Monero Talk

Bawdy & Tux are LIVE from Monerokon26! Price, News & More! | EPI 265

June 7th, 2026  |  1 hr 49 mins

bawdyanarchist, bitcoin, blockchain, cakewallet, crypto, cryptocurrency, fungible, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, tuxsudo, xmr, zcash

MONEROTOPIA 💃🏽🏝🕺🏼 EPISODE #265 : Price, News of the week, with special guests Bawdy & Tux who will be LIVE from MoneroKon26 in Poland & More!

Monero and Zcash in the Age of Exploits w/ Joel Valenzuela | EPI 385

June 5th, 2026  |  1 hr 26 mins

ai, aidriven, bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, exploit, fungible, joelvalenzuela, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, xmr, zcash

TODAY'S SHOW: Doug sits down with Joel Valenzuela to discuss the recently disclosed Zcash exploit and what it signals for the future of cryptocurrency security. Joel argues that advances in AI will make vulnerability discovery faster and more effective, forcing all crypto projects—including Monero—to rethink long-held security assumptions.

The conversation examines how the Zcash team handled the exploit, the risks of hidden inflation bugs, and the unique challenges privacy-focused cryptocurrencies face when auditing supply and security. Doug and Joel also compare Monero and Zcash, discuss decentralized exchange infrastructure, privacy coin adoption, and the broader outlook for digital cash in an increasingly regulated and AI-driven world.

Anhdres chats about Spanish stage at Topia26 + Price, News of the week & More! | EPI 249

January 25th, 2026  |  4 hrs 48 secs

anhdres, bitcoin, blackrock, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, davos, fungible, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, silver, xmr, zcash

MONEROTOPIA 💃🏽🏝🕺🏼 EPISODE 249 - Anhdres to talk about the Spanish stage at Topia26 + Price, News of the week & More!

J.W. Verret’s Debrief of the SEC Roundtable on Financial Surveillance & Privacy | EPI 373

December 19th, 2025  |  1 hr 2 mins

bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, defi, fungible, garygensler, jwverret, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, sec, tomemmert, tommassey, xmr, zcash

TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, Douglas Tuman and J.W. Verrett discuss privacy in cryptocurrency, regulatory issues, and the latest developments in the crypto space. J.W. shares insights from a recent SEC roundtable on privacy, where he praised SEC Chairman Gary Gensler's unexpected pro-privacy stance.

The conversation also touches on crypto-friendly politicians, including Congressmen Tom Massey and Tom Emmert, and discusses the potential of tokenized equity in DeFi, allowing global access to U.S. markets. JW highlights legal challenges faced by privacy tool developers, offers thoughts on Monero vs. Zcash, and reflects on recent progress within the Zcash Foundation.

What’s Next for Privacy Season? w/ Joel Valenzuela | EPI 370

December 1st, 2025  |  1 hr 26 mins

bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, fcmp, fungible, joelvalenzuela, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, xmr, zcash

TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, Douglas Tuman chats with Joel Valenzuela, a blockchain advocate and business development professional for Dash, about the renewed interest in privacy coins, or what they call "privacy season."

They dive into the roles of Monero and Zcash, noting Zcash’s recent price jump and how it has reignited tribal debates. Joel argues that Zcash is now a stronger hedge for Monero than Bitcoin, given their differing approaches to privacy and governance. The conversation also touches on how holding multiple crypto assets shapes market psychology, contrasts Monero’s strict "private by default" model with Zcash’s more exchange-friendly design, and explores the shifting exchange landscape with platforms relisting privacy coins.

They discuss upcoming technical upgrades, including Zcash’s Tachyon and Monero’s FCMP++, and highlight how Litecoin leads non-Bitcoin payment volume while Monero dominates privacy-by-default transactions. The episode wraps up with price predictions for Monero and Zcash, along with a focus on the importance of real-world adoption, such as using Monero for everyday purchases.

