XELIS is an open-source blockchain project that combines a full node, a wallet and a CPU-friendly miner in one ecosystem. It is aimed at developers, privacy-minded users and hobby miners who want to run their own infrastructure instead of relying on third-party services.
The project describes itself as a BlockDAG with privacy, speed, scalability and smart contracts. Its design choices are unusual for a Windows-friendly desktop tool: the network uses a directed acyclic graph of blocks rather than a single linear chain, and it relies on homomorphic encryption to keep balances and amounts hidden from observers. If you want to understand how a modern privacy chain works from the inside, this is a practical place to start.
What Is XELIS and Who Is It For?
XELIS is best described as a complete toolkit for a privacy-focused blockchain. A single program family covers running a node, managing a wallet and, if you choose, contributing computing power to mining.
The most natural audience is developers who want to build on a chain with built-in privacy, and technically confident users who prefer running their own node over trusting a remote server. Hobby miners with ordinary processors may also find it interesting, since the mining design targets CPUs rather than dedicated rigs.
If you only want to send and receive payments without touching infrastructure, a lighter wallet may suit you better. XELIS rewards people who are willing to read documentation and keep their software current.
How a BlockDAG Differs From a Traditional Blockchain
In a conventional blockchain, each block points to exactly one parent, forming a single chain. When two miners publish a block at almost the same time, one of them is discarded as an orphan. That wasted work slows throughput and can weaken security.
A BlockDAG allows a block to reference multiple earlier blocks. Honest blocks published in parallel can both be kept and counted, so fewer valid results are thrown away. The trade-off is more complex ordering logic, which is one reason the project spends considerable effort on its consensus rules.
For a user running a node, the practical difference is mostly invisible, but it explains why the network is designed around throughput and why pruning and fast synchronization matter so much.
Real-World Use Cases
One common scenario is a privacy-conscious individual who wants to hold and transfer funds without publishing every amount to the public. Because balances and transferred values are encrypted, casual observers cannot read them from the ledger.
A second scenario is a small development team building an application that must keep running regardless of any single company. Smart contracts deployed on the network are meant to be resilient in that sense, and the event system helps them react to on-chain activity.
A third scenario is a home enthusiast who runs a full node on a spare Windows PC, keeps a wallet on it, and occasionally mines with a processor. Pruning mode can keep disk usage manageable on such a machine.
Key Concepts Behind Privacy and Difficulty
Homomorphic encryption is a method that lets computations be performed on encrypted values. In this context, it allows the network to check that the sum of inputs and outputs matches without ever seeing the actual numbers.
Difficulty adjustment determines how hard it is to find a valid block. A Kalman filter is a statistical technique that estimates a changing value from noisy measurements. Applied to difficulty, it lets the target respond to hash rate changes block by block instead of waiting for a long fixed window.
Understanding these ideas is not required to run the software, but it helps you judge what the project promises and where its complexity lies.
How Does Mining Work on CPUs?
Mining means repeatedly computing hashes until one meets the current difficulty target. The XELIS proof-of-work design is intended to give CPUs and GPUs a comparable footing, so a regular desktop processor can contribute to block production.
However, a CPU will earn far less than dedicated hardware on most proof-of-work networks, and results vary with processor model, cooling and electricity cost. Treat mining as an educational or hobby activity rather than a reliable income source.
The project documentation suggests that miners connect through a GetWork WebSocket server to receive new block work promptly and submit results correctly. Miner software is also expected to refresh the block timestamp regularly, which improves difficulty calculation across the network.
Key features
BlockDAG architecture
Egalitarian proof of work
Kalman filter difficulty adjustment
Homomorphic encryption for privacy
Smart contracts on xelis-vm
Confidential assets
Event system
Instant wallet synchronization
Pruning mode
Extra data and integrated addresses
Supported coins
XELIS works with its native coin and with confidential assets issued on the network, which share the same privacy features. Mining is described as using the Blake3 and Argon2 algorithms, and the project lists Ledger among supported hardware wallets.
How to install XELIS on Windows
- 1
Get the official build
Download XELIS only from the official project website or from the GitHub Releases page of the xelis-blockchain repository. Avoid mirrors and links shared in chat groups, since modified binaries are a common way to steal wallet data.
- 2
Verify the download
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded archive with the value published alongside the release. If the project provides a signature, verify it as well. Do not continue if the hash does not match.
- 3
Extract to a dedicated folder
Unpack the archive into a folder such as C:\XELIS. Keeping node data, wallet files and binaries in one clearly named location makes backups and troubleshooting easier.
- 4
Start the node
Run the daemon executable from a terminal window. Allow it to create its data directory and begin synchronizing. Initial synchronization can take a long time depending on network speed and disk performance.
