an affiliate program that allows users to earn 100% profit share by integrating their referral links.
Kraken announced the delisting of Monero from its platform for clients in Ireland and Belgium, effective June 10, 2024. Trading and deposits will be halted as of May 10, and all margin positions must be closed by this date to avoid auto-closure. Withdrawals will be available until June 10, after which any remaining XMR balances will be converted to BTC.
Additionally, Kraken will discontinue support for XMR and other crypto assets for clients in Germany on July 10, 2024. Users are advised to withdraw their XMR to an external wallet before the deadline. Further details can be found in Kraken's support articles.
Lady Pub in Tripoli Mina, Lebanon (next to Cinema Radio), now accepts Monero as a payment method. Patrons can enjoy drinks and karaoke while paying with Monero.
Get kitted out in Monero style with the latest merchandise from MoneroMerch.com! From stylish apparel to unique accessories, 30% of all profits support the Monero Project's Community Crowdfunding System, enhancing your impact with every purchase.
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.
ofrnxmr submitted a CCS proposal seeking 2000 XMR to empower and steward BasicSwapDex to production-quality software within a year. The proposal outlined milestones for improving the frontend, backend, and delivering a production-ready 1.0 version with 12 months of maintenance. However, the proposal sparked heated discussion with both support and opposition, citing concerns over its vague milestones, the author's controversial reputation, and the project's potential impact on Monero.
hinto-janai submitted a CCS proposal to continue full-time development on Cuprate, an alternative Monero node implementation, for another three months. The proposal seeks 279 XMR for 480 hours of work, focusing on designing and implementing the RPC server and other features like a persistent transaction pool. The developer has outlined three milestones and intends to provide well-documented, maintainable infrastructure while improving Monero's node ecosystem.
In case you didn’t know, Kuno provides a user-friendly platform for fundraising in XMR, supporting Monero-focused endeavors with privacy and accessibility in mind. Whether you're a charity, a project creator, or an individual with a cause, Kuno lets you create secure, KYC-free fundraisers that can accept Monero directly from donors worldwide. Start your own fundraiser or donate to others at Kuno.
Monero Outreach is set to potentially make an impact at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention in Washington D.C. with a campaign aimed at promoting Monero for enhanced financial privacy. Doug and Sunita’s efforts will include running a Monero education booth, distributing Monero stickers in swag bags, streaming live interviews, and securing stage time for a talk on crypto privacy, all supported by community donations. To get behind this, you can donate here!
A new subreddit, r/XMRp2p, has been created to help Monero traders connect following the closure of LocalMonero. It serves as a community platform for networking, sharing opinions on traders, and providing alternatives, but it is not intended as an escrow service. The subreddit also features a vendor list sourced from a reputable Telegram group known as "Alex community." Check out r/XMRp2p for more information.
Trading and Speculation
traderchamp_ sees a potentially bullish move coming for XMR, claiming “XMR has formed an expanding channel, with a distinct breakout and subsequent pullback occurring at the upper boundary of the channel. Maintaining a steady position above the highlighted key level, we anticipate a reversal or bullish rally back towards the upside”. More information here.
Additonally, AjaxX17 is predicting Monero to move upwards around $180.
Network Metrics
Total Monero in Circulation — 18,436,003 XMR
Monero Total Marketcap — $2,482,194,667
Coinmarketcap Ranking — #45
XMR/USD Price — $135 USD
XMR/BTC Price — 0.002116 BTC
Average Transaction Fee — 0.00038 XMR ($0.046)
Monero Network Hashrate —2.34 Ghash/s
Monero Mining Pools Hashrate Distribution —
Entertainment

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Past Issues
Issue 65 / 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.