FAQ
General questions
What is XmrBazaar?
XmrBazaar is an online marketplace where you can buy or sell products and services for Monero (XMR), such as food, clothes, electronics, jobs or accommodation. Since launching in May 2024, XmrBazaar has already helped over 5,000 buyers and sellers to live on crypto!
Why Monero?
Monero offers an accessible and secure way to pay online and in person:
- Unlike traditional banking, Monero does not require personal information, government ID or corporate permission. Instead of being tied to names and billing addresses, ownership is based on secure cryptographic keys.
- Fees are very low (a few cents) and payments arrive instantly and are fully confirmed within 20 minutes.
- Thanks to cryptography, Monero is resistant against theft, forgery, chargebacks and uncontrolled inflation.
- In comparison to Bitcoin and Ethereum, transactions and balances are encrypted, which promotes privacy, security and peace of mind.
These benefits mean that Monero can be used by anyone around the world without risk of censorship or surveillance. Since launching in 2014, Monero has provided a safe and convenient payment method for millions of customers and merchants worldwide, with over 750,000 monthly transactions. To learn more about Monero, visit the official website.
- Unlike traditional banking, Monero does not require personal information, government ID or corporate permission. Instead of being tied to names and billing addresses, ownership is based on secure cryptographic keys.
- Fees are very low (a few cents) and payments arrive instantly and are fully confirmed within 20 minutes.
- Thanks to cryptography, Monero is resistant against theft, forgery, chargebacks and uncontrolled inflation.
- In comparison to Bitcoin and Ethereum, transactions and balances are encrypted, which promotes privacy, security and peace of mind.
These benefits mean that Monero can be used by anyone around the world without risk of censorship or surveillance. Since launching in 2014, Monero has provided a safe and convenient payment method for millions of customers and merchants worldwide, with over 750,000 monthly transactions. To learn more about Monero, visit the official website.
How can I use Monero?
First, download a Monero wallet app, such as Cake Wallet for mobile or Feather Wallet for desktop. It takes less than a minute to setup your Monero address.
Then you can buy Monero with cash (in person or by mail), gift cards, credit card, bank transfer or other coins (see Haveno (RetoSwap), LocalCoinSwap, Trocador, CoinATMRadar), or earn Monero from a job, by selling products or services on XmrBazaar, or receiving tips as a content creator (see XMRChat).
Once you have Monero, you can then send and receive money worldwide, with low fees and zero barriers. Explore the Monero ecosystem at Monerica, Monero Eco and KYCNotMe.
Then you can buy Monero with cash (in person or by mail), gift cards, credit card, bank transfer or other coins (see Haveno (RetoSwap), LocalCoinSwap, Trocador, CoinATMRadar), or earn Monero from a job, by selling products or services on XmrBazaar, or receiving tips as a content creator (see XMRChat).
Once you have Monero, you can then send and receive money worldwide, with low fees and zero barriers. Explore the Monero ecosystem at Monerica, Monero Eco and KYCNotMe.
Getting started
How to sign up to XmrBazaar?
Simply visit the Sign Up page and choose a username and password. That's all! After signing up, you can optionally link your email address, Signal, SimpleX or Session messenger in order to receive notifications or password resets.
How to publish a listing?
Publishing a listing is free and takes less than a minute. First click on "New Listing" in the menu, then choose your listing type (e.g. sell a product, hire a freelancer), then enter the details about your product or service, such as category, description, price, photos and your Monero address. Finally click "Publish Listing" and your listing will go live.
How to order a listing?
When you have found a product or service that you want to buy, click on the "Buy Now" or "Make an Offer" button. Then you will be able to confirm the price, payment method and shipping method, and make your order. After the seller accepts your order, you will see the payment address and amount. After sending payment, you must mark the order as paid. After providing the product or service, the seller must mark the order as completed. Then both traders can submit a review.
Please note that XmrBazaar never handles funds and is not a counterparty or custodian. The buyer sends payment directly to the seller's external wallet (direct payments) or to a client-side 2-of-3 multisig wallet (managed by the buyer, seller and independent mediator).
Please note that XmrBazaar never handles funds and is not a counterparty or custodian. The buyer sends payment directly to the seller's external wallet (direct payments) or to a client-side 2-of-3 multisig wallet (managed by the buyer, seller and independent mediator).
I can't find what I need
If you're looking for a specific product or service, you can make a Wanted ad, ask in the forum or on-site trollbox, or click the "Subscribe" button to receive a notification when there are new listings for your chosen search term.
What types of listings are allowed?
XmrBazaar allows all legal goods and services, as per the Terms of Service. When publishing a listing, the seller must check the box to confirm that the listing is legal under their jurisdiction.
Payments
How do payments work?
Sellers can receive Monero payments in two ways:
1) Direct payments where the buyer sends funds to the seller's external wallet (e.g. Cake Wallet, Feather Wallet)
2) 2-of-3 multisig escrow, where the buyer deposits funds into the client-side multisig wallet, and the buyer and seller (or seller and mediator) sign and broadcast the payout transaction, which transfers the escrowed funds to the seller's external wallet.
XmrBazaar does not have a deposit/withdrawal system, does not have a custodial wallet, and never handles funds or processes payments. All payments are peer-to-peer between the traders only.
