Beginners Guide

How to Buy
Monero

The fastest route to XMR with minimal friction. No complicated setups. Updated for 2025.

01Open an account on Kraken~10 min

Kraken is one of the few major exchanges that still supports XMR deposits and withdrawals. Create an account at kraken.com and complete basic verification (email + phone). You do not need full ID verification for small amounts on Kraken.

KuCoin is an alternative for international users.
kraken.com ↗
02Deposit fiat via SEPA or card~5 min

UK and EU users: use SEPA bank transfer for zero or near-zero fees. Funds arrive in 1–2 business days. Card deposits are faster but carry a higher fee (~1.5%). Minimum deposit is typically $10 / £10 / €10.

SEPA is free on Kraken. Card adds ~1.5% fee.
03Buy XMR directly on Kraken~2 min

Go to Trade → XMR/USD (or XMR/EUR). Use a market order if you want instant execution, or a limit order if you want a specific price. Kraken charges 0.26% for market orders.

Always double-check you're on the XMR pair, not a similar ticker.
04Withdraw to Cake Wallet~5 min

Never leave XMR on an exchange longer than necessary. Download Cake Wallet (iOS / Android), create a new wallet, and copy your receive address. In Kraken, go to Funding → Withdraw → XMR, paste your address, and confirm. Transactions typically confirm in 2–20 minutes.

Use a new subaddress (starting with 8) each time for better privacy.
cakewallet.com ↗
Alternative Routes
TrocadorNo KYC

Swap BTC, LTC, ETH → XMR instantly. No account, no KYC. Best for crypto-to-crypto.

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Haveno DEXDecentralized

Decentralized P2P exchange. Buy XMR with bank transfer or cash. No central operator.

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BisqNo KYC

Buy BTC with fiat, then swap to XMR via the XMR/BTC pair. No KYC required.

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Note: Availability of XMR trading varies by country. Always check that your exchange allows XMR withdrawals before depositing funds. Regulatory conditions change — verify current status before trading.