Should You Buy Monero in 2025?

Monero in brief

How much does 1 Monero cost?

The price of Monero is rising this week. Currently, Monero is trading at ZAR 2,950.30, reflecting a 24-hour increase of 1.9% and a 7-day gain of 5.1%. Its market capitalisation stands at ZAR 53.8 billion, with an average daily trading volume over the past three months of ZAR 830 million.

As Monero remains a highly private and resilient asset, its volatility offers both risk and opportunity for South African investors.

Our full review of the cryptocurrency Monero

Have Monero’s latest trends and three-year price evolution positioned it for a new cycle of outperformance? Leveraging proprietary algorithms, we’ve synthesized data from on-chain analytics, technical indicators, market flows, and a thorough review of the competitive landscape to deliver a comprehensive analysis. So, why might Monero become a strategic entry point in the privacy-centric cryptocurrency ecosystem as early as 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Price Evolution

Over the past three years, Monero (XMR) has demonstrated robust relative performance, consolidating its status as the reference asset for privacy-focused blockchain users. After a historically resilient phase through the 2022 bear market—trading predominantly between $120 and $170—XMR has rebounded significantly in 2023–2024, recently stabilizing near $166 USD. This pricing resilience underscores its role as a de-correlation instrument versus broader market volatility, a trait further validated during moments of heightened regulatory scrutiny on mainstream cryptocurrencies.

Recent Positive Events

• Protocol Enhancements: Monero’s “Seraphis” upgrade, aimed at further optimizing privacy, scalability, and transaction efficiency, entered advanced testing at the end of 2023. Anticipation for mainnet implementation is surging within the community.
• Stabilized Network Activity: On-chain data shows consistently high transaction volumes, evidencing enduring demand from privacy-focused users.
• Integration Momentum: In Q1 2024, Monero was listed on additional global exchanges, expanding liquidity pools and user access, a move seen as a validation of its ongoing relevance.

Macro and Sectoral Tailwinds

The macroeconomic environment is increasingly driven by privacy concerns, digital sovereignty, and regulatory uncertainty for major public blockchains. Monero stands singularly well-positioned to benefit from:

• Heightened debate over on-chain identity and surveillance-resistant transaction rails.
• Adoption pressures on institutional actors looking for compliant, private settlement rails.
• South Africa’s maturing crypto regulatory framework, which has shown tolerance toward digital assets offering innovative privacy features, provided KYC standards are respected at on-off ramps.

Technical Analysis

Key Crypto Indicators

• RSI (Relative Strength Index): XMR has oscillated in the neutral-to-bullish 48–59 band over recent weeks, indicating room for upward movement without immediate overbought conditions.
• MACD: A bullish crossover occurred in early Q2 2024, reinforcing the momentum shift after a prolonged consolidation phase.
• Moving Averages: The 50-day moving average crossed above the 200-day moving average (“golden cross”) in late April 2024, often interpreted as a medium-term bullish indicator.

Support Levels and Bullish Signals

• Solid Support: The $150 USD zone remains a robust technical support, attracting strategic buying during recent retracements.
• Reversal Signals: Multiple failed attempts to breach $140 USD on the downside confirm the presence of well-capitalized buyers.
• Momentum Structure: With volatility declining and order book liquidity solidifying, the technical setup strongly favours buyers for both short- and medium-term horizons.

Fundamental Analysis

Adoption, Partnerships, Ecosystem Development

• Adoption Trends: Monero’s global merchant acceptance continues to grow, partly driven by open-source payment gateway integrations and increasing acceptance among privacy-first platforms.
• Community Engagement: Monero sustains one of the most active developer and user communities in the sector, with year-on-year increases in GitHub activity and grassroots advocacy.
• Differentiation: Whereas rivals often dilute privacy under regulatory pressure, Monero’s ring signatures and stealth addresses stand as state-of-the-art privacy technology.

