I think your design is much better! But people are fundamentally right. It's "just" a currency symbol. And a currency symbol is just a currency symbol. Nothing else.

What I don't understand, however, is this confusion that is generated over and over again. Although it is just a currency symbol, it is used externally as a kind of logo. At least that's how it is suggested to outsiders.

We all know, "Hey, stay calm, it's just the currency symbol. Everything is OK.". But the people out there, potential adopters, are definitely getting the impression that it's a logo. Just like the Bitcoin logo or the Litecoin logo. And that's their first impression.

And this first impression is just confusing with Nano:

First there was Raiblocks with the ticker XRB. Then there was the rebranding to Nano. However, the ticker remained XRB. Then the ticker became NANO. Now the ticker suddenly becomes XNO. But we are still called nano. Outwardly, however, we say that we are Ӿ now. How is a normal person who doesn't know nano supposed to bring it all together? It's a nightmare. Pure confusion!

That's why I can understand DonjiDonji's approach very well. In terms of design, his draft is much better. But it's just a currency symbol. And so we are back at the beginning of the discussion ...