GlossaryAdvanced
Ring Signature
A cryptographic signature that mixes a real transaction with decoy outputs, so an outside observer can't isolate which one is genuine.
A ring signature is a cryptographic technique that mixes a real transaction together with a number of decoy outputs, allowing anyone to verify the transaction is valid without being able to isolate which specific output actually moved the funds.
It's one of the core techniques Monero uses to obscure the sender of a transaction by default — see Kaavon's "Privacy Coins Explained" guide for how this fits alongside stealth addresses and amount-hiding to form Monero's overall privacy model.
Examples
- A ring signature lets a network confirm a transaction is authorized without revealing which specific output in the ring was the genuine spend.
- Monero applies ring signatures to every transaction by default, with no optional transparent mode.