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Yesterday β€” 24 January 2026Main stream

Monero, Zcash, And Dash Prohibited In India Amid Money-Laundering Crackdown

24 January 2026 at 04:00

India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU‑IND) has launched a fresh anti‑money‑laundering crackdown aimed at privacy‑focused cryptocurrencies.Β The move targets Monero (XMR), Zcash (ZEC), and Dash (DASH), which together represent the largest and most widely used privacy coins globally.

India Tightens Crypto Oversight

Details of the action were shared on Friday by market analyst MartyParty on social media platform X (previously Twitter), who notes that FIU‑IND has issued a directive to crypto exchanges registered in India, instructing them to immediately suspend deposits, withdrawals, and trading activity for Monero, Zcash, and Dash.Β 

At the heart of the regulator’s concerns is the technology underpinning these assets. Privacy coins rely on advanced cryptographic techniques designed to obscure transaction details, wallet balances, and user identities.Β 

Monero uses ring signatures to hide the sender and receiver, Zcash allows shielded transactions that conceal transaction data, and Dash offers optional privacy features.Β 

While these tools are valued by users seeking confidentiality, regulators argue they make it difficult for exchanges to meet know‑your‑customer (KYC) and transaction‑monitoring obligations. The regulator views these features as posing elevated risks related to money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions evasion.Β 

The latest directive applies to all cryptocurrency exchanges registed in the country, which currently includes crypto platforms operating in compliance with Indian regulations. They have been instructed to stop supporting the assets, including delisting, blocking all deposits and withdrawals, and disabling any associated trading pairs.

Monero, Zcash, And Dash Show Mixed Market Reaction

The latest action builds on a broader regulatory push by Indian authorities. In October 2025, FIU‑IND ordered internet service providers to block access to 25 offshore crypto exchanges that failed to register.Β 

By contrast, only a handful of exchanges currently remain fully registered and compliant in the country. Binance, Mudrex, Coinbase, CoinSwitch (CoinSwitch Kuber), and ZebPay continue to operate legally in India.

Despite the regulatory pressure, market prices for the targeted privacy coins showed short‑term resilience. Over the past 24 hours, all three assets posted gains after recovering from sharp losses earlier in the week.Β 

Monero was trading at $524 at the time of writing, up 3.5% on the day. Zcash also rebounded modestly, rising 2.2% to trade at $372. Dash recorded the strongest daily performance, jumping 11.6% during the same period.

However, the broader trend remains negative. According to CoinGecko data, Monero, Zcash, and Dash are still down sharply on a weekly basis, with losses of approximately 21%, 8%, and 20% respectively over the past seven days.Β 

Monero

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

Before yesterdayMain stream

Crypto User Loses $282M In Social Engineering Attack β€” Details

18 January 2026 at 13:00

2026 got off to a disastrous start for one crypto user, who fell victim to one of the largest social engineering attacks in digital asset history, losing over $282 million in Bitcoin and Litecoin.

How Crypto User Fell Victim To $282M TheftΒ 

According to prominent blockchain sleuth ZachXBT, the crypto theft occurred on January 10, 2026 at around 11:00 pm UTC. Around 2.05 million Litecoin (worth roughly $153 million) and 1,459 Bitcoin (equivalent to around $139 million) was drained from the victim’s hardware wallet after they were tricked into sharing their seed phrase.

The exploiter swiftly transferred the funds across multiple networks to obscure the trail after gaining full control of the crypto wallet. As revealed by ZachXBT, the attacker first began converting the stolen crypto assets into Monero’s native token, XMR,Β through multiple instant exchanges, leading to a surge in the price of XMR.

Furthermore, the exploiter bridged significant amounts of the stolen Bitcoin across Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin through THORChain, a decentralized cross-chain platform that enables users to swap crypto assets between different blockchain networks. Unsurprisingly, this move reignited the debate around the use β€” or abuse β€” of censorship-resistant cross-chain protocols, especially during security breaches.

