Introduction
Haveno (“harbour” in Esperanto) is a privacy-first, Bisq-inspired DEX focused on Monero and fiat.
Running your own Haveno node means you:
- validate your own P2P order book
- provide liquidity routing for others
- can act as an arbitrator, bank-wire signer or chat relay
- never rely on a central web service to trade XMR ↔ fiat/crypto
Getting Started
1. Basic Fundamentals
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Core software | Two processes: Haveno daemon (havenod – P2P + escrow) and Haveno desktop (Electron GUI). |
| Underlying tech | Tor transport layer, Monero multisig escrow, Bisq message protocol fork. |
| Ports | 9999 (P2P), 8000 (API), 8001 (Tor onion traffic). |
2. Why Run Your Own Haveno Node?
- Self-custody – multisig escrow keys live on your machine.
- Order-book privacy – your Tor IP publishes offers; no central server can log them.
- Liquidity health – more peers → tighter spreads for everyone.
- Earn fees – arbitrators and trade mediators share 30 % of dispute fees.
3. Minimum Hardware & Network
| Resource | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Disk | 2 GB for Haveno itself + Monero wallet files; add Monero node storage if you run it on the same box. |
| RAM | 2 GB free (daemon ~300 MB, GUI another 300 MB). |
| CPU | Any 64-bit dual-core (AVX2 speeds multisig sigs). |
| Bandwidth | ~5 GB / month per active trader; negligible when idle. |
| OS | Linux x86-64 preferred; macOS & Windows builds exist. |
4. Installing Haveno
How you install Haveno depends on the device that you're installing from it's best to follow the documentation on how to install haveno, from their website, at the moment you install it first on either a desktopn or a server and then you can link your mobile to it after by following the guide on how to setup haveno on mobile.
5. Key Command-Line Flags
| Flag | Purpose |
|---|---|
--wallet-dir |
Path for multisig trader wallets. |
--monero-daemon-address |
Point at your own monerod (127.0.0.1:18081). |
--tor |
On by default; set false for clearnet testing. |
--arbitrator |
Enable dispute-resolving role; requires stake XMR. |
--log-level debug |
Verbose logging. |
6. Securing Haveno
- Use QubesOS You can use Haveno more securely by reading how to install haveno on QubesOS.
- Alternatively, use a Whonix VM These VM's run on the vast majority of machines an are an easy way to get started if you're a beginner and want stronger security.
- Finally, you can also try Tails It's another operating system that caters to the privacy community that only persists what it absolutely requires you can read more on how to setup up Haveno on tails here.
7. Performance & Maintenance
| Task | Interval |
|---|---|
| Check daemon height vs. Monero node | Daily |
| Rotate Tor hidden-service keys | Monthly |
| Export trade history (JSON) | After each completed trade |
| Upgrade Haveno version | On every tagged release |
8. Bottom Line
Running a Haveno nodo is lighter than a full Monero node yet critical for a censorship-resistant DEX:
- 2 GB disk, 600 MB RAM, an evening’s setup
- Keep your trades private, keys local
- Strengthen Monero’s circular economy by adding order-book resiliency
If you already run monerod, adding Haveno is the next leverage-point for self-sovereign trading.
Community & Resources
- GitHub – https://github.com/kewbitxmr/haveno-app (issues, releases, docs)
- XMR Social – /c/Haveno
- Dev Guides – Haveno Docs in repo (RPC, REST spec)