The Monero Moon (Issue 82)
The Monero Moon is a curated newsletter covering all the latest news within Monero (XMR). We are driven by a compelling need to champion both freedom and financial privacy!
Table of Contents:
Development, Releases, and Technology
General News
Events and Meetings
Exchanges and Merchants
Community Crowdfunding
Trading and Speculation
Network Metrics
Entertainment
Development, Releases, and Technology
Monero v0.18.4.3 “Fluorine Fermi” has been released for both the CLI and GUI, marking a highly recommended update that boosts protection against spy nodes and strengthens network resilience. The CLI adds improved peer selection through /24 subnet deduplication, wallet and RPC upgrades, and multiple bug fixes, while the GUI introduces Ledger Flex support, a Qt 5.15.17 upgrade, and P2Pool v4.11 integration. Thanks to contributors including selsta, moneromooo, SChernykh, luigi1111, and many others for their continued dedication to privacy, security, and the evolution of Monero.
j-berman has released FCMP++ & Carrot alpha stressnet v1.3, the latest pre-release of Monero’s upcoming Full Chain Membership Proofs (FCMP++) and Carrot upgrades. This version adds faster daemon sync through parallel proof verification, improved wallet refresh performance, fixes for large transaction construction, reduced P2P bandwidth use, and shorter peer bans. The stressnet, which hard forked on October 3, 2025 (block 2847330), marks the first live public test of the FCMP++ and Carrot integration. FCMP++ replaces traditional ring signatures with full-chain membership proofs, while Carrot enhances Monero’s addressing protocol to improve privacy and usability. Users are encouraged to join the #monero-stressnet Matrix room to participate and report bugs. Detailed setup instructions, binaries, and source code are available on the seraphis-migration/monero repository. This is alpha software with a small anonymity set. Testers should only use it with caution and small amounts of XMR.
Tevador has updated the Post-Quantum Encryption issue discussing algorithm selection for Jamtis, Monero’s next-generation addressing scheme. Jamtis aims to maintain forward secrecy against quantum-enabled adversaries, even if a wallet address or generator tier is exposed. Tevador proposes using a hybrid encryption approach that combines classical Curve25519 with post-quantum CSIDH (or its faster variant CSURF), with CSIDH-1024 favored for stronger long-term security. More information can be found here.
A new open source project called Monero Multisig GUI has been released, offering a simple Qt and C++ interface that connects users over Tor to create Monero multisig wallets and transfers. Designed to support privacy focused online commerce, the tool aims to boost Monero adoption and invites community feedback and contributions to help expand its features and usability. More information can be found here.
Cuprate, an alternative Monero node implementation written in Rust, released version 0.0.7 “Molybdenite” featuring updates to monero oxide, a new pop blocks command, and documentation fixes. Maintained by contributors hinto janai and Boog900, Cuprate aims to provide a faster, modular, and developer friendly node architecture for the Monero network.
woodser has released updates for three key Monero libraries: monero cpp v0.8.16, monero java v0.8.39, and monero ts v0.11.6, bringing compatibility with Monero v0.18.4.3, proxy configuration improvements, and wallet error handling fixes. These updates refine developer tools across C++, Java, and TypeScript, streamlining wallet integration and daemon connectivity.
woodser has released Haveno v1.2.2, introducing several important fixes and quality-of-life improvements to the decentralized Monero exchange. The update resolves wallet sync and dispute bugs, reduces message spam, improves trade management, and adds support for marking failed trades manually.
jpthor, co-founder of THORChain, has submitted a Community Crowdfunding System (CCS) proposal seeking to fund the integration of Monero into THORChain. While the proposal aims to enable decentralized Monero swaps, it has drawn heavy criticism from Monero developers and community members including Luke Parker, Seth for Privacy, and others for its technical inaccuracies, lack of detail, and calls for Monero funding despite THORChain’s own developer treasury. Discussion and feedback continue on the Monero CCS platform.