After the news of the attack made it to social media, conversations around the entity or persons behind $282 million theft started, with many linking it to a state-sponsored hacking group. However, ZachXBT categorically stated that β€œit’s not North Korea,” potentially exonerating the infamous state-backed Lazarus Group.

Crypto

In a post on LinkedIn, security firm ZeroShadow described the victim as a Bitcoin wallet β€œbelonging to an individual who had been tricked into sharing their seed phrase by an actor impersonating Trezor β€˜Value Wallet’ support.” The firm claimed that it was able to track and flag parts of the stolen funds in real time after being alerted by blockchain monitoring teams.

According to ZeroShadow, roughly $700,000 worth of crypto assets were reportedly frozen before they could be fully swapped into privacy-focused assets. This latest incident sheds light on how the digital asset industry is still being targeted by malicious actors.

XMR Price Rallies To New High Following Security Incident

As described by ZachXBT, the attacker, after gaining control of the victim’s wallet, began converting the stolen crypto assets into Monero’s native token, XMR, through several exchanges. In the background, this activity pushed the price of the privacy-focused XMR to a new all-time high around $800 over the past week.

According to data from CoinGecko, the XMR token rallied almost 80% to $797.73 from a weekly low around $450 following the crypto theft. As of this writing, XMR is valued at around $588, reflecting a nearly 25% drop in the past few days.

Crypto

Monero Triggers Retail Alert That Preceded ZEC And DASH Drops As Privacy Coin Hype Returns

16 January 2026 at 17:00

Monero (XMR), one of crypto’s most established privacy-focused assets, has exploded higher to start 2026, delivering one of the strongest moves in the market over the past few days. Monero is built around private, censorship-resistant transactions, using cryptography to obscure wallet balances and transfer details on-chain. That privacy-first design has kept XMR in its own category for years, often moving independently from large-cap altcoins when narrative-driven momentum returns.

Since the beginning of the year, XMR has surged from roughly $410 to nearly $799, a near-vertical move that reflects both aggressive demand and a rapid shift in trader attention toward the privacy coin sector. The breakout comes after similar sharp rallies in names like Zcash (ZEC) and Dash (DASH), which also experienced explosive upside followed by fast pullbacks.

Zcash climbed to around $750 before reversing toward the $400 zone, while Dash ran to roughly $120 and later dropped to near $35. Those moves set the tone for a volatile privacy coin rotation, where price action tends to accelerate quickly once momentum enters the sector.

Now, with Monero leading the pack, the market is watching whether this rally can establish higher support levels, or if it becomes another short-lived spike driven by crowded positioning and thin liquidity.

Retail Hype Signal Flashes As Monero Extends Its Breakout

Monero’s surge is now starting to show the same β€œretail frenzy” footprint that appeared earlier in other privacy coins, raising questions about how sustainable this move really is. A trading frequency signalβ€”often associated with crowded participation and late-stage chasingβ€”previously lit up in Zcash and Dash near their local tops, before both coins reversed sharply.

Monero Futures Retail Activity Through Trading Frequency Surge | Source: CryptoQuant

In Zcash, the retail-heavy activity spike aligned with a push to roughly $698, and the price has since slid back to around $442, a drawdown of about 37%. Dash followed a similar pattern. The trigger appeared near $120, before the market cooled off aggressively and dragged the price down to the $57 zone. A decline of roughly 52%.

Now, the same signal is flashing for Monero. The retail-frequency threshold appeared around $714 as XMR traded deep into its parabolic advance. That matters because these setups often reflect emotional participation, where buyers enter late, liquidity thins, and volatility increases sharply.

This doesn’t guarantee an immediate top, but history suggests a clear risk: once retail demand becomes dominant, the rally can become fragile. The bigger question is whether Monero can absorb profit-taking without breaking structureβ€”or if it repeats the same post-spike unwind seen in ZEC and DASH.

XMR Surges Into Parabolic Territory

Monero is showing one of the strongest price trends in the market. The weekly chart is now moving into a clear parabolic expansion phase. After spending much of 2024 in a slow accumulation range, XMR gradually built a base and repeatedly defended higher lows. This has set the stage for the subsequent breakout.

