Moneros Decentralized P2P Exchanges: Functionality, Adoption, and Privacy Risks

TL;DR

This paper systematically analyzes Monero's decentralized P2P exchanges, revealing their functionality, adoption levels, and a privacy vulnerability in Haveno that can link transactions across blockchains.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of Monero P2P exchanges, including architecture, usage, and a novel privacy vulnerability in Haveno.

Findings

Haveno trades can be linked across blockchains due to a privacy flaw.

Decentralized exchanges vary in functionality and popularity within Monero.

The study offers insights for improving security and regulatory understanding.

Abstract

Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies like Monero remain popular, despite increasing regulatory scrutiny that has led to their delisting from major centralized exchanges. The latter also explains the recent popularity of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) with no centralized ownership structures. These platforms typically leverage peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, promising secure and anonymous asset trading. However, questions of liability remain, and the academic literature lacks comprehensive insights into the functionality, trading activity, and privacy claims of these P2P platforms. In this paper, we provide an early systematization of the current landscape of decentralized peer-to-peer exchanges within the Monero ecosystem. We examine several recently developed DEX platforms, analyzing their popularity, functionality, architectural choices, and potential weaknesses. We further identify and report on a privacy vulnerability in the recently popularized Haveno exchange, demonstrating that certain Haveno trades could be detected, allowing transactions to be linked across the Monero and Bitcoin blockchains. We hope that our findings can nourish the discussion in the research community about more secure designs, and provide insights for regulators.