Well, here I have prepared a small summary, although it is not exhaustive, it is the most important.

Visit getmonero.org for more info.

### **Where to Buy XMR (some Non-KYC Options):**

1. **P2P Marketplaces:**

- **Haveno:** A decentralized exchange (DEX) built for Monero, currently in development but promising for trustless swaps.

2. **Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs):**

- **TradeOgre:** A no-KYC exchange supporting XMR trading pairs (e.g., XMR/BTC). Low liquidity but privacy-friendly.

- **SideShift.ai:** A non-custodial swap service for converting BTC/ETH to XMR without accounts.

3. **Atomic Swaps & Aggregators:**

- **SwapSpace/StealthEX:** Aggregate multiple exchanges for seamless swaps (e.g., BTC → XMR) with competitive rates.

- **Cake Wallet/Feather Wallet:** Built-in swap services (via ChangeNOW or FixedFloat) to buy XMR directly within the wallet.

4. **Bitcoin ATMs (XMR-Compatible):**

- Some Bitcoin ATMs allow XMR purchases (e.g., via CoinATMRadar filters), though availability is limited.

### **Self-Custody Wallets:**

- **Desktop:**

- **Monero GUI Wallet:** Official wallet with full-node support for maximum privacy.

- **Feather Wallet:** Lightweight, user-friendly desktop wallet with Tor integration.

- **Mobile:**

- **Cake Wallet:** iOS/Android app with built-in swaps and multisig support.

- **Monerujo:** Android-only, open-source, and compatible with hardware wallets.

- **Hardware:**

- **Ledger/Trezor:** Support XMR via third-party interfaces (e.g., Monero GUI + Ledger).

### **Monero vs. Bitcoin: Layer 1 vs. Layer 2**

- **Layer 1 (Monero):**

- Built-in privacy via **ring signatures**, **stealth addresses**, and **confidential transactions**. All transactions are private by default.

- **Low fees:** Dynamic block sizing and Bulletproofs+ keep fees minimal (~$0.01–$0.10 per tx).

- No need for Layer 2 solutions (e.g., Lightning Network) since privacy and scalability are handled on-chain. Monero’s base layer is both secure and cost-effective.

- **Bitcoin Comparison:**

- Bitcoin’s Layer 1 is transparent and expensive for small payments, necessitating Layer 2 (e.g., Lightning) for cheap, private transactions. Monero achieves this natively.

### **Best Practices:**

1. **Privacy:** Use a VPN/Tor when accessing exchanges or wallets.

2. **Security:** Verify wallet downloads from official sources, store seed phrases offline, and avoid reusing addresses.

3. **Acquisition Path:** For minimal KYC, buy BTC via a non-KYC exchange (e.g., Bisq), then swap to XMR using a DEX or aggregator.

Monero’s architecture is #privacy by default at the base layer, making it superior for confidential tx without relying on secondary networks.