LocalMonero was a peer-to-peer market where people traded Monero (XMR) with each other. It closed in 2024 and its website is gone. If you searched for it, you probably want another way to get XMR. This guide explains what happened and lists the ways that work today, by type.
What happened to LocalMonero
LocalMonero and its sister site AgoraDesk announced on 7 May 2024 that they were winding down after almost seven years. The announcement said the reasons were a combination of internal and external factors. It gave no more detail.
The closure came in three steps:
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| 7 May 2024 | New signups and new ads were turned off. |
| 14 May 2024 | New trades were turned off. |
| 7 November 2024 | The website was taken down. |
Users had until 7 November 2024 to withdraw their remaining funds, including arbitration bond wallets. The site said funds left after that date would be forfeited. If you still hold an old account there, it cannot be opened any more.
A website that looks like LocalMonero today is not the original. See the safety section below.
Ways to get XMR now
People used LocalMonero for two things: to get XMR without an account at a large exchange, and to trade with another person. The options below cover both. Each has its own costs and risks, so read the downsides before you choose.
| Route | What you need | Main downsides |
|---|---|---|
| No-account swap | Another coin, such as BTC, LTC or USDT | Your deposit leaves your control until the XMR is sent. A floating quote can move |
| Peer-to-peer software | Time, and often a deposit of your own XMR or BTC | Setup takes longer. The other side may learn who you are. Software can have flaws |
| Atomic swap software | BTC and a Monero wallet | Technical setup. Few people to trade with |
| Mining | A computer with a good CPU, power and time | Power costs money. Earnings are small and change with the network |
| Getting paid in XMR | Work or goods people will pay for | Slow to build up |
Swap a coin you already hold
If you hold another coin, you can swap it for XMR on HiddenSwap with no account, no email and no ID. You pick the coins, paste your Monero address, send your deposit and get XMR at your own address. The swap box shows the limits and the amount you get before you send.
Use a new subaddress from your own wallet and add a refund address for the coin you send. Our step by step guide to getting Monero walks through the whole route, and our Monero coin page explains the address types. HiddenSwap is crypto to crypto only. If you hold no crypto yet, this route is not for you.
Peer-to-peer trading software
LocalMonero ran a website that held the coins in escrow during a trade. Today, peer-to-peer trading for XMR runs mostly in open-source apps that you install. Two people agree on a trade in the app, and the coins are locked in a shared wallet until the trade ends. An arbitrator can step in when the two sides disagree.
This model has no single website to close, but it has its own risks:
- Software can have flaws. In May 2026, attackers exploited a flaw in the protocol of one such app and took about 7,000 XMR from trades in progress. Trading was suspended, and a second attack followed in June 2026.
- The other person may learn who you are from the way they are paid.
- Nobody can reverse a mistake once the trade has closed.
If you use this route, update the app as soon as a new version comes out, start with small trades, and read the project’s own announcements.
Atomic swaps
An atomic swap trades BTC for XMR directly between two people, using software on both sides. Either both payments go through or both are refunded, so neither side has to trust the other with the coins. Atomic swap tools for Bitcoin and Monero are open source. They need more setup than a swap box, and you need someone on the other side of your trade.
Mining
Monero is mined with ordinary computer processors. The official Monero site says CPUs are much more efficient than graphics cards for its RandomX algorithm. You run mining software, and you get a share of new XMR for your work. P2Pool, a decentralized pool, pays small amounts straight into your wallet with no pool fee.
Mining is slow for most home computers, and power costs money. Check the numbers first with our Monero mining calculator, then read our guide on how to mine Monero.
Getting paid in XMR
If you make things or do work for others, you can ask to be paid in XMR. Monero hides the sender, the receiver and the amount of every payment by default, so your payments stay private on the chain. Our guide on how to accept Monero donations shows how to set up a payment address and share it.
Stay safe
Closed markets attract copycats. Old bookmarks, search ads and forum links can point to fake sites.
- Do not trust a site that uses the LocalMonero name. The original is closed. A site that asks you to log in or deposit under that name is not it.
- Never share your seed. No real service asks for your seed words. Anyone who has them controls your XMR.
- Get wallets from the project’s own site. The official GUI and CLI wallets come from getmonero.org. Check the file against the signed hashes there.
- Check addresses before you send. Compare the first and last characters of every address you paste.
- Start small with any route that is new to you.
Quick answers
Is LocalMonero coming back? The operators announced a wind-down and took the site offline on 7 November 2024. They have not announced a return.
Can I still get funds from my old account? The site said funds not withdrawn by 7 November 2024 would be forfeited.
What is the closest thing to LocalMonero today? Peer-to-peer trading apps work in a similar way, with escrow between two people. If you already hold another coin, a no-account swap is quicker.