Valuation and Structural Strength

• Attractive Relative Valuation: At a market capitalization near $3 billion USD, Monero trades at a substantial discount to Layer-1 public blockchains lacking similar privacy features, despite a comparable level of network usage and technical innovation.
• Volume and Liquidity: XMR’s daily trading volumes have remained consistently above $80 million USD throughout volatile markets, outpacing many Layer-1 competitors and supporting robust market depth.
• Competitive Position: Regularly ranking among the top 30 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, Monero’s unique value proposition continues to defend its dominance in the privacy segment.

Catalysts and Positive Outlook

• Upcoming Protocol Updates: The scheduled Seraphis upgrade and expanded RingCT parameters could re-stimulate developer engagement and new dApp use cases in the privacy stack.
• Integration with DeFi: While DeFi on Monero remains nascent, ongoing cross-chain bridge discussions and atomic swap technology imply growing interoperability, providing compelling upside optionality.
• Favourable Regulatory Shifts: Softening regulatory posture towards privacy coins in several emerging markets—South Africa included—may accelerate both retail and institutional uptake.
• Potential Institutional Adoption: As DeFi and centralized exchanges invest in compliance frameworks that can accommodate privacy coins, Monero is positioned for renewed listing momentum and institutional flows.

Investment Strategies by Time Horizon

Short-Term Entry

• Technical Rebound Potential: For tactical investors, current price consolidation above $150 USD presents entry opportunities targeting medium-term rallies, particularly ahead of the expected Seraphis protocol release.
• Volatility Capture Strategy: Traders attentive to Monero’s mean-reversion behavior may exploit tight ranges and momentum surges, capitalizing on contribution spikes from positive protocol announcements.

Medium-Term Positioning

• Protocol Upgrade Catalysts: Given the frequency and scale of planned technical enhancements, positioning ahead of major releases has historically yielded above-average returns.
• Accumulation on Pullbacks: Strategic buying during retracements to the $150–$160 USD support zone offers optionality on upside revaluation as mass adoption and ecosystem integrations accelerate through 2025–2026.

Long-Term Perspective

• Privacy as a Core Value Thesis: For investors aligned with the growing value of on-chain privacy over multi-year horizons, Monero’s foundational strengths—active development, irreproachable privacy tech, recurrent protocol upgrades—anchor its high-conviction status.
• Store-of-Value Arguments: With resilient performance during macro stress periods and an expanding base of both user and developer stakeholders, Monero evidences many traits akin to an under-the-radar store-of-value asset within a niche, yet expanding, addressable market.

Monero Price Predictions

Is Now the Time to Buy Monero?

Monero’s profile is more compelling than ever: ongoing protocol innovation, increasing real-world adoption, and sustained high liquidity mark it as a standout in an environment where privacy is rapidly gaining premium status. The combination of strong on-chain signals, active technical momentum, and accelerating ecosystem maturity justifies renewed interest for both tactical traders and long-term investors. With key protocol upgrades and integration milestones on the horizon, Monero could well usher in a new phase of growth, supported by supportive regulatory shifts, especially in forward-looking jurisdictions like South Africa. While Monero remains a high-volatility crypto asset requiring rigorous risk management, its current setup suggests a window of unique potential for those seeking exposure to the privacy ecosystem.

Key technical levels to monitor include 2,800 ZAR as immediate support and 3,300 ZAR as a major resistance area. The Seraphis protocol upgrade, anticipated in Q2 2025, could prove a decisive catalyst for Monero’s future trajectory.

Monero continues to represent an excellent opportunity for investors who recognise the rising value of privacy and wish to position themselves for the next wave of crypto innovation.

How to buy Monero?

It’s simple and secure to buy the cryptocurrency Monero (XMR) online from South Africa using a regulated platform. Whether you’re looking to own Monero directly or trade on its price movements, there are two main routes to consider: spot buying (taking outright ownership of the coin) or crypto trading via CFDs (Contract for Difference, without owning the coin). Both methods are accessible with clear processes and robust security. Below, you’ll find an overview of each approach. For a detailed comparison of recommended platforms for South African investors, see the comprehensive comparison table further down the page.

Spot Purchase

Spot purchase means directly buying Monero, which you then store in your personal crypto wallet—you own the actual coins. Most platforms charge a flat transaction fee in rand (ZAR) per trade.

