# ChangeHero review: KYC policy, privacy and safety grades

> ChangeHero is a swap service operating since 2018. Its terms put it at KYC level 3 of 4: ID on risk flag. NoKYC Score grades it 3.4/10 for privacy (poor) and 4.0/10 for safety (caution). In its favour: no account needed, no email needed and no phone number. To watch: it may ask for ID, passes orders to partner exchanges and holds your funds while you use it. One incident is on record, the latest from 1 Sep 2026.

Source: NoKYC Score, "ChangeHero review", reviewed 22 Oct 2026, https://nokycscore.com/service/changehero

## Key facts
- **Category:** Instant Swaps
- **KYC level:** 3 of 4: ID on risk flag
- **Grades:** Privacy 3.4/10, Safety 4.0/10
- **Sign-up:** No account needed
- **Custody:** custodial
- **Incidents on record:** 1
- **Last reviewed:** 22 Oct 2026
- **Official website:** https://changehero.io

## What it is
ChangeHero is an instant swap service that has operated since 2018 and is integrated as a liquidity partner by several aggregators. Swaps can be started without creating an account. The official site blocked automated access during this review, so its current terms were not read directly. On that basis the service is treated here as one that may hold funds and request documents after a risk flag.

## What the terms say about ID
Reports logged in September 2026 describe funds released only after identity verification; terms were not read directly.

## Features and warnings
- **Identity:** ID never required: no; No account needed: yes; No email needed: yes; No phone number: yes
- **Payment:** Accepts Monero: yes; Accepts Lightning: not stated
- **Access:** Tor onion address: not stated; Works without JavaScript: not stated
- **Trust:** Never holds your funds: no; Own liquidity: no; Refund without ID: not stated; Open source: no; Independent audit: not stated; Company named: not stated; 5+ years operating: yes
- **Warnings:** May ask for ID: yes; Screens deposits: not in terms; Passes orders to partners: yes; Holds your funds: yes; Email required: not in terms; Phone number required: not in terms; Closed source: yes; Nobody accountable: not in terms

## Incidents on record
- 1 Sep 2026: Reported withheld funds; one $94,000 case released after identity verification (outcome: resolved after kyc). Source: https://kycnot.me/events

## Questions
### Does ChangeHero require KYC?
ChangeHero is rated KYC level 3 of 4 on this site: ID on risk flag. Reports logged in September 2026 describe funds released only after identity verification; terms were not read directly.

### Is ChangeHero safe to use?
ChangeHero has a Safety grade of 4.0 out of 10 and a Privacy grade of 3.4 out of 10. There is 1 incident on record, listed with sources on this page. Evidence level: documentation reviewed.

### Is ChangeHero legit?
ChangeHero is a working swap service that has operated since 2018. Being real is not the same as being safe: its Safety grade here is 4.0 out of 10, built from custody, liquidity, track record and incidents.

### Is ChangeHero a scam?
NoKYC Score does not label services as scams; it records documented incidents with their sources and outcomes. ChangeHero has 1 incident on record, all resolved, the latest: "Reported withheld funds; one $94,000 case released after identity verification". Each is listed on this page with its source. Its terms also allow it to hold a flagged deposit and ask for identity documents.

### Do I need an account or email to use ChangeHero?
No account needed.

### Does ChangeHero have a Tor onion address?
No official onion address was found on ChangeHero's own pages.

### Which cryptocurrencies does ChangeHero support?
ChangeHero supports BTC, ETH, XMR, USDT, LTC.

### Is ChangeHero custodial?
Yes. ChangeHero holds funds during a trade, which means it is able to delay or freeze them.

### Can I use ChangeHero over Tor?
ChangeHero does not publish an official onion address.

## Sources
- https://kycnot.me/events
- https://changehero.io

How grades are calculated: https://nokycscore.com/methodology