Ethereum vs Monero

General

Description

Ethereum Logo
Ethereum
 (ETH)

Ethereum is the leading platform for decentralized applications and DeFi. At its core is the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which enables so-called smart contracts to run automatically without any central authority. Transactions are validated in a decentralized way by a global network of validators.

What is Ethereum?
Monero Logo
Monero
 (XMR)

Monero is a decentralized cryptocurrency designed for private and difficult-to-trace payments. Unlike most public blockchains, the sender, recipient and amount of every transaction are concealed by default. This protects users’ financial privacy and prevents individual XMR from being treated differently based on their transaction history.

What is Monero?
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Purpose and goals

Ethereum Logo
Ethereum
 (ETH)
  • Smart contract platform
  • Decentralized finance (DeFi)
  • Decentralized applications
Monero Logo
Monero
 (XMR)
  • Digital currency
  • Private and censorship-resistant payments
  • Decentralized mining on standard hardware
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Price and market data

Chart

Ethereum
 (ETH)

$1,877.93

-1.8%
Monero
 (XMR)

$353.62

+1.6%
Market data
EthereumMonero
All-time high
$4,946.05
Aug 24, 2025
-62.0%
$797.73
Jan 14, 2026
-55.7%
Crypto all-time highs
Market cap
$226.63B
$6.64B
Market share
9.92%
0.29%
Transaction volume (24h)
$7.18B
+2.5%
$84.92M
+20.5%
Exchange rate

1 ETH = $1,877.93

1 XMR = $353.62

ETH converterXMR converter
Prediction for 2026
Powered by AI
$2,697.28
+43.6%
$468.72
+32.0%
ETH predictionXMR prediction
Price trend
Positive
(17/30 days)
Positive
(17/30 days)
Momentum
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive
Relative Strength Index
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (50.33)
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (54.1)
News sentiment
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive (74/100)

Last 7 days

Neutral
NegativePositive
Neutral (43/100)

Last 12 months

ETH newsXMR news
Price performance
++0.2%
--2.2%
Price performance
--1.8%
++1.6%
Price performance
++6.6%
++10.8%
Price performance
--48.8%
++19.5%
Annual return
--37.0%
--20.0%
Annual return
--11.6%
++130.0%
Annual return
++46.5%
++15.1%
ETH returnsXMR returns
Average annual return
++883.6%
++397.4%
Max supply
Circulating supply
120.68M
18.79M
Inflation
-0.023%
Year
1.85%
Year
Crypto inflation

On-chain data

EthereumMonero
Total Value Locked (TVL)
$41.01B
What is Total Value Locked?
Market cap/TVL (ratio)
5.53
Transactions (24h)
2.55M
28,814
Active addresses (24h)
412,181

Our rating

Our rating
EthereumMonero
Our overall rating
Ethereum
Monero
How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

Our individual ratings

Risk
Ethereum: 8 of 10
Risk (Ethereum)
Monero: 5 of 10
Risk (Monero)
Ethereum Logo
Monero Logo
riskyless risky
Community
Ethereum: 9 of 10
Community (Ethereum)
Monero: 7 of 10
Community (Monero)
Ethereum Logo
Monero Logo
smalllarge
Hype & momentum
Ethereum: 9 of 10
Hype & momentum (Ethereum)
Monero: 6 of 10
Hype & momentum (Monero)
Ethereum Logo
Monero Logo
weakstrong
Active usage
Ethereum: 9 of 10
Active usage (Ethereum)
Monero: 7 of 10
Active usage (Monero)
Ethereum Logo
Monero Logo
lowhigh
Network effect
Ethereum: 8 of 10
Network effect (Ethereum)
Monero: 6 of 10
Network effect (Monero)
Ethereum Logo
Monero Logo
weakstrong
Decentralization
Ethereum: 8 of 10
Decentralization (Ethereum)
Monero: 7 of 10
Decentralization (Monero)
Ethereum Logo
Monero Logo
centralizeddecentralized

