How to swap Bitcoin to Monero anonymously, step by step
The classic anonymous swap. What to prepare, what to check, and how to leave as short a trail as possible.
Bitcoin is public by design. Every transaction, amount and address sits on a ledger anyone can read. Monero hides sender, receiver and amount by default. Swapping from one to the other is how many people move savings into a coin that does not broadcast their balance.
Before you start
- A Monero wallet you control. Feather, Cake Wallet and the official Monero GUI are common choices. Write the seed phrase down on paper.
- A fresh receiving address. Monero wallets can create subaddresses. Use a new one for every swap so nothing ties it to anything else you receive.
- A Bitcoin wallet you control for the deposit, and one of your own Bitcoin addresses as the refund address.
The swap
- Open the BTC to XMR page and type the amount of Bitcoin.
- Check the amount. It is what lands in your Monero wallet after fees, shown next to the market price.
- Paste your Monero subaddress and your Bitcoin refund address. SwapAnonymously checks the format and network of both before anything is created.
- Send the exact Bitcoin amount to the deposit address you are given.
- Follow the swap on your private swap page. Bookmark it, or follow it in our Telegram bot.
Keeping the trail short
The Bitcoin you send is still visible on the Bitcoin chain, and anyone watching that address can see coins leave it. What they cannot see is where the Monero went after the swap. A few habits help.
- Do not reuse a Monero address you used before.
- Avoid sending straight from an exchange account that knows your name, if you can send from your own wallet instead.
- Let the Monero rest for a while before moving it on. Spending it right away in the same pattern you received it only adds timing clues.
Fixed or floating
Bitcoin confirmations can take a while when the network is busy. A floating rate gives you the price at the moment your deposit confirms. A fixed rate locks what you see, for a small premium, if you send inside the window. In a fast market fixed buys peace of mind. Otherwise floating is usually a little better. The difference is explained in fixed vs floating rates.
Quick answers
How long does BTC to XMR take?
Usually 20 to 60 minutes. Most of it is waiting for Bitcoin confirmations. The Monero side arrives quickly once it is sent.
Can I send straight from an exchange account?
You can, but then the exchange knows where your coins went. Sending from a wallet you control keeps that link out of any exchange database.
Ready to swap? See the live rate. No account needed.