1) Direct payments where the buyer sends funds to the seller's external wallet (e.g. Cake Wallet, Feather Wallet)
2) 2-of-3 multisig escrow, where the buyer deposits funds into the client-side multisig wallet, and the buyer and seller (or seller and mediator) sign and broadcast the payout transaction, which transfers the escrowed funds to the seller's external wallet.
XmrBazaar does not have a deposit/withdrawal system, does not have a custodial wallet, and never handles funds or processes payments. All payments are peer-to-peer between the traders only.
How do direct payments work?
With direct payments, the buyer sends funds directly to the seller's external wallet. This means that XmrBazaar is not a counterparty, and cannot refund the buyer in the case of a dispute.
If needed, use 2-of-3 multisig escrow or bond insurance instead of direct payments. Please note that the XmrBazaar platform is not a counterparty for multisig or bonds - only the multisig mediator or bond holder can assist with disputes or possible refunds.
If needed, use 2-of-3 multisig escrow or bond insurance instead of direct payments. Please note that the XmrBazaar platform is not a counterparty for multisig or bonds - only the multisig mediator or bond holder can assist with disputes or possible refunds.
How does multisig escrow work?
2-of-3 multisig escrow offers protection against scams. Sellers can enable multisig escrow when publishing a listing, and buyers can choose multisig escrow and select a mediator when ordering the listing. Mediators are fellow XmrBazaar users and are not employed by the platform.
The multisig wallet is generated client-side in the user's browser via Monero-JavaScript and is never sent to the server. 2-of-3 multisig means that no single trader can access the funds on their own. Instead two signatures are required (e.g. "buyer and seller" or "buyer and mediator").
First the buyer must deposit funds into the client-side multisig wallet. Then if the trade is successful, the buyer and seller must sign and broadcast the payout transaction, which transfers the escrowed funds to the seller's external wallet. In the case of a dispute, the mediator must decide whether to refund the buyer (buyer and mediator sign and broadcast the refund transaction) or payout the seller (seller and mediator sign and broadcast the payout transaction). Then the escrow is marked as completed.
The XmrBazaar platform itself does not participate in multisig, never sees any multisig mnemonics and never handles funds. For more information, read the escrow guide.
The multisig wallet is generated client-side in the user's browser via Monero-JavaScript and is never sent to the server. 2-of-3 multisig means that no single trader can access the funds on their own. Instead two signatures are required (e.g. "buyer and seller" or "buyer and mediator").
First the buyer must deposit funds into the client-side multisig wallet. Then if the trade is successful, the buyer and seller must sign and broadcast the payout transaction, which transfers the escrowed funds to the seller's external wallet. In the case of a dispute, the mediator must decide whether to refund the buyer (buyer and mediator sign and broadcast the refund transaction) or payout the seller (seller and mediator sign and broadcast the payout transaction). Then the escrow is marked as completed.
The XmrBazaar platform itself does not participate in multisig, never sees any multisig mnemonics and never handles funds. For more information, read the escrow guide.
How do bonds work?
Bonds offer protection against scams. Sellers can choose to purchase a bond from a bond holder. When a buyer makes an order, they are insured up to the amount of the bond. If there is a dispute, the bond mediator decides whether the buyer is entitled to a refund. If yes, the seller loses the bond and the bond holder refunds the buyer. In the case of a false report, the bond remains valid and the buyer is not refunded. Bond holders and bond mediators are fellow XmrBazaar users. The XmrBazaar platform itself does not participate in bond transactions and never handles funds. For more information, read the bonds guide.
Security
Does XmrBazaar require JavaScript?
The majority of features do not require JavaScript. Only the multisig escrow tool, PGP messenger, and trollbox require JavaScript. Users who do not want to enable JavaScript can use manual escrow instead (using monero-cli) or use bonds or direct payments, use manual PGP encryption here, and use the forum instead of trollbox.
Does XmrBazaar have an onion?
XmrBazaar currently does not have an onion address. However, users may access the clearnet domain xmrbazaar.com using a VPN or Tor Browser.
How does the PGP messenger work?
After signing up, users must setup their encrypted messenger in order to be able to publish listings, make orders, send private messages or use the forum. XmrBazaar offers an automatic PGP messenger. Key generation, encryption and decryption are 100% client-side in the user's browser - meaning that the XmrBazaar server never sees any private keys or unencrypted messages. This client-side encryption is similar to Protonmail and Matrix. Alternatively users can use manual PGP (e.g. GPG on desktop, OpenKeychain on mobile) by selecting the No-JS messenger.
Support
How to report a bug or suggest a new feature?
How can I report a scam or inappropriate listing?
You can report a scam here, and report an inappropriate listing here. Alternatively you can click the "Report" button on the View Listing or View Order page.
How to recover my account?
If you have setup a recovery email address or messenger, you can recover your account here. If not, please make a temporary account and then message the admin AilliA to recover your account manually.
My account was unfairly banned
If your account was unfairly banned, please make a temporary account and post an appeal here.
How can I contact the admin?
You can contact the admin AilliA by messenger here. If your question pertains to a bug, suggestion or report, please use the support forum instead.
How can I support XmrBazaar?
If you want to help XmrBazaar to continue growing the Monero circular economy, you can donate here. Sharing XmrBazaar in social media and meetups also helps a lot!