Once Monero reclaimed the $200 area, momentum accelerated sharply, and buyers began to absorb sell pressure without allowing deep pullbacks. The chart shows a clear bullish structure. With price holding above rising moving averages and using them as dynamic support during each consolidation phase. This type of price behavior usually reflects sustained demand rather than a single short-lived spike.

However, the most notable development is the latest impulse candle. We saw the price surge into the $700 zone with almost no overhead resistance. These kinds of vertical advances often signal aggressive market participation and can lead to a volatility expansion event. Price either continues trending higher or enters a sharp correction after exhaustion.

From a market structure perspective, the key is whether Monero can hold above previous breakout zones near $500–$600. If buyers defend those areas, the uptrend remains intact. If not, a deeper retracement could unfold quickly.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.comΒ 

Monero (XMR) Pushes to New Highs as Privacy Demand Outpaces Regulatory Pressure

14 January 2026 at 12:00

The privacy-focused cryptocurrency Monero (XMR) is once again in the spotlight after reaching new record highs, even as governments tighten oversight of digital assets.

Related Reading: Dogecoin Bulls Don’t Celebrate Too Early: This Level Still Must Fall

XMR recently surged past $700, marking its highest price to date and placing it among the top 15 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The rally reflects a broader shift in market behavior, where demand for financial privacy is rising alongside stricter regulatory frameworks across major economies.

Currently, XMR is trading near $715, up more than 55% over the past week. Trading activity has picked up sharply, with both spot and futures markets showing elevated volume as traders position around the breakout.

Monero XMR XMRUSD XMRUSD_2026-01-14_12-13-11

Regulatory Pressure Fuels Privacy Demand

The latest move comes as regulators in Europe and other regions prepare new rules targeting anonymous crypto transactions. The European Union is expected to ban privacy coins and anonymous accounts by 2027, alongside tighter Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements.

Instead of discouraging interest, these measures appear to be driving users toward assets with built-in privacy features. Monero, which utilizes stealth addresses and ring signatures to conceal transaction details, has become a primary choice for users seeking financial confidentiality.

Market data indicate that the privacy coin sector has performed well since the broader crypto market downturn in October. While some rivals, such as Zcash, experienced sharp volatility linked to internal governance issues, XMR has absorbed much of the rotation in capital from traders seeking exposure to privacy assets.

Leverage And Technical Signals Raise Short-Term Risks

Alongside strong spot demand, derivatives activity has increased rapidly. Futures volume has shown repeated β€œoverheating” patterns, suggesting that leverage is chasing price rather than building from long-term accumulation zones. In past Monero cycles, similar conditions often led to sharp swings once momentum slowed.

Technically, Monero remains in an uptrend, holding above former resistance in the $500–$520 range, which has now flipped into support. The price continues to form higher highs and higher lows, confirming the broader bullish structure.

However, momentum indicators are stretched. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has climbed into the mid-80s, a level that historically precedes either sideways consolidation or short-term pullbacks. Bollinger Bands are also widening, with price pressing against the upper band, a sign of elevated volatility.

Key Monero (XMR) Levels to Watch Going Forward

The $715–$717 area remains a major psychological and technical barrier. A sustained break above that zone could open the door toward the $730–$740 range, based on Fibonacci extension levels.

On the downside, traders are watching the $650–$620 zone as a potential support area if leverage unwinds. Deeper corrections could test trend support if liquidations accelerate, though the broader structure would remain intact as long as higher lows are preserved.

Related Reading: Bitcoin’s New Power Buyers: Companies Bought 3 Times What Miners Produced

With increasing regulatory scrutiny and a steady demand for privacy tools, Monero continues to attract attention. While short-term volatility is likely, the asset’s role as a leading privacy coin remains central to its current market position.

Cover image from ChatGPT, XMRUSD chart from Tradingview

Monero (XMR) Rockets 51% To New ATH, But Watch Out For FOMO

14 January 2026 at 01:00

Monero (XMR) has witnessed a sharp rally to a new record during the last few days, but social media suggests FOMO could be brewing in the market.

