What could affect the price of XMR?
Monero’s price is caught between advances in privacy technology and increasing regulatory challenges.
- Fluorine Fermi Upgrade (Positive) – Improved anti-surveillance features reduce tracking risks.
- Zcash Competition (Negative) – Markets see a 67% chance Zcash will surpass Monero by 2025.
- EU Privacy Coin Ban (Negative) – A 2027 ban on privacy coins could limit exchange access.
In-Depth Look
1. Fluorine Fermi Anti-Surveillance Upgrade (Positive Impact)
What Happened?
In October 2025, Monero released the “Fluorine Fermi” update, which improved its defenses against spying attempts by refining how the network selects peers. This reduces the chance that someone can track users based on their internet addresses. This update came after a 2024 leak showed efforts to trace Monero transactions (Cryptopolitan).
Why It Matters
Better privacy protections could attract more institutional investors. After the update, Monero’s price jumped 7% to $347. If these upgrades continue to be adopted, Monero could become the leading choice for truly untraceable transactions, pushing back against negative regulatory views.
2. Zcash’s Shielded Pool Growth (Mixed Impact)
What Happened?
Zcash, another privacy-focused cryptocurrency, has seen a big increase in its shielded transactions—those that hide sender and receiver details. Now, 27% of all Zcash (4.42 million coins worth $1.12 billion) are shielded. Zcash’s price has surged 635% this year, and markets predict a 67% chance it will overtake Monero’s $5.8 billion market cap by December (Coinspeaker).
Why It Matters
Zcash’s growth shows strong demand for privacy coins but could split the market. Monero’s price has also grown 110% year-over-year, showing strength. However, if Zcash becomes the top privacy coin, institutional investors and funds might shift their holdings, which could hurt Monero’s market position.
3. EU’s 2027 Privacy Coin Ban (Negative Impact)
What Happened?
The European Union passed a law banning banks and crypto platforms from dealing with privacy coins starting January 2027, due to concerns about money laundering (CryptoFrontNews). Dubai’s VARA authority introduced similar rules in 2023.
Why It Matters
Exchanges may start removing privacy coins like Monero sooner than 2027. For example, Kraken already stopped accepting Monero deposits after a mining attack threat in August 2025. This could reduce liquidity and increase price swings. Still, peer-to-peer trading and decentralized exchanges might help maintain demand over time.
Conclusion
Monero’s future depends on balancing its privacy technology improvements with growing regulatory pressures. The Fluorine Fermi upgrade and upcoming quantum-resistant features planned for 2026 could strengthen its position. However, Zcash’s rapid growth and the EU’s privacy coin ban present significant challenges. Keep an eye on the October 27 EU Parliament vote on tightening privacy rules—if it passes, Monero’s price could fall below the $300 support level.
Will Monero’s community-driven adoption outpace regulatory restrictions?
What are people saying about XMR?
Monero’s community is united by a strong commitment to privacy but is also concerned about the growing concentration of mining power. Here’s what’s happening right now:
- Mining power concerns – Qubic’s attempt to control over half of the mining raises worries.
- Community reactions – Supporters remain optimistic despite some internal disagreements.
- Buying activity – Traders are noticing Monero’s price holding steady and showing strength.
Deep Dive
1. @cookiedotfun: Mining Centralization Threatens Network Stability bearish
"Qubic’s 24-hour mining marathon captured 20% of blocks, while DDoS attacks spooked the network. If Qubic stops mining, SupportXMR could hit 51% dominance."
– @cookiedotfun (12.3K followers · 48K impressions · 2025-08-04 12:27 UTC)
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What this means: Qubic’s aggressive mining efforts and potential to control a large share of the network threaten Monero’s decentralization, which is a key principle. If too much mining power is concentrated in one place, it could lead to problems like blocking transactions or rewriting parts of the blockchain, which would hurt trust in the system.
2. @jakexmr: Community Tensions Amid Privacy Advocacy mixed
"After today I’m focusing on the positive – most of Monero is good. We’re about to rip; it’s the greatest currency."
– @jakexmr (8.7K followers · 22K impressions · 2025-10-12 04:40 UTC)
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What this means: While many supporters like Jake are confident in Monero’s privacy features and future, there are some disagreements within the community. These internal conflicts highlight the challenges of managing a decentralized project, especially when some members have different views on governance and direction.
3. @dcdotai: Accumulation Signals Flash bullish
"Monero is being bought up? Are you positioned?"
– @dcdotai (6.1K followers · 15K impressions · 2025-10-11 23:14 UTC)
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What this means: Despite concerns about mining centralization, Monero’s price has remained strong, holding around $269 as of May 2025, and has gained nearly 11% over the past month. Traders see this price stability as a sign that investors are accumulating XMR, possibly preparing for a price increase if mining risks ease.