MAGIC Grants announced plans to launch Skylight Wallet, a new self custody Monero first light wallet currently in beta testing on Google Play. The wallet connects to a user chosen Light Wallet Server (LWS) to keep your balance and history synced without scanning on device, features built in Tor for private connections, and uses libraries from Cake Wallet, vtnerd, and Cypher Stack. Developed by a registered public charity, Skylight Wallet gives users full control of their keys and privacy while offering an efficient alternative to traditional Monero wallets. For those wondering, the code will soon be made public on their GitHub. More information can be found here.
atsamd21 has released Haveno Android app v0.4.11.0, a mobile version of the decentralized Monero exchange built with Qt and C++. The app connects users over Tor to manage Haveno multisig trading and can run in standalone mode with a built-in daemon or through a remote node. This version adds several fixes and updates including improved offer handling, market price display, and network operator instructions. The app currently supports Android only, though future iOS support via remote node is possible. It remains configured for stagenet, and not endorsed by the Haveno core team, so users should avoid mainnet trades and are encouraged to help by testing, reporting bugs, or donating to support further development. More info here.
Peer-to-peer Monero trading platform RetoSwap just smashed a new all-time high in weekly volume, moving over 45,000 XMR ($15.5 million USD) across roughly 500 trades, all without KYC or centralized exchanges. The milestone highlights Monero’s thriving underground liquidity, with Untraceable noting that few coins outside of Bitcoin see such levels of purely peer-to-peer activity.
eigenwallet, formerly UnstoppableSwap, a self-custody wallet for Monero and Bitcoin that integrates atomic swaps, tweeted that liquidity is growing, and you can convert 2.67 Bitcoin into Monero using their wallet.
ajs-xmr released v1.0 of XMRpos, a free and open source Monero Point of Sale app for Android funded by MoneroKon. The update adds ESC/POS printer support, Dockerized backend, improved TLS handling, and refactored balance and transfer logic. The app is also now available on F-Droid for easier installation.
felipebrunet released v1.0.4 of the open source Monero Point of Sale app for Android, a non custodial XMR only payment tool designed for merchants. The app supports multi device setups, prevents address reuse, and connects directly to a user defined Monero node while keeping the base address and secret view key stored locally for full privacy. As a new project, users are advised to review the code before use.
Cake Labs released Cake Wallet and Monero.com v5.5.2, featuring Ethereum improvements, LLM assisted translations, better automatic node switching, and multiple bug fixes. Users can now connect Trezor and BitBox hardware wallets, and enjoy a sleek new visual redesign with customizable themes.
Cake Wallet published a blog explaining how Cupcake transforms any old phone into a secure offline hardware wallet using local key storage and animated QR signing. The post outlines how Cupcake brings hardware-level security to everyday users through open source, privacy-focused design.
rehrar released Stack Wallet version 2.4.0, introducing a Flatpak beta for wider Linux support, plus several updates including MWC integration, a Fact0rn node update, and an MWEB fee fix. The release also adds Salvium One support and merges the Stack Duo codebase into Stack Wallet for a unified, up-to-date experience.
acx has released Monfluo v0.9.1, the latest beta update of the privacy focused Monero wallet, now updated to Monero v0.18.4.3 and featuring improved account switcher visibility. Users can find the full changelog and build instructions on Codeberg.
After over a decade of service, MyMonero will shut down on January 6, 2026, with stewardship of its wallet transitioning to Cake Wallet. To uphold Monero’s strict privacy standards, no view keys or wallet data will be shared between services, and all MyMonero server data, including view keys, transaction history, and logs, will be permanently destroyed within 30 days of shutdown. The transition reflects MyMonero’s aim to support more decentralized, privacy-preserving wallet solutions as the Monero ecosystem evolves. For migration support, reach out to support at Cake Wallet or MyMonero. More information can be found here.
