Privacy coins, wallets, and XELIS — explained
Short, honest explainers for people who want to understand crypto privacy before they trust it. No price talk, no hype — just the concepts.
Start here
If you're new to XELIS or privacy coins, begin with these.
What is XELIS?
The XELIS Layer 1 explained in plain English — encrypted balances, confidential transactions, XEL coin, and XelisHash v2 proof-of-work.
Read BeginnerWhat are crypto wallets?
How wallets actually work, the difference between hot and cold, and what a private key really is.
Read FoundationalSelf-custody explained
Why holding your own keys matters, the trade-offs against custodial accounts, and how to do it without losing the keys.
ReadPrivacy technology
How privacy actually works on a blockchain — the cryptography behind confidential coins, without the math degree.
Privacy wallets 101
How privacy wallets differ from transparent ones, and what techniques (ring signatures, ZK proofs, encrypted balances) actually buy you.
Read PrivacyConfidential transactions
How a blockchain can verify a transaction without revealing the amount — bulletproofs, range proofs, and how XELIS uses them.
Read CryptographyHomomorphic encryption, simply
Math you can do on encrypted data without decrypting it — and why it's the foundation of XELIS's encrypted balances.
Read CryptographyZero-knowledge proofs explained
Prove you know something without revealing what — zk-SNARKs vs zk-STARKs, and where each fits in privacy crypto.
ReadPrivacy coins — the bigger picture
Where XELIS fits in the privacy-coin landscape, and what the category is really about.
What is a privacy coin?
The category explained — what makes a coin private, what doesn't count, and why most 'private' coins aren't.
Read ComparisonPrivacy coins compared (2026)
Honest comparison of Monero, Zcash, XELIS, and others — on privacy, decentralisation, supply, and real-world usability.
Read PrivacyMonero alternatives
If Monero isn't an option (exchange delistings, regulation), what else offers comparable privacy guarantees?
ReadXELIS deep-dives
Specifics about XELIS itself — tokenomics, consensus, smart contracts, and roadmap.
XEL tokenomics
The 18.4M supply cap, emission curve, tail emission, and what it means for miners and holders.
Read MiningXelisHash v2
The proof-of-work algorithm that secures XELIS — why it's CPU-friendly and ASIC-resistant by design.
Read RoadmapSmart contracts on XELIS
How XELIS supports programmable transactions while keeping balances and amounts encrypted.
ReadMining & security
Deeper context for miners and anyone serious about protecting their XEL.
GPU vs CPU mining
Which hardware actually pays for itself on XELIS — and how that compares to other proof-of-work coins.
Read SecurityHardware vs software wallets
The real trade-offs — cost, convenience, attack surface — and when each one is the right choice.
Read SecurityWhat is a seed phrase?
BIP39, mnemonics, and why those 12 or 24 words are the only thing standing between you and losing everything.
ReadReady to try it for real?
Download XELIS Wallet and walk through our 5-minute setup guide.