Type: Decentralised peer-to-peer Monero exchange
KYC required: No
Base currency: Monero (XMR)
Atomic swaps: Yes — BTC ↔ XMR
Clearnet: haveno.exchange
Last verified: March 2026
Haveno vs. Bisq
| Feature | Bisq | Haveno |
|---|---|---|
| Base currency | Bitcoin (BTC) | Monero (XMR) |
| Bitcoin-only trades | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Monero direct purchase | ❌ Limited | ✅ Primary use case |
| Atomic swaps BTC↔XMR | ❌ | ✅ Yes |
| Architecture | P2P via Tor | P2P via Tor |
Atomic Swaps — Breaking the Bitcoin-Monero Link
An atomic swap exchanges Bitcoin and Monero simultaneously and trustlessly on the blockchain — no intermediary, no custodian. Both legs complete or neither does. The result: you can convert Bitcoin (traceable) to Monero (untraceable) without any exchange holding your funds or seeing your identity. The on-chain link between your Bitcoin and your Monero is severed by the swap mechanism itself.
The Privacy Stack with Haveno
- Acquire Bitcoin without KYC — through Bisq, a Bitcoin ATM or in-person
- Use Haveno atomic swap to convert Bitcoin → Monero
- The Bitcoin-Monero chain of custody link is broken
- Store and spend Monero through Feather Wallet or Cake Wallet
This sequence produces Monero with no identity link and no traceable path back to a KYC purchase.