What is Monero mining?
Monero (XMR) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency secured by proof of work, like Bitcoin. Miners compete to add a block about every two minutes, and the winner gets the block reward plus fees.
Definition · RandomX
Monero’s proof-of-work algorithm since November 2019. Each hash runs a randomly generated program on a virtual machine and needs more than 2 GB of memory, which suits ordinary CPUs and blunts the edge of specialized hardware.
6.1 GH/s
Monero network hashrate
live, via Blockchair
2 min
Target block time
Monero technical specs
0.6 XMR
Block reward (tail emission)
plus fees, since mid-2022
10 months
Solo wait, Ryzen 9 7950X
average, not a forecast
Monero never stops issuing coins: since mid-2022 each block pays a fixed 0.6 XMR plus fees, the “tail emission”. So unlike Bitcoin there’s no halving ahead. For the bigger picture of how mining works across coins, see our crypto mining guide.
Why is RandomX friendly to CPUs?
Bitcoin’s SHA-256 is one fixed recipe, which is exactly what an ASIC can bake into silicon. RandomX changes the recipe for every hash. It generates a random program of integer maths, floating point and branches, and runs it. The hardware best at running arbitrary programs is the one you already have: a CPU.
RandomX hashes per watt
It also leans on the things CPUs are rich in: big caches, hardware AES and fast memory. The RandomX README asks for about 2 MB of L3 cache per mining thread and 2.5 GB of free RAM. A graphics card has thousands of cores but can’t run branching programs well, which is why its authors say GPUs are at a disadvantage. The same GPU mining guide covers what cards are still good for.
What is the best hardware for Monero mining?
More cores and more L3 cache help most, then memory. Here’s how common chips compare in XMRig’s public benchmark:
Typical RandomX speed by CPU
- Ryzen 9 9950X28.4 kH/s
- Ryzen 9 7950X27.0 kH/s
- Ryzen 9 5950X23.4 kH/s
- Core i9-13900KS17.2 kH/s
- Core i5-13600KF13.7 kH/s
- Ryzen 7 5800X12.4 kH/s
- Ryzen 5 7600X10.8 kH/s
- Ryzen 5 5600X9.1 kH/s
- Core i5-12400F8.0 kH/s
- Core i7-87005.0 kH/s
- Ryzen 7 7840U (laptop)4.6 kH/s
- Core i5-8250U (laptop)1.8 kH/s
| Tip | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Enable huge pages | The RandomX authors list large page support as a requirement for efficient mining. |
| Use two memory channels | RandomX says DDR4 tops out at about 4,000 to 6,000 H/s per channel. |
| One thread per 2 MB of L3 | More threads than the cache can feed won’t add speed. |
| Watch temperatures | A chip that throttles loses hashrate and ages faster. Laptops suffer most. |
Don’t buy hardware for mining without doing the power maths first; the hero above shows the daily cost for each chip at your tariff. Want to see how your own PC does on Bitcoin’s algorithm instead? Try the live speed test on mining Bitcoin on a PC.
Should you mine Monero in a pool, P2Pool or solo?
A single desktop CPU would wait 10 months on average to find a Monero block alone at today’s network hashrate, and could wait much longer. Pools turn that into small, regular payouts. P2Pool does it without a middleman.
Pool
A regular pool
- Small, steady payouts
- The pool holds your unpaid balance
- Fees of about 0 to 3%
- Only the miner software to set up
P2Pool
P2Pool
- Decentralized: no operator to trust
- 0% fee, blocks pay miners directly
- Mini and nano sidechains for small miners
- You run a Monero node alongside it
Solo
Solo mining
- All of each block you find, 0.6 XMR or more
- Nothing at all until you find one
- A single CPU can wait many months or years
- Needs your own Monero node
P2Pool’s own comparison puts it plainly: pool mining is the easiest to set up, but the pool admin controls your unpaid funds. P2Pool keeps the payouts regular with a minimum of about 0.00027 XMR, and pays out in the Monero blocks themselves. More on pooling in general is in mining pools.
Why is Monero mining linked to cryptojacking?
Because the thing that makes Monero fair also makes it easy to steal. Any CPU can mine it, so criminals slip miners onto other people’s computers and servers and collect the coins.
Definition · Cryptojacking
Secretly using someone else’s computer to mine cryptocurrency. CISA describes it as attackers hijacking the processing power of victims’ devices by exploiting vulnerabilities in web pages, software and operating systems.
Microsoft’s security documentation describes campaigns that drop a modified XMRig to mine Monero. Websites once ran Monero miners in visitors’ browsers too, most famously through Coinhive, which shut down in March 2019. RandomX’s authors say web mining is now infeasible, and that RandomX miners are easier to detect. Check your own machine:
Is something mining on my computer?
Tick anything you’ve noticed
Most slow computers aren’t mining for anyone. But these are the signs to look for.
General guidance based on CISA and Microsoft advice, not a diagnosis.
How to start mining Monero safely
- 1
Get a Monero wallet
Use the official Monero wallet or a well-known one. Write down the seed and keep it offline.