Monero Has Shot Up To A New All-Time High

Bitcoin and most other cryptocurrencies have been locked in consolidation recently, but Monero has been an outlier, with its price breaking away with a strong surge.

Below is a chart that showcases how the asset’s recent performance has looked.

Monero Price Chart

The sharp rally has led to new all-time highs (ATHs) for the privacy-focused token, with the latest one coming earlier in the past day around $695. XMR has retraced a bit since this new high, but it’s still in a weekly profit of 51%, which is significantly higher than the returns of other top assets.

For perspective, Bitcoin and Ethereum have seen returns of +1% and -2% in this period, respectively. Fellow privacy coin Zcash (ZEC) was flying earlier, but the asset has faced a steep 23% drop during the same window.

Generally, rallies of the order that Monero has seen attract attention from traders, and data would confirm that the same has been true for the latest one as well.

XMR Has Seen A Peak In Social Dominance Recently

According to data from analytics firm Santiment, the Monero Social Dominance witnessed a spike recently. This indicator keeps track of the percentage of the Social Volume associated with the top 100 tokens that a given cryptocurrency is responsible for.

The Social Volume here refers to a measure of the total number of posts/comments/threads on the major social media platforms that contain mentions of a given asset. In other words, it tells us about the amount of discussion that a particular coin is receiving from social media users.

As such, the Social Dominance contains information about how the degree of talk surrounding a cryptocurrency compares against that of the top 100 coins combined.

Here is a chart that shows the trend in this metric for Monero since the start of 2026:

Monero Social Dominance

As displayed in the above graph, the Monero Social Dominance saw a huge spike on Sunday as the asset’s rally took off, suggesting social media interest in the asset shot up.

Historically, a rapid surge in the Social Dominance has often corresponded to Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) developing among traders, which is something that tends to not end well for rallies.

Despite the crowd excitement, however, XMR has only continued to go up since the spike, setting new ATHs. Given the past pattern with digital asset markets, though, it only remains to be seen how long the coin can sustain its move.

Monero (XMR) Hits New $610 All-Time High – Veteran Trader Shares Silver-Like Setup

13 January 2026 at 01:00

Monero (XMR) is leading the crypto market bounce by breaking out of a macro resistance level and breaching above the $600 barrier for the first time. A legendary trader has suggested that the cryptocurrency is mirroring silver’s historical breakout and could see a massive price discovery rally.

Monero Soars To New Highs

On Monday, Monero outperformed the rest of the market, surging nearly 21% toward its new all-time high of $611.01. The privacy-focused cryptocurrency has been leading the start-of-year market rally, experiencing a 43% increase over the past seven days.

XMR’s rally has been fueled by renewed interest in privacy tokens and redirected liquidity toward the project, which has driven its market capitalization to $10 billion for the first time.

Amid this performance, veteran trader Peter Brandt drew a parallel between Monero and Silver’s long-term charts, suggesting that the cryptocurrency could be near a massive breakout.

In an X post, Brandt compared Monero’s current rally to silver’s historical breakout, which led to a massive run toward new highs. Silver saw a multi-decade price setup in which its price accumulated below and retested a macro ascending resistance trendline.

According to the chart, its price formed its long-term resistance during its 2011 peak, when it reached a slightly higher ATH of $49.83 before correcting. During its Q4 2025 rally, silver finally broke above this key level, nearly doubling its price toward its latest ATH of $86.23.

Monero

Similarly, Monero has been forming its multi-year ascending trendline in the monthly timeframe since its 2017 high. In 2021, the cryptocurrency retested this area, also hitting a slightly higher ATH before retracing.

Now, XMR has broken out of its ascending resistance and could see a similar path to silver’s recent breakout into price discovery, the post suggested.

XMR to See 50% Breakout Or Breakdown Next?

Market observer TraderSZ recently shared an optimistic outlook for Monero once it broke through its crucial resistance area and turned this level into support. To the trader, the cryptocurrency could reach three main price targets if momentum continues.

Per the post, the initial breakout level could reach the $685 area, a more than 30% rally from the resistance level. Moreover, it could surge between 50% and 80% toward the $790 and $900 levels, like silver’s recent price discovery progression in the monthly chart.

