Monero (XMR) is still in use despite strong pressure from the regulators. Almost half of the new dark markets only accept payments in $XMR, which is keeping the demand afloat.
The network activity is also still elevated compared to the levels before 2022, despite the removal of Monero by exchanges in 2025.
The price is finding support around $320 and is starting to steady. Monero is now trading around $333.07, and attention is turning back to privacy coins again.
What you'll learn 👉
Darknet Demand Is Still Fueling Monero’s Niche
A big reason Monero refuses to disappear is simple: it still has real usage.
As Onur (@0xc06) pointed out, darknet markets are shifting more toward XMR-only payments. That matters because Monero remains the top option for people who want untraceable transfers. Even after exchange delistings, transaction volume has not collapsed.
Monero still has a corner of the market where demand doesn’t disappear, even when buying and selling becomes harder. In 2025, more than 70 exchanges removed XMR. For most coins, that would have killed activity fast.
But Monero (XMR) didn’t fade. On-chain usage is still higher than it was before 2022, which shows that users have found other ways to trade, hold, and keep using the network. The network has stayed active even without full support from centralized platforms.
Privacy coins are holding their ground.
— Onur 🍌🦍 (@0xc06) February 17, 2026
Despite delistings from major exchanges and regulatory crackdowns, Monero transaction volumes remain above pre-2022 levels.
Nearly half of new darknet markets now exclusively accept $XMR, highlighting sustained demand for untraceable… pic.twitter.com/R9Fd3KSdsZ
Fluorine Fermi Upgrade Helps Strengthen Privacy
The tweet also highlighted something important: Monero is still improving under the hood.
Network analysis shows that around 14–15% of nodes behave unusually, which could expose transaction routing patterns. That doesn’t break Monero’s encryption, but it creates risks.
The recent Fluorine Fermi update to the Monero network is intended to mitigate “spy node” risks by pointing wallets towards better-connected nodes. This is just another indication that the Monero team is still committed to maintaining robust privacy features.
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Monero Price Targets If Demand Keeps Growing
With Monero trading near $333, the chart is starting to look more stable after weeks of selling.
The first level to watch is the $320 zone, where buyers have stepped in recently. As long as XMR holds above that area, the next upside target sits around $360–$380, which is the nearest resistance range.
If privacy demand keeps rising and the market begins treating Monero as a unique utility coin again, a larger push toward $420 becomes possible later in 2026.
On the downside, losing $320 could send the XMR price back toward $290–$300, which is the next major support area.
For now, Monero isn’t fading away. As long as privacy demand stays real, XMR may keep surprising traders who thought it was finished.
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