Ethereum vs Monero: Key Differences (ETH vs XMR)
Complete side-by-side comparison of Ethereum and Monero. Price, market cap, technology, and more.
Share Ethereum vs Monero
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum changed the game by introducing smart contracts to blockchain. Founded by Vitalik Buterin and launched in 2015, it's the backbone of decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and thousands of dApps. The 2022 Merge switched it to Proof of Stake, cutting energy use by over 99%.
What is Monero?
Monero is the gold standard for privacy coins. Ring signatures, stealth addresses, and RingCT make transactions truly untraceable. Unlike Bitcoin where all transactions are public, Monero hides sender, receiver, and amount by default. Loved by privacy advocates, controversial with regulators.
Price Evolution
Percentage change from start of period
ETH+6.69%XMR+23.52%Detailed Comparison
| Metric | ETH | XMR |
|---|---|---|
| ETH XMR | ||
| Price & Market | ||
| Price | $2,309.67 | $407.21 |
Price $2,309.67 $407.21 | ||
| Market Cap | $278.60B | $7.51B |
Market Cap $278.60B $7.51B | ||
| 24h Volume | $13.40B | $136.14M |
24h Volume $13.40B $136.14M | ||
| Volume/Cap Ratio | 4.81% | 1.81% |
Volume/Cap Ratio 4.81% 1.81% | ||
| Market Dominance | 0.10688849% | 0.00288105% |
Market Dominance 0.10688849% 0.00288105% | ||
| All-Time High | $4,946.05 | $797.73 |
All-Time High $4,946.05 $797.73 | ||
| ATH Date | Aug 24, 2025 | Jan 14, 2026 |
ATH Date Aug 24, 2025 Jan 14, 2026 | ||
| Performance | ||
| 24h Change | 1.49% | 2.32% |
24h Change 1.49% 2.32% | ||
| 7d Change | 0.06% | 5.42% |
7d Change 0.06% 5.42% | ||
| 30d Change | 6.69% | 23.52% |
30d Change 6.69% 23.52% | ||
| Supply | ||
| Circulating Supply | 120.69M | 18.45M |
Circulating Supply 120.69M 18.45M | ||
| Total Supply | 120.69M | 18.45M |
Total Supply 120.69M 18.45M | ||
| Max Supply | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Max Supply Unlimited Unlimited | ||
| Technology | ||
| Consensus | Proof of Stake (PoS) | RandomX Proof of Work |
Consensus Proof of Stake (PoS) RandomX Proof of Work | ||
| Block Time | ~12 seconds | 2 minutes |
Block Time ~12 seconds 2 minutes | ||
| TPS (Transactions/sec) | 15-30 | 1700 |
TPS (Transactions/sec) 15-30 1700 | ||
| Launch Year | 2015 | 2014 |
Launch Year 2015 2014 | ||
| Transaction Fees | ||
| Average Fee | $2-$20 | < $0.01 |
Average Fee $2-$20 < $0.01 | ||
| Fee Model | Gas-based (EIP-1559) | Monero PoW, privacy fees |
Fee Model Gas-based (EIP-1559) Monero PoW, privacy fees | ||
| General | ||
| Primary Use Case | Smart contracts, DeFi, NFTs | Privacy, Anonymous payments |
Primary Use Case Smart contracts, DeFi, NFTs Privacy, Anonymous payments | ||
| Founder | Vitalik Buterin | Riccardo Spagni (fluffypony), Community |
Founder Vitalik Buterin Riccardo Spagni (fluffypony), Community | ||
| Website | ethereum.org | getmonero.org |
Website | ||
| Volatility & Risk | ||
| Drawdown from ATH | 53.3% | 49.0% |
Drawdown from ATH 53.3% 49.0% | ||
Why Ethereum?- ✓The backbone of DeFi, NFTs, and Web3 innovation
- ✓99.95% more energy efficient after The Merge
- ✓Largest developer community in crypto by far
- ✓Layer 2 scaling solutions making it affordable again
Why Monero?- ✓Strong privacy features make transactions untraceable by default
- ✓Uses RandomX PoW, favoring CPU mining and decentralization
- ✓Established since 2014 with a committed developer community
Ethereum Risks
- ✗High fees during network congestion ($50+ gas possible)
- ✗No max supply cap - inflation depends on network activity
- ✗Complex roadmap - upgrades take years to implement
Monero Risks
- ✗Regulatory scrutiny due to association with illicit activities
- ✗Higher transaction sizes and fees compared to some competitors
- ✗Limited adoption outside privacy-focused user base
The Verdict
Both Ethereum and Monero serve important roles in the crypto ecosystem. Ethereum focuses on smart contracts, defi, nfts, while Monero is known for privacy, anonymous payments. Many investors choose to hold both as part of a diversified crypto portfolio.
Latest Articles about Ethereum
Latest Articles about Monero
Share Ethereum vs Monero