Analyst 0xMarioNawfal also highlighted XMR’s performance as β€œprice continues to trend aggressively higher, breaking through previous resistance levels with strong momentum and minimal pullback.”

To him, the structure remains bullish, with buyers stepping in and β€œno clear signs of distribution yet.” As a result, he forecasted potential volatility but added that as long as the price holds above recent breakout levels, the trend will remain intact.

Nonetheless, Ali Martinez posted a more concerning forecast for the cryptocurrency, suggesting that a significant correction may be around the corner. According to the chart, Monero has been forming a multi-year rising wedge pattern since 2017, with the price bouncing between the upper and lower boundaries.

Based on this, XMR could likely fail to turn the macro resistance into support and begin a long-term 50% decline toward the $300 area, where the pattern’s lower boundary is currently located.

As of this writing, Monero is trading at $597, a 47.5% increase in the monthly timeframe.

Monero, XMR, XMRUSDT

Should we trust John McAfee?

By: Skyler
20 May 2020 at 11:37

John McAfee is a tech pioneer and successful entrepreneur. He started his career as a software developer and went on to create the first commercial anti-virus program. McAfee founded McAfee Inc. in 1987 and resigned in 1994, selling his remaining shares in the company over time. His net worth is estimated at four million dollars, but that is likely to be (a lot) higher, given that he owns significant amounts of cryptocurrency.

After his resignation, he sporadically popped up in the news and on social media, giving occasional tech-related interviews. At one point, he was accused of a murder that took place in Belize. McAfee is perhaps best known for a rather bizarre YouTube video that went viral.

McAfee is a vocal proponent of cryptocurrencies and freedom of information. He gained notoriety for his bullish claims and ICO promotions. For example, he claimed Bitcoin would reach one million dollars, only to call it later a β€˜true shitcoin.’

No clue WTF I am doing….but here it is:

Buthere pic.twitter.com/uoYRI5K1yU

β€” John McAfee (@officialmcafee) May 16, 2020

Ghost coin

McAfee is a prominent advocate for Monero, stating that no significant vulnerabilities are plausible until further development in quantum computing. He believes the world needs a real privacy coin due to governmental and private spying. However, he sees exchanges as a weakness, specifically centralized exchanges that require some form of government ID to trade. Therefore, McAfee created a decentralized exchange called McAfeeDex.

Decentralized exchanges are nothing new. Platforms such as Bisq and Blocknet have provided such services for several years. Bisq gives users the option to trade cryptocurrency directly for fiat. Still, most traded coins on these exchanges do not provide the anonymization that a coin like Monero does. Furthermore, Monero is not compatible with decentralized exchanges, and it does not aspire to be in the future. That is most likely due to fears of government intervention.

MacAfee saw this as a golden opportunity for his exchange, subsequently announcing his coin called Ghost. That coin is modeled after Monero but explicitly designed to be compatible with his exchange, though McAfee’s platform has not seen widespread adoption yet.

Ghost focuses on privacy, shielding, and erasing transaction history. It is a decentralized proof of stake network, including fast transactions and low fees. Their white paper and the TDLR lite paper are undoubtedly interesting.

Plagiarism

Rapidly after the publication of the white paper, allegations of plagiarism and technical incompetence arose. The developers of the PIVX coin – an MIT licensed open source project focusing on privacy – stated that twenty out of 26 pages of the Ghost white paper were plagiarized.

Besides, they state that there are several technical inconsistencies and flaws within the white paper. Representatives of Ghost acknowledged that their coin was indeed a fork of PIVX, but defended themselves by arguing that PIVX is itself a fork of Dash. Moreover, they claimed to make significant improvements and that they would continue to innovate.

We still have to wait until the code becomes available publicly, in order to conclude. It should be noted that if Ghost does not respect the MIT license, they could be subject to a DMCA takedown, as well as exclusion from exchanges.