There are currently around 13,200 active Monero nodes. While not a complete snapshot of the entire network, the crawler provides a strong indicator of Monero’s global decentralization, updating hourly to remove inactive peers and discover new ones.
It is highly recommended you run a node to help secure the Monero network. You can also solo mine via the official Monero GUI wallet which can be found here or partake in the decentralized and permission-less P2Pool. The official Monero website getmonero.org or sethforprivacy.com are fantastic places to find help to get started running a node or mining. You can also check out the YouTube videos below.
CRZY CYBR unveiled Hulk, a custom dual-CPU Monero mining rig powered by two AMD EPYC 7551 processors delivering an average hash rate of around 25,000 H/s and earning 0.029 XMR in its first week. The open-chassis water-cooled build runs incredibly cool at under 41°C and is remotely managed via SuperMicro’s IPMI View. More information about Hulk can be found here.
General News
Monero Monthly Episode 10 sees hosts Max and Seth for Privacy recap the latest in Monero, including the start of the FCMP++ stressnet, an 18-block reorg, and updates to Cake Wallet, P2Pool, and Haveno. The episode also covers the cancellation of Monerokon 2026 and the ongoing progress in network research like selfish mining mitigation.
Episode 366 of Monero Talk, titled “The Privacy Coin Surge: How Monero, Zcash, and Others Are Competing”, features the CypherStack team, Diego Salazar and mathematicians Brandon “Surae” Goodell and Luke Szramowski, discussing Monero’s Full Chain Membership Proofs (FCMPs) and how the coin stacks up against Zcash. They explore privacy tech, community models, and Monero’s future.
Monero Talk hosted Monerotopia Episode 237 featuring Bawdyanarchist’s price report, Doug’s weekly news roundup, and discussions on Boog900’s full-time Monero dev proposal, XMRBazaar updates, and Monero’s integration with THORChain. The episode also included updates from the Monero Research Lab Stressnet and a community stage segment with live viewer participation. Watch the full episode here.
Anti Moonboy News just dropped its 50th episode, “Fifty Shades of Moonboy,” featuring a recap of xenu’s marathon interview with Vlad, thoughts on Tucker Carlson’s take on Bitcoin, and a deep dive into why AI could drive the push for digital ID. The episode also covers Zcash’s origins, a Zashi Wallet vulnerability, and the announcement that Anti Moonboy will be speaking at Monerotopia 2026. Watch it here or follow xenu for updates.
WIRED highlighted Monero as one of the few cryptocurrencies that provides real financial privacy, unlike Bitcoin and other traceable blockchains. The article framed Monero as a vital tool for people wanting to protect themselves from growing government surveillance and financial tracking.
Revuo Monero Issue #249 was recently published. Check it out for a weekly dose of Monero news.
Popular blockchain sleuth ZachXBT tested Zcash’s new Near Intents bridge and found that refund transactions linked his shielded and transparent addresses, compromising privacy. While Zashi plans to patch the flaw, the incident highlights why Monero’s protocol level privacy remains unmatched, offering users true fungibility without relying on fragile crosschain workarounds.
Curious what sets Monero apart from the rest? Check out this X thread titled “Reasons why I use, trust and hold Monero. A thread for the privacy coin curious and anyone wondering what really sets XMR apart from other coins.”
Events and Meetings
A Monero and Privacy Meetup will take place in Austin, Texas, on November 1 at Indra’s Awarehouse, hosted by WebWipe. The free event will feature demos and talks on privacy tools such as Eigenwallet, Retoswap, Edge Wallet, Ashigaru, RoninDojo, SimpleXchat, and NymVPN, plus presentations on Monero, zkproofs, and Bitcoin privacy. Attendees can also enjoy a local food truck that accepts BTC and Monero while connecting with the privacy focused community. More information can be found here.
The next Monero Tech Meeting will take place on November 3, 2025, at 18:00 UTC in the #no-wallet-left-behind channels on IRC Libera and Matrix. Chaired by rbrunner72, the discussion will cover progress on Seraphis/Jamtis, Full Chain Membership Proofs (FCMPs), and other long term Monero development goals. Logs from previous meetings are available through Monero Observer.
