1. What's the origin story behind CypherGoat and what's the story behind the "Goat"?
CypherGoat actually started from a slogan before it became a project: "Swap your crypto at the beeeeest rate on the market CypherGoat."
I liked the absurd confidence of it, but also the idea behind it: an aggregator that simply gives you the best route across privacy-friendly exchanges, with no tracking, no signup, no nonsense.
2. From your perspective as a swap aggregator, what makes Monero unique?
Monero is unique because its privacy is complete and default. Every part of a transaction—sender, receiver, amount—is shielded automatically. It doesn't rely on mixers or optional privacy layers.
From an aggregator's point of view, that's powerful: Monero enables true non-custodial swaps where even the aggregator sees minimal data. It's also one of the few communities that values sovereignty over hype, which perfectly aligns with CypherGoat's philosophy.
3. You mention no extra fees. Is your business model solely based on your exchange partnerships?
Exactly. We earn a small share of the volume routed through our partners— similar to how flight aggregators like Skyscanner work. Users pay nothing extra; rates come directly from the exchanges.
We also share part of that commission with partners who integrate CypherGoat, through our affiliate system. It keeps the model sustainable and fair without compromising privacy.
4. Can you walk us through the CypherGoat Shield: what events actually trigger coverage, how reimbursement caps are set, and a real example of when you've stepped in?
CypherGoat Shield is our coverage program that protects users when something goes wrong during a swap—like if a transaction gets stuck or a partner exchange becomes unresponsive. It's not insurance; it's more of a trust guarantee designed to give users confidence that they won't be left hanging.
Coverage currently extends up to 0.1 BTC per swap, and we evaluate each case manually by verifying the transaction on-chain and with the partner involved.
So far, no one has ever needed to use the Shield, which is exactly how we want it. All eligible swaps have gone smoothly—but the Shield is there as a safety net to show that we stand behind every swap.
5. You've open-sourced your site on GitHub. What motivated that decision?
We've fully open-sourced the frontend, the same web interface users interact with at https://cyphergoat.com. Anyone can inspect the code, verify that it's privacy-respecting.
The API layer, which connects to partner exchanges and handles routing logic, is proprietary. It includes custom reliability systems and rate aggregation logic that we can't expose publicly without risking abuse or cloning by competitors.
The balance we've struck is transparency without vulnerability: the user-facing experience is open for trust, while the backend remains protected for stability.
6. When using your site, when is it best to use "Swap" and when is it best to use "Pay"?
Swap is for standard exchanges—you send one asset and receive another at the best available rate.
Pay is for fixed-amount transactions like donations or invoices. You specify how much you want to receive, and we calculate how much to send while locking the rate for a short window.
It's perfect for creators, merchants, and projects that need reliable, privacy-preserving payments without giving up control.
7. Users can sort routes by rate or KYC level. How do you determine those KYC tiers?
We classify exchanges into three privacy tiers, based on how likely they are to request verification:
- Tier 0 — Excellent Privacy Protection: Minimal KYC requirements and almost no risk of verification. Best choice for privacy-conscious users.
- Tier 1 — Balanced Approach: Some risk of KYC for unusually large or suspicious transactions. Moderate compliance monitoring, generally smooth for typical swaps.
- Tier 2 — Higher KYC Risk: Verification is more likely, especially when deposits trigger external AML systems. Transactions may be paused until verified.
These tiers are determined through direct testing, partner disclosures, and user feedback, and they are specific to each exchange, not to the coins being swapped. This gives users a clear understanding of what level of privacy to expect before initiating a swap.
8. How important is Monero to your business?
It's absolutely central. Most of our users and volume come from the Monero community, and our mission aligns with Monero's principles of privacy, openness, and decentralization.
9. Do you plan to add more pairs or focus on privacy-focused and established coins?
We'll keep expanding, but carefully. The goal isn't to list thousands of speculative tokens—it's to support privacy-aligned, liquid assets where users can swap crypto safely.
That means Bitcoin, Monero, Litecoin, and stablecoins—maybe a few other privacy-enhancing chains over time. Reliability over hype.
10. What are your predictions for 2026 for both Monero and CypherGoat?
For Monero: continued growth in real-world use and even stronger resistance to surveillance, perhaps with tail-emission-funded development gaining traction.
For CypherGoat: more volume, more exchange integrations, and the rollout of CypherGoat Pro, a split-trade engine that reduces slippage and improves privacy. We're also developing CypherGoat Payments for merchants and expanding the Shield coverage program.
Our focus is long-term—making private swaps as seamless as mainstream exchanges, without sacrificing what makes them private.
11. Anything else you'd like people to know about CypherGoat?
Privacy shouldn't require technical expertise or compromise. CypherGoat is here to make private crypto swapping effortless—transparent, fair, and resilient.
We're building tools for people who value freedom, not just convenience. Whether you're swapping, paying, or exploring Monero, we'll keep climbing that mountain like a goat should.
Learn more: https://cyphergoat.com
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