Our opinion

Ethereum Logo
Ethereum
 (ETH)
From our perspective, Ethereum was the key breakthrough that brought programmable blockchains to life. It was the first platform to introduce smart contracts, laying the foundation for decentralized apps (dApps), DeFi, and NFTs. Unlike Bitcoin, we don’t see Ether (ETH) as just a currency but rather as the fuel powering a decentralized world computer. To this day, Ethereum benefits from its first-mover advantage and has built a strong ecosystem of developers, applications, and users. While high transaction fees and scalability remain a challenge, the successful transition to Proof of Stake (The Merge on September 15, 2022) marked a major step forward. In our view, Ethereum remains the leading smart contract platform — which is why, alongside Bitcoin, it represents the second-largest position in our crypto portfolio.
What is Ethereum?
Monero Logo
Monero
 (XMR)
Monero is the most uncompromising major crypto project focused on private payments. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, it conceals the sender, recipient and amount by default, strengthening fungibility and censorship resistance. Its real-world use for legitimate private payments and on darknet marketplaces demonstrates genuine demand, while also explaining the intense regulatory pressure. Monero also benefits from its long track record, fair launch without an ICO or pre-mine, and independent open-source development. At the same time, exchange delistings restrict access, liquidity and institutional adoption. Monero does not guarantee complete anonymity either, as exchange data, IP addresses or compromised devices may still reveal information about users. Overall, we view Monero as the strongest project for private digital money, although regulatory risks are likely to limit its long-term growth.
What is Monero?
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Key data

Key data
EthereumMonero
Sector
Smart Contracts
Privacy
Key feature
Network Effects
Private transactions by default
Founder
Vitalik Buterin, Gavin Wood
thankful_for_today (pseudonym)
Developer
Ethereum Foundation, Open Source
Monero Project (open source)
Published
2015
2014
Institutional investors
  • a16z Crypto
  • Galaxy Digital
  • Boost VC
  • Pantera Capital
  • Digital Currency Group
  • Paradigm
  • etc.
Social media
4.43M followers
530,292 followers
Website
ethereum.org
www.getmonero.org
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Whitepaper

Technical details

Technical details
EthereumMonero
Blockchain
Ethereum Blockchain
Monero Blockchain
Consensus mechanism
Proof of Stake
Proof of Work (RandomX)
Staking
Yes
No
Open source
Yes
Yes
Energy consumption
Low
High
Transactions per second
15 TPS
90 TPS
Ethereum vs Monero

Ethereum or Monero

Market data comparison of ETH versus XMR

The current price of Ethereum is $1,877.93 and has increased by 0.2% in the last 24 hours. Monero is currently trading at $353.62, with a drop of 2.2% over the same period. Ethereum has a market cap of $226.63B and ranks 2nd. Monero follows with a market cap of $6.64B, ranking 17th — meaning it is valued lower.

We automatically update all market data every 15 minutes, so you always have the latest figures for your comparison.

Should I buy Ethereum or Monero?

You should be aware that investing in cryptocurrencies carries risks, and we are neither allowed nor intending to provide investment advice. Still, we'd like to offer some food for thought: consider the opportunities and risks associated with both Ethereum and Monero. What target markets and problems are these two projects aiming to address?

If you're still unsure whether to invest in Ethereum or Monero, you can take a look at some additional market data to help with your decision:

Currently, Ethereum is about -62.0% below it's all-time high of $4,946.05 reached Aug 24, 2025.
In comparison, Monero is down approximately -55.7% from it's all-time high of $797.73 Jan 14, 2026.
Ethereum currently has a 8,352.0% higher 24h transaction volume of $7.18B compared to Monero with $84.92M.
Over the past year, Ethereum achieved a total return of -48.8%, while Monero returned +19.5%. Keep in mind, however, that past performance rarely guarantees future results.

Additional criteria for comparing cryptocurrencies:

  • What problem does the project aim to solve, and is a decentralized network meaningful and necessary for it?
  • How actively is the network being used?
  • Does the project have a large and active community?
  • How strong is the development activity? (e.g., on GitHub)
  • How decentralized is the underlying blockchain and the project itself?

How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

These are just a few indicators you can use to better evaluate and compare cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Monero. Cryptocurrencies and their underlying technologies are often difficult to compare — even for professionals. So don’t stress yourself out, and never let emotions or fear of missing out drive your investment decisions.

Where can I buy Ethereum or Monero?

Today, there are many reputable and secure exchanges that make it easy to invest in Ethereum and Monero. We're happy to help you choose the right one: simply use our exchange comparison tool to find the platform that best suits your needs. Both Ethereum and Monero are well-known and in high demand, which means they're available on most major exchanges.

Crypto exchanges comparison

Which crypto wallet is best for Ethereum and Monero?

If you want to store cryptocurrencies like Ethereum or Monero yourself, choosing the right wallet is essential. Consider your personal preferences when deciding: Is ease of use important to you? Do you prefer maximum security with a hardware wallet (USB device), or is a software wallet sufficient for your needs? Our crypto wallet comparison helps you find the best wallet for Ethereum, Monero, and many other cryptocurrencies.

Crypto wallets comparison