Monero (XMR) has surged 45% in 2025, outpacing Bitcoin and Ethereum amid a high-profile theft. Despite privacy-focused delistings, XMR continues to capture interest, launching new upgrades that enhance its appeal. Historical comparisons show a wider gap in performance, positioning Monero as a potential frontrunner in privacy-centric cryptocurrencies moving forward.
Monero (XMR) has recently grabbed headlines, particularly after reports emerged about hackers converting 3,520 stolen Bitcoin (BTC) into XMR. This privacy-centric cryptocurrency has outperformed both Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) in the past year, making significant strides in the market.
Starting off the year strong, Monero saw a steep increase in value from about $197 at the start of January to nearly $285 by early May, marking a notable 45% gain. The spike was especially evident in April, coinciding with the high-profile bitcoin theft, which further escalated interest in Monero due to its strong privacy features.
Following this incident, XMR’s price surged from $234.59 on April 28 to $258.13 by April 29, suggesting a connection between the theft and investor activity. Additionally, several developments around Monero took shape in 2025, with the key upgrade being version 0.18.4.0 launched on April 5. This upgrade, aimed at enhancing user trust through improved protocols, coincided with focused research into ring signatures and other optimisations.
In this context, Monero’s performance stands out: while it achieved a notable 45% increase since January, Bitcoin saw a mere 3.83% rise and Ethereum struggled with a stark 44% decline. Expanding the view to a broader 12-month timeline, the figures are even more striking, with Monteore witnessing a remarkable growth of 120%, compared to Bitcoin’s 64% rise and Ethereum’s 38% drop.
Despite being delisted from several major exchanges, Monero has continued to flourish, demonstrating resilience that is quite remarkable for a privacy-focused coin. However, it is still trading 47% lower than its all-time peak of $542, reached seven years ago.
Looking ahead, Monero’s ability to stand out could reflect a larger trend of individuals seeking privacy. This growing preference might enable Monero and similar cryptocurrencies to carve out a unique space within the crypto landscape, increasingly separating from more mainstream options. As investor sentiment appears cautious, this gradual shift towards privacy-focused coins like Monero may just be beginning to take shape.
