Monero is the last major cryptocurrency you can mine with a regular computer. Bitcoin and Ethereum (pre-Merge) were taken over by ASICs and industrial farms, but Monero's RandomX algorithm was specifically designed to be ASIC-resistant — meaning CPUs are the most efficient way to mine. If you have a computer, you can mine Monero. Here's exactly how.
Why Monero Mining Is Different
Most cryptocurrencies use mining algorithms that favor specialized hardware (ASICs). These are custom chips that do one thing — mine a specific algorithm — and they do it thousands of times more efficiently than a general-purpose CPU. ASICs centralize mining into the hands of a few industrial operations.
Monero's RandomX algorithm (activated in 2019) flipped this model. RandomX is optimized for general-purpose CPUs. It requires:
- Fast memory access (benefits from large L3 cache)
- Branch-heavy code execution (where CPUs excel, GPUs struggle)
- Frequent random memory reads (prevents ASIC pipelining)
The result: ASICs for Monero are not economically viable. The most efficient way to mine XMR is with a modern AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processor — the same chips in gaming PCs and servers. This keeps Monero mining decentralized, accessible, and (relatively) egalitarian.
⛏️ CPU vs GPU Mining for Monero
CPUs dominate Monero mining. A high-end AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (~32 threads, 64MB L3 cache) can hit 20-25 kH/s. The best GPUs (RTX 4090) struggle to reach 10 kH/s while consuming more power. Use your CPU for Monero, use your GPU for something else.
Step 1: Choose Your Hardware
Any computer works, but if you're buying hardware specifically for mining, here's what matters in 2026:
| CPU | Cores/Threads | L3 Cache | Approx. Hashrate | Power Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | 16C / 32T | 64 MB | 22-28 kH/s | 170W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X | 16C / 32T | 64 MB | 20-25 kH/s | 170W |
| AMD EPYC 7773X | 64C / 128T | 768 MB | 80-100 kH/s | 280W |
| Intel Core i9-14900K | 24C / 32T | 36 MB | 15-20 kH/s | 125-253W |
| AMD Ryzen 5 7600 | 6C / 12T | 32 MB | 8-10 kH/s | 65W |
The key spec is L3 cache. RandomX needs 2 MB of L3 cache per mining thread. A CPU with 32 MB of L3 cache can run 16 threads effectively. More cache = more threads = higher hashrate.
AMD Ryzen dominates because Ryzen CPUs consistently have larger L3 cache sizes per dollar than Intel equivalents. Server-grade EPYC processors offer the best absolute performance but at much higher cost.
Step 2: Download and Configure XMRig
XMRig is the standard Monero mining software. It's open source, actively maintained, and supports CPU, GPU (NVIDIA/AMD), and even some ARM devices.
1 Download XMRig
Get the latest release from the official GitHub: github.com/xmrig/xmrig/releases. Download the appropriate binary for your OS (Windows, Linux, macOS).
Never download XMRig from anywhere else. The official GitHub is the only trusted source. Third-party downloads may include malware.
2 Choose a Mining Pool
Mining solo (without a pool) means you only earn XMR when you find a full block — which with a single CPU could take months or years. Mining pools combine the hashrate of many miners and split rewards proportionally. You get small, regular payouts instead of rare large ones.
Recommended pools in 2026:
- p2pool — Decentralized peer-to-peer mining pool. No central server, no pool operator to trust. Runs alongside your Monero node. Best for decentralization.
- SupportXMR — Large, reliable pool with 0% fees (donation-based). Good dashboard, low payout threshold. Best for beginners.
- MoneroOcean — Profit-switching pool that mines the most profitable algorithm and pays in XMR. Supports GPU mining. Best for mixed hardware.
- HashVault — Established pool with servers worldwide. 0.9% fee. Good uptime.
Never use a pool with more than 30-40% of the network hashrate. Check miningpoolstats.stream/monero before joining.
3 Configure XMRig
XMRig uses a config.json file. The easiest way to get started is to use the setup wizard on xmrig.com/wizard, which generates a config for your chosen pool and wallet address.
Or edit the config manually. Here's the minimum config for SupportXMR:
{
"pools": [{
"url": "pool.supportxmr.com:443",
"user": "YOUR_XMR_WALLET_ADDRESS",
"pass": "worker1",
"tls": true
}],
"cpu": {
"enabled": true,
"max-threads-hint": 75
}
}Replace YOUR_XMR_WALLET_ADDRESS with your actual Monero address (from Cake Wallet, Monero GUI, Feather, etc.). The max-threads-hint of 75 means "use 75% of available threads" — leave some for your system to stay responsive.
