MWEB: the Litecoin privacy feature hiding in plain sight
Litecoin has shipped with optional confidential transactions since 2022. Here is what MWEB covers, and how to step into it once your swap lands.
Most people think of Litecoin as a quicker, cheaper take on Bitcoin. Fewer know that since May 2022 it has included MimbleWimble Extension Blocks, known as MWEB. It is an optional privacy layer that sits alongside the regular chain.
What stays private inside MWEB
Once coins are in MWEB, amounts are hidden and the connections between inputs and outputs become far harder to trace. MWEB addresses begin with ltcmweb1. From the outside, coins that enter MWEB drop out of easy view until they leave it again.
What stays visible
The move into MWEB, and the move back out, both show on the main chain. MWEB is a layer you choose to enter. It does not make every transaction private by default.
Using MWEB after your swap
- Pick a wallet that supports MWEB, for example Litecoin Core or Cake Wallet.
- Have your swap send the LTC to a regular Litecoin address.
- From inside the wallet, transfer it to your own MWEB address.
- Make your payments from the MWEB balance going forward.
Why LTC is a great coin to swap
A new block arrives roughly every two and a half minutes and fees stay low, so LTC deposits confirm fast. When you want a swap finished quickly, it is a reliable coin to send. Try Litecoin to Monero or visit our LTC page.
Quick answers
Can my swap pay out directly to an MWEB address?
Swaps pay out to regular Litecoin addresses. Receive at one of those first, then move the coins into MWEB from inside your own wallet.
Does MWEB work like Monero?
No. Inside the extension block, MWEB hides amounts and breaks the link between inputs and outputs, but entering and leaving it can be seen. Monero hides everything by default.
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