The next Cuprate Meeting will be held on November 4, 2025, at 18:00 UTC in the #cuprate channels on IRC Libera and Matrix. Led by Boog900, the discussion will cover project updates, upcoming goals, and general progress on Cuprate, the alternative Monero node implementation written in Rust. Logs and details from past meetings are available through Monero Observer.
The next Monero Community Workgroup Meeting is set for November 8, 2025, at 16:00 UTC in the #monero-community channels on IRC Libera and Matrix. Moderated by plowsof, the meeting will cover community highlights, CCS proposal updates, and workgroup reports. Logs from prior meetings are available on Monero Observer.
Monero Observer has published 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.
MoneroTopia 2026 will be held from February 12–15, 2026, at Huerto Roma Verde in Mexico City, promising four days of talks, workshops, and community events centered on financial privacy and Monero adoption. Hosted by Sunita and Douglas from Monero Talk, the conference features speakers such as Rucknium, Diego Salazar, Paul Puey, and Amir Taaki. Tickets are available on monerotopia.com, including discounted and free local options.
Exchanges and Merchants
Make sure you check out the Monero community site, usexmr.com, created by Schmidt. The site acts as a beginner-friendly flyer showing how to buy, store, and spend Monero, including wallet setup, swap guides, and directories like Monerica, XMR Map, and XmrBazaar. It’s a clean, practical resource designed to help anyone get started using Monero for real-world financial freedom.
ShopinBit reported another Monero-dominant month for September 2025, with XMR making up 68.39% of all payments, far surpassing Bitcoin at 28.85%. The company said the trend proves privacy isn’t a buzzword but a core value for its customers, with Monero users keeping the circular economy thriving.
XT Exchange announced it will hide and delist its XMR/USDT trading pair on November 5, 2025, as part of an internal review process. Deposits close on October 29 and withdrawals end on December 29, with all XMR leverage and financial products being phased out beforehand. Despite the delisting, Monero remains widely traded on decentralized exchanges and peer to peer markets that align with its privacy focused principles.
IN-TRAFFIC, a privacy focused AI advertising agency, announced it now accepts Monero (XMR) for all services and is seeking its first XMR paying client. The agency offers AI powered ad optimization, automation, and forecasting while promoting privacy as a core business value. While this marks a positive step for Monero adoption, users are advised to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of any new service before making payments.
Wondering where to get Monero? Check out this cool bubble-map from MoneroEco.
You can bet on whether you think Zcash’s marketcap will surpass Monero’s at any point before year end. Check out the prediction market here.
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
XMR/USDT has an 8 year ascending triangle, one of the longest consolidations in crypto. A breakout could trigger a move into the four figure range. The quiet accumulation phase is ending for XMR.
ColdBloodedCharter shared an enthusiastic post calling Monero (XMR) his “favorite chart in the game,” highlighting a strong bullish setup with multiple converging patterns. He’s watching for a breakout above $355–360, noting a bullish RSI and an emerging inverse head-and-shoulders formation, suggesting potential upside momentum for XMR compared to weaker setups like ZEC.
Network Metrics
Total Monero in Circulation — 18,666,829 XMR
Monero Total Marketcap — $6,141,831,366
Coinmarketcap Ranking — #21
XMR ‘street price’ from RetoSwap - $352
XMR/USD Price — $329
XMR/BTC Price — 0.002980 BTC
Monero Network Hashrate — ~5.69 Ghash/s
Monero Mining Pools Hashrate Distribution —
Entertainment
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Have we missed something?
If we’ve missed something important, let us know! As this is our first issue after a few months, we might have overlooked some news. Feel free to DM if there’s anything you’d like included in a future issue.
Support Monero
Want to 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/Matrix, GitHub, Twitter, or Telegram. The official Monero website is GetMonero.org.
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