- 5
Create or open a wallet
Launch the wallet component and either create a new wallet or restore an existing one. Write down the recovery phrase on paper and store it offline. Never type it into a website or chat that asks for it.
-
Optional: configure mining
If you plan to mine, point your miner to a GetWork server as described in the project documentation. Start with a short test run to confirm that shares are accepted before leaving it running unattended.
System requirements
- Windows is listed among supported platforms, though the project notes that Windows support has not been formally verified
- A standard desktop processor is sufficient for running a node and wallet
- Sufficient free disk space for blockchain data, which can be reduced with pruning mode
- A stable internet connection for synchronization
How to use XELIS
Once the node is running and your wallet is open, most day-to-day work happens in the wallet interface. The steps below describe a typical first session.
- Let the node finish its initial synchronization before relying on balances, since an incomplete node may show outdated information.
- Open the wallet and confirm that your address matches the one you backed up.
- Send a small test transaction to another address you control to verify fees and confirmation behavior.
- Check the transaction history and balances to confirm that the instant synchronization feature has updated the wallet.
- If you use integrated addresses, include a short reference in the extra data field to see how the attached information is delivered.
- Enable pruning mode if disk space is limited, and confirm the node still reports healthy synchronization afterward.
- Back up your wallet file and recovery phrase again after any significant change.
Pros & cons
- Open-source codebase that can be inspected by anyone
- Privacy features are built into the protocol rather than added as options
- CPU-oriented mining design makes participation accessible on ordinary hardware
- Pruning and instant synchronization reduce the cost of running a node
- Event system and smart contracts suit developers building applications
- Hardware wallet support through Ledger
- Setup is more technical than a typical consumer wallet
- Windows support is described as unverified, so issues may be less documented than on Linux
- CPU mining is unlikely to be profitable on most setups
- The BlockDAG model and privacy layer add conceptual complexity
- Documentation for some features is spread across repository files
Is XELIS safe?
XELIS handles keys and funds, so treat it with the same caution as any wallet. Download the program only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page, and compare the SHA-256 checksum with the published value before running anything. Never enter your recovery phrase on a third-party website, in a messaging app or in a support chat, since no legitimate developer will ask for it.
Mining software is sometimes flagged by antivirus tools because of how it uses the processor. Review any flagged file carefully instead of disabling protection entirely. Keep your operating system updated and store backups offline. Always check the latest version on the official website before installing.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/xelis-project/xelis-blockchain. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Compared with Bitcoin-style full nodes such as Litecoin Core or Dogecoin Core, XELIS uses a different consensus structure and adds privacy and smart contract layers that those projects do not center on. Monero CLI shares the focus on privacy, yet it relies on a conventional chain design and a separate wallet workflow. Qtum Core and Komodo Core combine node software with smart contract or multi-chain ambitions, while DERO HE takes its own approach to privacy and a BlockDAG-style structure.
If your goal is a traditional, widely used coin with a long track record, one of the Core-style nodes may be a simpler starting point. If privacy at the protocol level and an experimental consensus design matter most to you, XELIS is worth comparing directly with DERO HE and Monero CLI.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v1.25.0
- Last update
- 26 Aug 2026
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/xelis-project/xelis-blockchain
Frequently asked questions
Yes, XELIS is listed as free and open source. You can download the software from the official repository and run a node or wallet without paying the developers. Costs you may face include electricity and hardware, especially if you choose to mine.
Windows is mentioned among the supported platforms, but the project has not formally verified Windows support. Many users run the software on Windows, but if you encounter problems, the Linux build is often better documented. Check the official repository for the current status.
The proof-of-work algorithm is designed so that CPUs can take part. However, on most setups a processor will earn far less than dedicated hardware, and results depend on your processor, cooling and power costs. Treat CPU mining as a learning exercise.
A BlockDAG is a structure where a block can reference several earlier blocks instead of just one. This reduces wasted blocks when miners publish results at nearly the same time, which can improve throughput and security compared with a strictly linear chain.
The protocol uses homomorphic encryption so that balances and transferred amounts stay encrypted on the network. The project describes this as privacy by design, though you should read the documentation to understand exactly what is hidden in each transaction type.
The project lists Ledger among supported hardware wallets. Connecting a device lets you keep signing keys off the computer, which reduces the risk from malware on your PC. Confirm the current integration steps in the official documentation before relying on it.
Running a full node means storing blockchain data, but pruning mode can remove old blocks and transactions to save space. Your wallet can also synchronize its balance and history quickly without downloading the entire chain in the wallet itself.
Verdict
XELIS suits developers, privacy-focused users and technically comfortable hobbyists who want to run their own node and explore a BlockDAG with encrypted balances. It is less suited to people who want a simple, one-click wallet or expect meaningful mining income. Read the documentation, verify every download and start with a small test before committing funds.