Bitcoin to Monero, privately: a step by step walkthrough
BTC to XMR is the private swap people ask about most. Here is what to set up, what to double check and how to leave as little trail as possible.
Bitcoin was built to be open. Every address, every amount and every transaction is recorded on a ledger that anyone can browse. Monero takes the opposite approach and hides the sender, the receiver and the amount by default. That is why so many people swap from BTC to XMR when they want their savings in a coin that keeps their balance to itself.
Get these ready first
- Your own Monero wallet. Common picks are Feather, Cake Wallet and the official Monero GUI. Write the seed phrase down on paper.
- A new receiving address. Monero wallets let you create subaddresses. Make a fresh one for every swap, so nothing links this swap to anything else you receive.
- Your own Bitcoin wallet to send the deposit from, plus one of your Bitcoin addresses to use for refunds.
Making the swap
- Go to the BTC to XMR swap and type in how much Bitcoin you want to send.
- Look at the amount shown. That is what arrives in your Monero wallet once fees are taken, with the market price displayed beside it.
- Paste in your Monero subaddress and your Bitcoin refund address. Swap1337 checks that both have the right format and network before the swap is created.
- Send exactly the Bitcoin amount shown to the deposit address you receive.
- Track progress on your private swap page. Save it as a bookmark, or follow along in @swap1337bot on Telegram.
Leaving less of a trail
Your Bitcoin deposit stays visible on the Bitcoin chain. Someone watching that address will see the coins leave. What stays hidden is where the Monero goes once the swap is done. These habits help.
- Never reuse a Monero address from an earlier swap.
- Where you can, send from your own wallet rather than straight from an exchange account that has your name on file.
- Give the Monero some time before you move it again. Spending it right away, in the same pattern it arrived in, only hands out timing clues.
Fixed rate or floating rate
When the Bitcoin network is busy, confirmations can be slow. With a floating rate, you get the price at the moment your deposit confirms. With a fixed rate, the price you see is locked for a small premium, as long as you send within the time window. In a fast market, fixed gives you peace of mind. The rest of the time, floating usually comes out slightly ahead. Our guide to fixed and floating rates covers it in detail.
Quick answers
How much time does a BTC to XMR swap need?
Plan for roughly 20 to 60 minutes. Nearly all of it is spent waiting for Bitcoin to confirm. Once the Monero is sent, it shows up fast.
Is it fine to send straight from an exchange account?
It works, but that exchange will then know where your coins ended up. Sending from your own wallet keeps that connection out of any exchange records.
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