Search for how to buy Monero in 2026 and you will find plenty of outdated advice. OKX removed XMR on January 5, 2024, Binance followed on February 20, 2024, and Kraken stopped offering Monero to customers in the European Economic Area on October 31, 2024. CryptoTicker counts roughly 73 exchanges that have delisted or restricted Monero since 2023. Demand has not gone away, though: XMR traded at about $555 on October 7, 2026, up 73 percent in a year, according to CoinGecko.
The good news is that buying Monero is still simple once you know which routes work. XMRList’s 2026 exchange list, which checked 46 trading pairs against live exchange data on September 20, 2026, found about 11 major and mid-sized exchanges still trading XMR. Below are the four main ways to buy, what each costs and the mistakes to avoid.
Buying Monero in 2026, by the numbers
- About 55 percent: KuCoin’s share of centralized XMR trading, roughly $61 million a day, in that September 2026 check. HTX was second at about $23 million a day.
- Roughly 73 exchanges: the number that have delisted or restricted Monero since 2023, according to CryptoTicker (October 4, 2026).
- 1.5 to 7 percent: the typical total cost of buying XMR with a bank card, from Kraken in supported regions at the low end to card-enabled swap services at the high end.
- 0.5 to 2 percent: the usual cost of swapping another coin, such as Bitcoin, into XMR.
- $129.6 million: Monero’s 24-hour trading volume across all markets on October 7, 2026, per CoinGecko.
Step 1: Set up a wallet before you buy
Decide where your coins will live before you spend anything. Good options include the official Monero GUI and CLI wallets, Feather on desktop, Cake Wallet and Monerujo on mobile, and Ledger or Trezor hardware wallets. This directory of Monero wallets lists 36 options with their verification status. Write your seed phrase on paper, store it offline and never type it into a website.
Step 2: Choose how to buy
Buy on an exchange that still lists XMR
The simplest route is a centralized exchange. KuCoin carries most of the volume, and HTX, Bitfinex, Poloniex, MEXC, CoinEx and Kraken (outside the EEA) also list XMR. You open an account, complete the exchange’s identity checks, deposit money or another coin and buy XMR on a spot pair. Check that XMR withdrawals are open before you buy, since some venues pause them during maintenance.
Buy Bitcoin or a stablecoin, then swap
If your usual exchange does not list XMR, buy a widely available coin such as Bitcoin, Litecoin or USDT and swap it into Monero. Instant swap services do this in minutes for a spread that typically runs 0.5 to 2 percent. Compare rates first and read each service’s terms on holding funds for review, because some pause large or flagged transfers.
Atomic swaps are the trustless option for BTC to XMR. Both sides lock funds in a contract, so either the trade completes or both get refunded. They take longer, typically 10 to 40 minutes end to end, because both chains must confirm.
Buy with a debit or credit card
Card purchases are the most convenient route and the most expensive. Kraken charges roughly 1.5 to 3.75 percent in the regions where it sells XMR by card, while swap services that accept Visa and Mastercard through partners such as Simplex and MoonPay usually cost 4 to 7 percent in total. Minimums tend to sit around $20 to $50, and prepaid cards are usually refused.
Trade peer to peer, with care
Peer-to-peer markets built on the Haveno protocol let buyers and sellers trade directly, but they carry their own risks. In May 2026 an attacker exploited RetoSwap, a Haveno-based market, and stole roughly 7,000 XMR, about $2.7 million at the time. If you use any P2P venue, verify the download, start with a small trade and understand who holds the funds mid-trade.
Step 3: Withdraw and test
Do not leave coins on an exchange. Delistings have arrived with only two weeks’ notice before, and an exchange account is not a wallet. Send a small test amount to your own wallet first, confirm it arrives, then move the rest.
Mistakes that cost Monero buyers money
- Pasting an address from a chat or email without checking it. Monero payments cannot be reversed.
- Installing fake wallet apps found through ads instead of official project sites.
- Paying “recovery services” that promise to get back lost or stolen coins.
- Assuming a regional restriction is a global delisting, or the other way round.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Monero in 2026?
KuCoin, HTX, Bitfinex, Poloniex, MEXC, CoinEx and Kraken (outside the EEA) still list XMR. You can also swap Bitcoin or a stablecoin into XMR, buy with a card through a swap service or trade peer to peer.
Can I buy Monero in the US?
Yes. Kraken sells XMR to US customers, and card purchases and coin-to-coin swaps are also available. Rules vary by state and change over time, so check the provider’s current terms.
Why did Binance delist Monero?
Binance removed XMR on February 20, 2024, after a review of the tokens it lists. Regulatory pressure on coins with built-in transaction confidentiality has driven most delistings since 2023.
What is the cheapest way to buy Monero?
Usually an exchange that lists XMR directly, followed by a coin-to-coin swap at 0.5 to 2 percent. Card purchases cost the most, often 4 to 7 percent through swap services.
Is it safe to keep Monero on an exchange?
Only briefly. Exchanges can restrict XMR at short notice, so withdraw to a wallet you control once the purchase settles.
The bottom line
Monero is harder to find on the biggest exchanges than it was in 2023, but buying it is still straightforward. Set up your own wallet first, use an exchange that lists XMR or a coin-to-coin swap for the lowest cost, pay the card premium only when speed matters and always send a small test transaction.