What is Monero and how does it work? A beginner's guide to XMR

Monero XMR -0.49% is one of the most well known privacy coins in the cryptocurrency space. But what exactly is Monero, and how does it work?

If you're new to the world of cryptocurrencies, understanding the ins and outs of Monero can be a bit overwhelming. Here's a beginner's guide to the XMR cryptocurrency, to help you understand what Monero is and how it works.

What is Monero?

Monero is a cryptocurrency that prioritizes privacy and confidentiality.

Unlike the majority of cryptocurrencies that are based on transparency and security, Monero offers a different approach by upholding the ideals of anonymity. This differentiates it from popular transparent blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Monero's roots can be traced back to the creation of Bytecoin, the first digital currency to use the CryptoNote technology launched in 2012. Despite Bytecoin's lack of success, it paved the way for the development of privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, including Monero.

Monero ensures the anonymity of its users through technologies such as ring signatures, stealth addresses, and ring confidential transactions (RingCT). This makes every user on the Monero network anonymous by default, obscuring details about the sender, receiver, and the amount transacted.

Monero has gained recognition as a privacy-centric cryptocurrency, akin to transacting with physical cash due to its anonymity. However, this focus on privacy has also led to some challenges. Some regulatory bodies have imposed restrictions on privacy coins, resulting in certain exchanges delisting such tokens.

What does Monero's technology have to do with privacy?

Monero's commitment to privacy is built into its technological framework, using a combination of ring signatures, stealth addresses, and Ring confidential transactions (RingCT) to ensure the anonymity of its users. Ring signatures are a type of digital signature that obscures the identity of the sender by mixing their signature with those of other network participants, creating a 'ring' of possible senders and making it impossible to determine which one initiated the transaction.

Stealth addresses add another layer of privacy by generating a one-time address for each transaction, protecting both sender and receiver from having their transactions linked to their public addresses.

In addition to these features, Monero also uses bulletproofs, a type of zero-knowledge proof, to reduce the size of confidential transactions, improving scalability and reducing transaction fees.

How to mine Monero?

Monero (XMR) offers a unique mining process compared to other cryptocurrencies. Its mining mechanism is designed to be compatible with a wide range of hardware, including lower-cost options like laptops (CPU) and graphics cards (GPU), making it more accessible to hobbyists.

At the heart of Monero's mining process is the RandomX algorithm, a resource-efficient Proof-of-Work (PoW) algorithm optimized for general-purpose CPUs. This algorithm aims to prevent the centralization of mining power through behemoth mining rigs, a challenge often faced by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It allows for the democratization of Monero mining, enabling a broader range of participants to contribute to the network's security and earn rewards.

Monero also introduces an innovative concept known as "smart mining." This method of mining is designed to be less intrusive and more energy-efficient than regular mining. It utilizes a computer's unused processing power to mine Monero.