4 Run and Optimize
Run XMRig and watch the hashrate. After a few minutes (it needs to warm up — RandomX does JIT compilation), you'll see a stable hashrate. To optimize:
- Enable Huge Pages (Windows: enable in admin tools; Linux:
sysctl -w vm.nr_hugepages=1280). This can boost hashrate by 20-30%. - Run XMRig as Administrator/root — enables MSR mod and 1GB pages.
- Adjust
max-threads-hint— try 90-100% if it's a dedicated mining rig. - Close other CPU-intensive programs.
- Undervolt your CPU for better efficiency — same hashrate, lower power draw.
Step 3: Understand Profitability
Mining profitability depends on four factors:
- Your hashrate (how fast you mine)
- Network hashrate (how fast everyone else mines — your share of the pie)
- Electricity cost (your largest expense)
- XMR price (what your mined coins are worth)
Let's run a realistic calculation for a Ryzen 9 7950X:
- Hashrate: 22 kH/s (22,000 H/s)
- Network hashrate: ~2.5 GH/s (June 2026)
- Your share: 22,000 ÷ 2,500,000,000 = 0.00088%
- Blocks per day: 720 (one every 2 minutes)
- Block reward: 0.6 XMR (after tail emission)
- Daily XMR: 720 × 0.6 × 0.0000088 ≈ 0.0038 XMR/day
- At $150/XMR: ~$0.57/day
- Power: 170W × 24h × $0.12/kWh = $0.49/day
- Daily profit: ~$0.08/day
This is the reality of Monero mining in 2026: you're not getting rich. At typical residential electricity rates, you're breaking even or making pennies per day. The economics improve dramatically if you:
- Have cheap or free electricity (solar, included in rent, industrial rates)
- Mine on hardware you already own (sunk cost)
- Use the waste heat for space heating (dual-purpose mining)
- Speculate on XMR price appreciation (mine now, sell later)
💡 Use the Toolkit Calculator
The Monero Toolkit has a live mining profitability calculator with real-time network hashrate and XMR price data. Plug in your numbers and see exactly what you'd earn.
P2Pool: The Decentralized Option
For maximum decentralization, run P2Pool — a peer-to-peer mining pool with no central server. You run P2Pool alongside your own Monero node, and your hashrate is combined with other P2Pool miners in a decentralized way.
Setup:
- Run a Monero full node (monerod)
- Download and run P2Pool from github.com/SChernykh/p2pool
- Point XMRig to
127.0.0.1:3333
P2Pool pays out directly from the coinbase — no pool wallet holds your funds. The tradeoff: you need a full Monero node (200+ GB blockchain), and payout frequency depends on P2Pool's collective hashrate finding blocks.
⚠️ Mining Pitfalls to Avoid
- Browser-based mining (cryptojacking) — JavaScript miners in browsers are massively inefficient. You'll earn fractions of a cent while cooking your visitors' CPUs.
- "Cloud mining" contracts — Almost all are scams. If it promises guaranteed returns, run.
- Mining on a laptop — Laptops have poor cooling. Sustained 100% CPU load will thermal-throttle and potentially damage components over time.
- Not securing your mining rig — XMRig configs often contain wallet addresses in plaintext. If someone compromises your machine, they can redirect payouts.
- Overlooking tax implications — Mined XMR is taxable income in most jurisdictions at its fair market value when received. Keep records.
Is Monero Mining Worth It in 2026?
Honest answer: for pure profit, probably not — unless you have free electricity or are mining at scale. But profit isn't the only reason to mine:
- Support the network — Every miner adds to Monero's security and decentralization. Mining is a way to contribute.
- Acquire KYC-free XMR — Mined Monero has no paper trail to your identity. It's the most private way to acquire XMR.
- Learn — Running a node, configuring XMRig, understanding RandomX — you'll learn more about how Monero works than any amount of reading.
- Heat your home — A mining rig is a space heater that pays you. During winter, mining can offset heating costs.
If you have a capable desktop PC sitting idle overnight, mining Monero is a low-effort way to accumulate sats worth of XMR while supporting the most private cryptocurrency network in existence. The barrier to entry is minimal. The potential upside — especially if XMR appreciates — makes the experiment worthwhile.