Buying Monero looked different in 2022 than it does in 2026. Several developments have changed the options available, the platforms that remain, and the practical steps involved in acquiring XMR. This is a current account of what has changed and what the landscape looks like now.
What changed: the delistings
Binance removed Monero in February 2024, citing regulatory requirements in multiple jurisdictions. This was the most significant single change to the XMR accessibility landscape in recent years — Binance was one of the highest-volume venues for Monero trading globally. Kraken had already removed XMR from UK and Irish accounts under local regulatory pressure. The cumulative effect of these delistings is that centralised exchange access to Monero is significantly more limited than it was two years ago.
What changed: LocalMonero closed
LocalMonero, the peer-to-peer Monero marketplace that had operated since 2017, shut down in May 2024. For users who relied on it to acquire Monero with cash or bank transfers without a centralised intermediary, this removed the most accessible fiat-to-XMR path that had existed. Its successor in terms of functionality is Haveno — a decentralised P2P exchange with similar fiat payment support but without a central operator.
What has not changed: non-custodial swaps
Non-custodial instant swap services continue to handle Monero in all directions. If you hold any other cryptocurrency, you can swap it for XMR through a non-custodial service without an account or identity verification. This path was available in 2022 and remains available in 2026. The exchange spread has remained competitive. The selection of supported input assets has grown.
What has improved: Haveno
Haveno has matured as an alternative to the closed LocalMonero. It provides decentralised peer-to-peer Monero trading with fiat payment support and Monero multisig escrow. It is more technically demanding than LocalMonero was, but it is real, active, and maintained.
The summary: centralised exchange access to Monero has narrowed. Non-custodial swap access has remained consistent. Peer-to-peer fiat access has transitioned from LocalMonero to Haveno. If you hold any other cryptocurrency, a non-custodial swap on Terce remains the fastest path to XMR — no account, no KYC, rate locked at confirmation.