McAfee’s shady dealings

It is no wonder McAfee is living in (self-described) exile. He faces serious plagiarism accusations. Furthermore, his Ghost coin is also very suitable for money laundering. In a recently released podcast, he states he is on the run for the Federal Communications Commission, but he does not provide any evidence. Subsequently, he argues that it is not his job to police the world and that he is merely an entrepreneur that β€˜builds shit.’

It is not unprecedented for the US government to intervene in such projects, though. TON, a blockchain project from the developers of the popular messaging app Telegram, was forced to shut down in a rather bizarre court ruling. Yet, it is hard to determine whether the US authorities are currently targeting McAfee.

In addition, McAfee stated in the past that he was in fact on the run due to tax evasion. He said: β€œI have not paid taxes for ten years, and I never will.” That appears consistent with his libertarian views.

When McAfee was arrested in the Dominican Republic for possessing illegal weapons and ammunition, there where no pending extradition requests from the US. He was released and allowed to travel to the United Kingdom. That strengthens the case that he is not in any (legal) trouble with the US. Meanwhile, he uses the media circus surrounding him as a form of marketing and publicity. Β 

Something he seems to thrive on is appealing to a broad spectrum of dissident media pundits. In an interview with the right-wing Youtuber Keith Woods – a staunch critic of capitalism and advocate of the third political way – he claimed that the CIA was hunting him, although he called them β€˜incompetent.’ He also alleges he had multiple interactions with the Israeli Mossad. Even though it is possible, such wild claims are hard to prove.

MacAfee is not very popular within the crypto community either, as he made many bullish statements, only to later deem them as sarcasm. He is known to promote cryptocurrency in return for payment. That led to the accusation of running a pump-and-dump scheme, as he never mentioned those coins again.

Trustworthiness

McAfee is an intelligent man. His image as a tech cowboy earned him fame and significant wealth. When it comes to developing and innovating, he seems to be chasing trends more than setting them.

Only time will tell whether Ghost will live up to its promises. However, McAfee broke his promises many times before. He does not see that as immoral, though, referring to his libertarian beliefs.

We recommend caution using or investing in any of his projects.Β 

The post Should we trust John McAfee? appeared first on Rana News.

How does cryptocurrency protect your anonymity?

5 May 2020 at 13:49

With the rise of digital transactions and increasing e-commerce, consumers lost a great deal of privacy. Every transaction is logged by your bank, payment processor, and to whomever they sell your data. Different companies will have specific guidelines and policies when it comes to your data. Some promise a great deal of privacy, but the fact remains that your transactions are directly tied to your name, and you do not have full autonomy over your wealth.Β 

The rise of BitcoinΒ 

Cryptocurrency started with Bitcoin, which promised a decentralized digital currency. A transparent β€˜ledger’ called the blockchain ensures that transactions are legitimate, by frequently cross reversing all transactions on the blockchain. This constant cross reversing is done by anyone who wants to participate. In return, they generate a small amount of Bitcoin, creating an incentive to β€˜mine.’ 

The decentralized nature of Bitcoin made it an attractive option for those who are looking for privacy. It is easy to set up a Bitcoin wallet, which requires no personal information to start sending and receiving currency. For long term storage and increased safety, it is possible to use a cold wallet taking your Bitcoin offline, until you want to start transacting again.Β 

For whom?

Financial censorship is an increasingly common phenomenon. There are but a few significant players in the payment processing world. We have seen these companies put payments on hold and ban users altogether. Mostly because of pressure by governments, but increasingly because of there own cultural and political goals and ideals.Β 

The problem is not just with payment processors. Banks and service providers – such as Patreon – have terminated accounts for similar reasons. These banishments commonly target political and cultural dissidents.Β 

Therefore, it is no surprise that these groups and individuals adopted Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Even though it is not nearly as easy to donate and subscribe, cryptocurrency can be their life support. They also provided potential donors of controversial projects anonymity.Β 

Privacy and BitcoinΒ 

However, the open β€œledger” in the Bitcoin blockchain has a substantial disadvantage: all wallets and transactions are public. Anyone can look up a wallet and see what is inside, monitor where the currency came from and went to from the moment it was mined. Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools such as Maltego can monitor and visualize this information, as shown below.Β 