Conclusion
The overall outlook on Monero is mixed. On one hand, its strong privacy features attract bullish sentiment. On the other, the risk of mining centralization, especially with Qubic’s growing influence, raises red flags. Monitoring P2Pool’s share of mining power is important—if decentralized miners regain more than 15% dominance soon, it could reduce fears of an attack and boost confidence. The key question remains: how will Monero’s developers address this mining centralization challenge?
What is the latest news about XMR?
Monero is making important privacy improvements while facing growing competition from Zcash. Here’s a quick update:
- Fluorine Fermi Update (October 11, 2025) – New privacy features to stop network spying.
- Gold Benchmark Debate (October 13, 2025) – Trader Peter Brandt questions how Monero compares to gold.
- Zcash Competition Heats Up (October 13, 2025) – Markets predict Zcash might surpass Monero by the end of 2025.
In-Depth Look
1. Fluorine Fermi Update (October 11, 2025)
What happened: Monero rolled out the "Fluorine Fermi" upgrade to block spy nodes that try to link transactions to users’ IP addresses. This update improves how Monero connects users securely and makes the network more stable. After the update, Monero’s price briefly hit $314.98, its highest in three weeks.
Why it matters: This is good news for Monero because it strengthens its main feature—privacy—especially as companies like Chainalysis increase efforts to track cryptocurrency transactions. Better privacy could attract more users who want truly untraceable transactions. (Cointribune)
2. Gold Benchmark Debate (October 13, 2025)
What happened: Experienced trader Peter Brandt suggested Monero should be compared to gold instead of traditional money, pointing out that Monero’s price gains lag behind gold’s performance. Others argue that cryptocurrency and gold serve different purposes in an investment portfolio.
Why it matters: This debate is neutral for Monero. While it raises questions about how to value Monero, the coin’s role as a privacy tool is different from gold’s role as a store of value or inflation hedge. This discussion highlights the ongoing challenge of understanding where cryptocurrencies fit in investment strategies. (U.Today)
3. Zcash Competition Heats Up (October 13, 2025)
What happened: Zcash’s “shielded pool,” which hides transaction details, grew to 27% of its total supply. This helped Zcash’s price jump 635% since August. Prediction markets now give Zcash a 67% chance of overtaking Monero in market value by December. Monero’s 30-day price gain (+10.79%) is much smaller compared to Zcash’s rapid rise.
Why it matters: This puts pressure on Monero. Zcash’s growth shows strong demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, but Monero’s slower price increase suggests it faces tough competition. Monero’s future success may depend on how quickly it can roll out new upgrades and attract users. (Coinspeaker)
Conclusion
Monero’s recent upgrades and Zcash’s rapid growth mark an important moment for privacy coins. While Monero is improving its privacy protections, it now faces challenges from Zcash’s rising popularity and comparisons to gold. The big question is whether Monero’s focus on untraceability will keep it ahead of Zcash’s expanding shielded transactions.
What is expected in the development of XMR?
Monero is making steady progress with these key updates:
- BTCPay Server Plugin (Q4 2025) – Making it easier for online stores to accept Monero payments.
- Monero Browser Wallet (Q4 2025) – A privacy-focused wallet that works right in your web browser.
- Seraphis & Jamtis Upgrade (2026) – Major improvements to how transactions work, boosting privacy and efficiency.
In-Depth Look
1. BTCPay Server Plugin (Q4 2025)
What it is: Backed by the Monero community in July 2025 (Monero), this plugin will let merchants accept Monero (XMR) through BTCPay Server, a popular open-source payment system. It’s designed for businesses that want to offer private payment options without relying on middlemen.
Why it matters: This could help more businesses start using Monero, increasing its real-world use. However, testing to ensure it works smoothly with BTCPay might take longer than expected.
2. Monero Browser Wallet (Q4 2025)
What it is: A browser extension wallet created by developer Spirobel that allows users to send and receive Monero directly from Chrome or Firefox. It focuses on privacy and ease of use, so you don’t need extra apps.
Why it matters: This makes Monero more accessible to everyday users, which is good for growth. But some people might worry about security risks that come with browser-based wallets.
3. Seraphis & Jamtis Upgrade (2026)
What it is: A major update to Monero’s transaction system (Monero Roadmap). It replaces the current RingCT method with Seraphis, which reduces transaction size, and introduces Jamtis addresses to improve privacy. Testing is underway, but the community needs to agree before it goes live.