1 Million Downloads! Vik Sharma on Cake Wallet, Monero, and the Rise of “Privacy Coins” | EPI 367

November 7th, 2025  |  29 mins 59 secs

bitcoin, blockchain, cakewallet, crypto, cryptocurrency, fungible, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, viksharma, xmr, zcash

TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, Douglas Tuman chats with Vik Sharma, founder of Cake Wallet, about the wallet's milestone of 1 million downloads and 450,000 monthly active users. Vik shares how Cake Wallet, initially a Monero-only wallet, has expanded to support Bitcoin, Litecoin, and more—while staying true to its open-source and privacy-focused roots.

The conversation covers Cake Wallet's relationship with the Monero community, privacy coins' growing attention (especially Zcash), and why Monero remains the preferred choice for actual use. The episode wraps up with thoughts on how Monero can stay ahead in the privacy space and the goal of creating a global peer-to-peer economy where people can "live off Monero."

Spirobel on Monero being ahead of Zcash in scaling privacy + Price, News & More! | EPI 238

November 2nd, 2025  |  3 hrs 42 mins

bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, fungible, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, spirobel, xmr, zcash

MONEROTOPIA 💃🏽🏝🕺🏼 EPISODE 238 - Spirobel on Monero being ahead of Zcash in scaling privacy + Price, News of the week & More!

The Privacy Coin Surge: How Monero, Zcash, and Others Are Competing — w/ Diego Salazar | EPI 366

October 28th, 2025  |  1 hr 52 mins

bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, diegosalazar, fungible, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, surae, xmr, zcash

TODAY'S SHOW: This episode of Monero Talk features the CypherStack team — CEO Diego Salazar and mathematicians Brandon “Surae” Goodell and Luke — for a deep dive into Monero’s Full Chain Membership Proofs (FCMPs) and how they compare to Zcash.

CypherStack is a privacy-focused research and development company behind Stack Wallet. Diego handles strategy while Brandon and Luke lead the mathematical research for Monero. They discussed their contributions to FCMPs, a major upgrade aimed at improving Monero’s privacy and scalability. While critics from the Zcash community call FCMPs “unproven,” the team explained that it uses well-established mathematics, not untested theory.

They also compared Monero’s community-driven model with Zcash’s corporate structure, noting strengths and trade-offs in both approaches. Despite praising Zcash’s Halo 2 privacy tech, they argue Monero’s privacy-by-default design gives it a real-world edge.On timelines, Diego said FCMPs are “three steps from the finish line” but still tackling technical challenges. The episode ends with a candid look at funding struggles in open-source development and a call for continued community support.

Juraj Bednar on Monero & Zcash | EPI 364

October 16th, 2025  |  1 hr 45 mins

bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, dex, fungible, jurajbednar, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, xmr, zcash

TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, host Douglas Tuman speaks with Juraj, a self-described “shaman” of the crypto world who bridges different blockchain communities. Together, they dive into the contrasts and common ground between Monero and Zcash, exploring both the technical and cultural dynamics of the leading privacy coins.

Juraj discusses Zcash’s growing DEX integrations through Zashi Wallet and Near Intents, while Doug shares his experience with a failed swap attempt. They compare this with Monero’s ongoing DEX efforts like Sarai and potential Thorchain integration, highlighting the shared goal of improving usability and interoperability.

The two also unpack each project’s funding models, mining approaches, and community cultures, debating decentralization, security, and the future of privacy in crypto. Juraj emphasizes that real adoption often depends more on social dynamics than technical merit, and that long-term holders give privacy coins their true value.

MoneroTopia Episode 234! | Price, News & MUCH MORE!

October 5th, 2025  |  3 hrs 37 mins

alaskanon, bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, fungible, michaelten, monero, monerotalk, monerotopia, privacy, privacycoin, usdc, xmr, zcash

MONEROTOPIA 💃🏽🏝🕺🏼 EPISODE 234 - Price Report with Bawdy, News of the week with Tux & MUCH MORE!