Hypothetically, ill-intentioned entities could link you to a specific Bitcoin address when you purchase the coins on a marketplace and when you declare an address publicly. Furthermore, one can follow these coins to their destination. Most marketplaces promise not to share your information with third parties, but there is no guarantee. In the case of a hack or a government raid, your transaction history could be reconstructed and used against you.Β Β 

There are numerous methods of obfuscating your transactions on the blockchain, such as never reusing an address and coin controlling. However, these methods could still leave a trace. By using services such as tumblers, mixers, and coinjoins, you can gain more anonymization. However, these come with the risks of theft, seizures, and possible illegality due to anti-money laundering regulations.Β 

Without going into more technical details, we can conclude that Bitcoin is an excellent option for those who want to avoid using banks and payment processors, although it has its flaws. Guaranteeing anonymization with Bitcoin requires quite a bit of technical knowledge and developed privacy practices, both online and offline.Β 

Monero (XMR)Β 

That is where Monero comes into the picture: the most popular cryptocurrency design for optimal privacy and information security. With features such as enforced privacy, ring confidential transaction, β€˜bulletproofs,’ stealth addresses, and ring signatures.Β 

These features combined make it that both the sending and receiving wallet in a transaction remain anonymous. Also, the transaction and wallet values are unknown to the public. Therefore, a hypothetical observer of a public address cannot reconstruct an incoming or outgoing transaction. That makes Monero the preferred option for those who want their transactions to be anonymous.Β 

Now it should be noted that there are theoretical problems with Monero’s anonymization. Research shows that deanonymization is possible under the right conditions. However, these methods have not been recreated on a significant scale and are unlikely to be utilized by law enforcement. There is also a significant concern with the mining pool size, which could become a problem if an entity gains a majority share. Even though the Monero pool diversity has been improving, it is still far from optimal.Β 

source

Illicit marketplaces and malicious software

With the relative anonymity of cryptocurrency and user-friendly programs – such as Tor – making it easy to browse darknets we have seen an entirely new market surge. It is a large underground network benefiting from the decentralized nature of these tools. Marketplaces selling drugs and illicit services are commonplace, with the preferred currency being Bitcoin or Monero.Β 

Law enforcement throughout the Western world has seen a sharp increase in online drug purchases in the last decade. In some countries, up to thirty percent of all drug purchases are online. On the Clearnet, vendors of grey market goods and services have taken a liking to cryptocurrency as well, because of oversight and no involuntary refund in the case of a dispute with a customer.Β 

Malicious software that encrypts your data – and then offers a decryption key in exchange for cryptocurrency (ransomware) – has also become more prevalent. The anonymous nature of these transactions and the relative ease of purchasing cryptocurrencies made it profitable.Β 

Towards widespread adoption

The rise of cryptocurrencies and their relative ease of use, decentralized nature, and anonymization have created many new possibilities. That includes individuals who want to store and trade wealth outside of centralized banking and for organizations that continue to receive funds after they are financially blacklisted. It also safeguards the anonymity of members of such organizations.

But with anonymity comes crime, and alongside the crypto speculators and visionaries, criminals have adopted crypto as their preferred currency. That has created entirely new markets and forms of exploitation.

Also, complex technology is rarely perfect: flaws and weaknesses are repeatedly theorized and patched. Concerning speculation, hype, and forks, cryptos are seldom stable and cannot provide the relative stability of gold or cash.

However, cryptocurrencies are exciting technologies that must be watched closely, as they have and will continue to provide new financial possibilities. Nevertheless, we are quite far away from widespread adoption.

The post How does cryptocurrency protect your anonymity? appeared first on Rana News.

This crowdsourced payments tracker wants to solve the ransomware visibility problem

9 July 2021 at 12:52
Ransomware attacks, fueled by COVID-19 pandemic turbulence, have become a major money earner for cybercriminals, with the number of attacks rising in 2020. These file-encrypting attacks have continued largely unabated this year, too. In the last few months alone we’ve witnessed the attack on Colonial Pipeline that forced the company to shut down its systems […]
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