Why it matters: This upgrade could make Monero faster and more private, strengthening its position as a leading privacy-focused cryptocurrency. However, the technical challenges mean there’s some risk in how smoothly it will be implemented.
Conclusion
Monero’s roadmap combines practical improvements for users (like the BTCPay plugin and browser wallet) with deeper privacy enhancements (Seraphis). The success of these updates depends on maintaining decentralization, especially as mining pools like Qubic grow larger. Additionally, how regulators respond to privacy coins could either speed up or slow down these developments.
What updates are there in the XMR code base?
Monero’s latest software updates focus on protecting user privacy and making the network stronger.
- Fluorine Fermi Upgrade (October 10, 2025) – Improved how the network chooses peers to block spying nodes and boost privacy.
- Community-Funded Development (July 25, 2025) – Six projects received funding to improve core features and tools.
Deep Dive
1. Fluorine Fermi Upgrade (October 10, 2025)
Overview:
Monero’s command-line interface (CLI) version 0.18.4.3, called “Fluorine Fermi,” targets spy nodes—bad actors who try to link your IP address to your transactions. This update improves how Monero selects peers by avoiding groups of nodes in the same IP range, which is a common spying method.
What this means:
This is good news for Monero users because it makes it harder for anyone to track transactions back to them, enhancing privacy. It also makes the network more stable and less vulnerable to attacks that could reveal user identities. (Source)
2. Community-Funded Development (July 25, 2025)
Overview:
Monero’s Community Crowdfunding System (CCS) provided funding for six proposals. These include full-time work on improving the core protocol, creating a browser-based wallet, and integrating with BTCPay Server, a popular payment processor.
What this means:
This shows ongoing support from the Monero community and developers. While these updates are gradual improvements, they help make Monero easier to use and more compatible with other tools. (Source)
Conclusion
Monero’s recent updates focus on protecting privacy and growing its ecosystem. The Fluorine Fermi upgrade tackles current privacy threats, while community funding supports future innovation. As regulations around privacy coins increase, it will be interesting to see how Monero continues to uphold its privacy-first mission.
Why did the price of XMR go up?
Monero (XMR) increased by 2.76% in the past 24 hours, continuing its steady 10% growth over the last month. The main factors behind this rise are:
- Network Upgrade – The “Fluorine Fermi” update improved privacy and security features.
- Privacy Coin Competition – A big price jump in Zcash has sparked more interest in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.
- Technical Support – Monero’s price stayed above an important $304 level, showing strength.
In-Depth Look
1. Network Security Upgrade (Positive Effect)
What happened:
On October 11, Monero released the “Fluorine Fermi” update, which added a new system to better protect users from surveillance. This system helps block “spy nodes” that try to link transactions to users’ IP addresses, a key privacy concern.
Why it matters:
This upgrade makes Monero one of the most secure privacy coins available. As governments increase their scrutiny of cryptocurrencies, stronger privacy features attract more users and build trust among current holders and traders.
What to watch:
Keep an eye on how many users adopt the new features, like the volume of shielded (private) transactions. Also, watch how major exchanges respond—some, like Kraken, temporarily paused deposits during recent network tests.
2. Privacy Coin Sector Momentum (Mixed Impact)
What happened:
Zcash (ZEC), another privacy coin, has surged by 635% since August. Betting markets now give Zcash a 67% chance to surpass Monero in market value by the end of the year. This competition has brought more attention to privacy coins overall.
Why it matters:
While Zcash’s rise might pull some investment away from Monero, it also shows growing demand for privacy technology in cryptocurrencies. Monero and Zcash prices tend to move together, with a strong 0.82 correlation over the past month.
What to watch:
Regulatory risks remain a concern. For example, the European Union is considering a ban on anonymous crypto transactions (known as DAC8), which could affect all privacy coins.
3. Technical Resilience (Neutral to Positive)
What happened:
Monero’s price stayed above the $304.78 support level, which is the 30-day simple moving average (SMA). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is near neutral at 49.87, and the MACD indicator shows some short-term selling pressure. However, the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA) at $281.60 acts as a strong support level.
Why it matters:
Traders are defending these key price levels, seeing dips as buying opportunities. If Monero’s price breaks above $316.48 (a key Fibonacci retracement level), it could move toward $327.76.
Conclusion
Monero’s recent price increase is driven by stronger privacy features, growing interest in privacy coins, and solid technical support. However, competition from Zcash and ongoing regulatory challenges suggest caution.
What to watch:
Will Monero keep its lead in shielded transaction volume compared to Zcash’s growing Orchard Pool? Also, monitor the $304 support level and the October 10 low of $152.35 (“Dark Friday”) as key points for potential downside risk.