BTC
XMR
Swap Bitcoin (BTC) to Monero (XMR)
Most large regulated exchanges no longer list Monero, so turning Bitcoin into XMR usually means a swap service. Here you paste a Monero address, send BTC on-chain and receive XMR at a floating rate ā no account and no documents for a standard swap.
Bitcoin ā Monero: when it makes sense
BTC to XMR is the most common way into Monero now that Binance (February 2024), OKX and Kraken in the EEA have dropped it. The swap itself is simple; what trips people up is the Monero side. Use a fresh subaddress (it starts with 8) so this payment is not linked to your others, send Bitcoin on-chain with a fee that confirms within the hour, and expect the XMR to show up as a locked balance for about 20 minutes after the payout. The pair goes through a payment gateway, so the rate is floating only and every fee is already inside the XMR amount the widget shows.
Bitcoin has no smart-contract tokens to worry about here: one network, one asset, and confirmations are the only variable.
Monero hides senders, receivers and amounts on its own chain: ring signatures (16 members since the August 2022 upgrade), one-time stealth addresses and RingCT. That privacy covers only the Monero leg ā the coin you swap from stays as visible as it always was.
Bitcoin vs Monero: the networks side by side
| BTC | XMR | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Bitcoin mainnet (proof of work) | Monero mainnet (proof of work, RandomX); private by default |
| Blocks / confirmation | a new block roughly every 10 minutes on average (individual blocks can take 1 to 30+ minutes) | a block about every 2 minutes; received XMR stays locked for 10 blocks (about 20 minutes) before it can be spent |
| Address format | bc1qā¦ (SegWit), bc1pā¦ (Taproot), 3ā¦ (P2SH) or legacy 1ā¦ ā all are accepted | 95 characters: primary address starts with 4, subaddresses with 8; an integrated address is 106 characters and starts with 4 |
| Network fee | priced in sat/vByte and set by your wallet; when the mempool is full a low fee can leave the transaction unconfirmed for hours | set by the wallet from the transaction size and the network's dynamic fee; usually cents |
| Memo / tag | not used | not needed to receive |
| Wallets | Electrum, Sparrow, BlueWallet, Trezor, Ledger | Feather, Cake Wallet, Monero GUI, Monerujo |
KOT.CASH vs a centralised exchange for BTC ā XMR
| KOT.CASH | Centralised exchange | |
|---|---|---|
| Account & KYC | No sign-up; no ID documents for standard swaps | Account required; regulated exchanges must verify identity |
| Steps | One order: send BTC, receive XMR at your own address | Deposit BTC ā wait for credit ā trade ā request XMR withdrawal |
| Custody | Funds pass through the service only for the swap | Funds sit in the exchange account until you withdraw |
| Withdrawal | Automatic once the deposit is confirmed | Withdrawal fee; limits, holds or extra checks are possible |
| Cost | Float rate only; service fee, gateway costs and payout network fee are already in the amount you receive | Trading fee, spread and withdrawal fee ā vary by exchange and volume |
| Where a CEX is better | No fiat, limit orders or margin ā crypto-to-crypto swaps only | Fiat on/off-ramp, limit orders, very large volumes |
This compares how the processes work, not any specific exchange. Exchange tariffs change ā check them on the platform itself.
Step-by-step guides
How to swap BTC to XMR, step by step
- 1
Select BTC ā XMR in the widget and enter the amount. It shows the current minimum and the XMR you will receive. This pair is float-rate only, with every fee already included in the amount you receive.
- 2
Paste your XMR address ā 95 characters: primary address starts with 4, subaddresses with 8; an integrated address is 106 characters and starts with 4. Copy it from your wallet (Feather, Cake Wallet, Monero GUI, Monerujo) and compare the first and last characters.
- 3
Create the order and send exactly the shown amount of BTC to the deposit address. Bookmark the order link ā it shows the live status.
- 4
Wait for confirmations: a new block roughly every 10 minutes on average (individual blocks can take 1 to 30+ minutes). The liquidity provider sets how many are required; the order page shows the live count.
- 5
XMR is sent to your address automatically. On the receiving side: a block about every 2 minutes; received XMR stays locked for 10 blocks (about 20 minutes) before it can be spent. The transaction hash appears on the order page.
Common BTC ā XMR mistakes
Do not send BCH or BSV to a BTC deposit address ā they are different chains and such funds are usually unrecoverable.
Pick a fee your wallet marks as 'next block' or 'within an hour'. A stuck low-fee transaction delays the whole swap; with RBF enabled you can bump it.
Exchange withdrawals of BTC are often batched ā a CEX may hold your withdrawal for a while before broadcasting it. The swap timer starts when the transaction is seen in the network.
Freshly received XMR ā and the change from your own last payment ā is locked for 10 blocks. If the wallet says the balance is locked, wait about 20 minutes; nothing is wrong.
Do not look for a separate payment ID field. Long payment IDs were removed from Monero in 2019 (v0.15); for your own wallet a subaddress is enough, and an integrated address must be pasted whole.
BTC to XMR: questions people ask
Which Monero address should I paste for BTC to XMR?
A new subaddress from your own wallet (starts with 8, 95 characters) is the best choice. A primary address (starts with 4) works too, and so does a 106-character integrated address if a service gave you one. The order checks the format before it is created.
Why does my wallet show the XMR as locked?
Monero locks every received output for 10 blocks, about 20 minutes at two-minute blocks. It is a protocol rule; after that the balance becomes spendable.
Does the exchange see where my XMR goes next?
No. After the payout, Monero hides senders, receivers and amounts on its chain. The Bitcoin deposit, however, is public as usual, and the service knows the order details.
How long do BTC confirmations take?
A new block roughly every 10 minutes on average (individual blocks can take 1 to 30+ minutes). The liquidity provider decides how many confirmations are required; the order page shows the live count.
Is there a fixed rate for BTC to XMR?
No. Monero pairs run through a payment gateway that supports only a floating rate. The widget shows the XMR amount with all fees included before you create the order.
Can I send BTC over Lightning?
No. The deposit address is a regular on-chain Bitcoin address; Lightning payments cannot reach it.
Do I need to register?
No. A standard swap needs only your Monero address. Under the AML policy a high-risk deposit can be held and extra information requested.
Is BTC to XMR available in split swap or multi-hop?
No. Monero is available in the simple swap only.