- 2
Download XMRig from GitHub
Only from the official releases page. Check the file against the published SHA256SUMS before running it.
- 3
Pick a pool or P2Pool
A pool needs only XMRig and your address. P2Pool also needs a synced Monero node.
- 4
Check the power bill
Note your CPU’s draw and your tariff first. Stop if the numbers don’t work for you.
Mine on your own hardware only. Running a miner on work, school or cloud machines without permission is exactly what the security teams above are hunting for.
Can you mine Bitcoin instead, without hardware?
A CPU can’t usefully mine Bitcoin, as the hero shows. What you can do is mine bitcoin for free in the CloudMineCrypto app, with no hardware, no heat and no power bill. Claim a free 4.6 GH/s plan that runs 8 hours, add more from ads, games, offers and daily check-ins, and withdraw to your own wallet, Lightning included.
Mine for free
Free plan
4.6 GH/s for 8 h
Claim it, and claim it again when it ends.
Watch ads
7.3 GH/s for 24 h
Each rewarded ad adds another plan.
Play games
7.3 GH/s for 24 h
Game rewards add plans on top.
Complete offers
7.3 GH/s for 24 h
Partner offers add plans too.
Daily check-in
7.3 GH/s for 24 h
Come back each day for another plan.
Optional boost
Paid plans, for more speed
Much more hashrate for longer, for the fun of it. They usually mine less than they cost, and the price is shown before you confirm.
Hashrates live, updated hourly. Ads, games and offers are in the mobile apps; availability varies. Rewards are estimates and aren’t guaranteed.
Good to know: rewards are estimates that aren’t guaranteed. It’s a rewards app, not an investment, and a plan doesn’t give you ownership of any hardware or pool. Paid plans are optional. Terms apply, see the reward rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can you mine Monero with a CPU?
Yes. Monero’s RandomX algorithm was designed for general-purpose CPUs, so an ordinary desktop processor is a real, if small, part of the network. XMRig’s public benchmark shows a Ryzen 9 7950X at about 27 kH/s and an older laptop chip at under 2 kH/s.
Is Monero mining profitable?
It depends on your electricity price, your CPU and the price of XMR, which moves and which we don’t predict. The power cost is the part you can know: a 170 W processor running all day uses about 4 kWh. Compare that with a live calculator before you start.
Can you mine Monero with a GPU?
You can, but it’s a poor fit. RandomX’s authors note GPUs are at a disadvantage, and the best consumer result in the RandomX CUDA benchmark, an RTX 2080 Ti, managed about 1.6 kH/s on 242 W, a fraction of a desktop CPU.
What is P2Pool?
A decentralized Monero mining pool with no operator. It charges 0% fees and pays miners directly in the blocks it finds, with a minimum payout of about 0.00027 XMR. You run your own Monero node alongside it; the mini and nano sidechains suit small miners.
Is Monero mining safe?
The official open-source software is. The risk is fake miners and malware that mine Monero on other people’s computers, called cryptojacking. Download XMRig only from its official GitHub releases, check the published SHA-256 hash, and never switch off your antivirus for a miner.
Why does my antivirus flag XMRig?
Because criminals bundle it into malware. Microsoft notes that some coin mining tools aren’t malware but are detected as potentially unwanted applications. If you didn’t install it on purpose, treat a detection as real.
Can you mine Monero in a browser?
Not usefully any more. Coinhive, the best-known browser Monero miner, shut down in March 2019, and RandomX’s authors say web mining is infeasible because of its memory needs and floating-point rules.
Can I mine Bitcoin with my CPU instead?
Not in any useful way: Bitcoin is mined by ASICs. For bitcoin without hardware, CloudMineCrypto lets you mine for free with the free plan, ads, games, offers and daily check-ins. Rewards are estimates and aren’t guaranteed.
Sources and further reading
- Monero technical specs (RandomX, block time, tail emission) · Monero documentation
- Monero v0.15.0.0 release: RandomX · Monero Project
- RandomX: design goals, CPU requirements and FAQ · GitHub (RandomX authors)
- RandomX CUDA benchmark (GPU hashrates) · GitHub
- RandomX benchmark · XMRig
- Ryzen 9 7950X and Ryzen 5 5600X specifications (TDP) · AMD
- P2Pool: decentralized pool for Monero mining · GitHub
- Defending against illicit cryptocurrency mining activity · CISA
- Coin miners · Microsoft
- Coinhive in-browser cryptomining service shuts down on March 8 · BleepingComputer
- XMRig releases (with SHA256SUMS) · GitHub (XMRig)
Live figures on this page come from the CloudMineCrypto API or from the public blockchain data services named next to them, refresh on a schedule, and are labelled where they appear. This guide is educational and not financial advice. CloudMineCrypto is not an investment product; rewards in the app are estimates and aren’t guaranteed.
You’ve read how it works. Now watch it happen.
Claim a free 8-hour mining plan in the CloudMineCrypto app and see your estimated BTC tick up from live network data. No hardware, no card.