Monero is not on Coinbase. It is not on Binance — it was delisted in 2024. Most of the exchanges that new cryptocurrency buyers encounter first do not list it. This is not because Monero is marginal or technically flawed. It is because Monero's privacy properties are structurally incompatible with the chain analysis requirements that regulated exchanges operate under.
The practical consequence is that purchasing Monero requires knowing one specific path. Here it is.
If you already hold any cryptocurrency
Send it to a non-custodial swap service and receive XMR in your Monero wallet. Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, USDC, Litecoin, Solana — any of these works as a starting point. The swap takes about three minutes. No account is created at any step. No identity document is requested. The rate is calculated from live market data and locked when your deposit confirms.
If you hold no cryptocurrency yet
You need one step before the swap. Acquire any cryptocurrency through an available on-ramp — a bank-linked exchange account is the most common starting point for most people — then transfer it to a self-custody wallet and swap to XMR. The on-ramp may require identity verification. The swap to Monero does not add another layer of it.
Which wallet to receive into
Feather Wallet for desktop. Download from featherwallet.org, create a new wallet, copy the primary address — it begins with "4". Cake Wallet for mobile on iOS or Android. Either generates a valid Monero address immediately after setup. Keep the 25-word seed phrase offline and secure before doing anything else.
That is the complete picture. A Monero wallet, a supported asset to send, and a non-custodial swap service. Three minutes. No account. XMR in your wallet.