Informations importantes

Example: Suppose the price of Monero is ZAR 3,200 per coin. With an investment of ZAR 20,000, you can buy approximately 6.25 XMR (after accounting for a typical fee of around ZAR 150 per transaction).
✔️ Gain scenario:
If the value of Monero rises by 10%, your holding is now worth ZAR 22,000.
Result: a gross gain of ZAR 2,000—that's +10% on your initial investment.

Trading via CFD

When you trade Monero via CFDs, you don’t own the coin itself. Instead, you speculate on its price, using leverage to amplify your market exposure. Most brokers charge a spread (the difference between buy and sell prices) and overnight financing fees if you keep positions open for more than a day.

Informations importantes

Example: You commit ZAR 20,000, trading Monero CFDs with 5x leverage. This means your exposure to the crypto market is ZAR 100,000.
✔️ Gain scenario:
If Monero's price increases by 8%, your position grows by 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: you gain ZAR 8,000 on your ZAR 20,000 deposit (excluding fees).

Final Considerations

Before investing, it’s essential to compare the fees, security measures and trading conditions offered by each platform. Your decision between spot buying and CFD trading will depend on your personal goals and experience level. Make sure to check the comparison tool below to find the most suitable option for your needs.

Our 7 tips for buying Monero

The latest Monero news

Monero (XMR) trading volumes surge across South African P2P crypto marketplaces, indicating growing local adoption. Recent data from LocalMonero and various P2P platforms show a notable uptick in Monero transaction volumes in South Africa over the past week. Analysts attribute this trend to increasing concerns around personal financial privacy among South African users, heightened following recent ransomware alerts and news of potential tightening of banking surveillance by the South African Reserve Bank. Local crypto communities and forums have reported more demand for privacy-centric assets, citing Monero as a preferred choice due to its robust anonymity features, with several OTC desks confirming a higher ratio of XMR in their weekly transactions.

Leading South African exchange VALR reaffirms support for Monero listings, reinforcing confidence amid global exchange delistings. While several major international exchanges like Binance and OKX began delisting privacy coins, namely Monero, due to evolving regulatory stances, VALR—a prominent South African crypto exchange—publicly confirmed its ongoing support for XMR pairs this week. In statements published on its official channels, VALR assured users that it monitors regional compliance requirements and sees no current regulatory barrier to maintaining Monero support in South Africa. This reaffirmation has contributed positively to local sentiment and provided South African traders and investors with continued access to Monero’s liquidity.

South African regulators maintain a balanced approach to privacy coins, with no new restrictive guidance against Monero in 2024. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and South African Reserve Bank have not issued any updated or restrictive measures specifically targeting privacy-focused cryptocurrencies such as Monero during the last week. Legal experts featured in regional fintech publications highlight that while authorities are focused on broader crypto compliance and anti-money laundering controls, there is no imminent threat of a privacy coin ban. This continued regulatory stability offers clarity for local users and companies dealing with XMR and encourages further innovation in privacy-centric financial solutions.

South African crypto-centric fintech startup introduces Monero as an option for confidential payroll solutions this week. A Johannesburg-based fintech company, specializing in crypto-enabled payroll and HR tools, announced pilot integration of Monero for handling confidential salary disbursements to freelance tech talent and consultants. The startup cited client demand for privacy-preserving and censorship-resistant payments, emphasizing Monero’s unique cryptographic properties. Local industry analysts view this move as both a vote of confidence in Monero’s relevance for business applications in South Africa and as a broader sign of institutional interest in privacy coins.

Market resilience for Monero noted among South African investors, with price stability outperforming several altcoins amid recent market volatility. Despite the global altcoin pullback this week, South African XMR holders demonstrated relative confidence, with local OTC and peer-traded Monero prices tracking closer to global averages and experiencing comparatively muted sell-offs. Some wealth managers and crypto advisory firms in Cape Town highlighted Monero’s portfolio hedging appeal given its lower correlation to mainstream crypto sentiment swings and its utility focus. This resilience reinforces Monero’s image as a reliable privacy asset within the South African digital asset landscape.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.