# Changelly review: KYC policy, privacy and safety grades

> Changelly is a swap service operating since 2015. Its terms put it at KYC level 3 of 4: ID on risk flag. NoKYC Score grades it 1.7/10 for privacy (poor) and 4.4/10 for safety (caution). In its favour: accepts Monero and 5+ years operating. To watch: it may ask for ID, screens deposits and passes orders to partner exchanges. No incidents are on record.

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

## Key facts
- **Category:** Instant Swaps
- **KYC level:** 3 of 4: ID on risk flag
- **Grades:** Privacy 1.7/10, Safety 4.4/10
- **Sign-up:** Email required
- **Custody:** custodial
- **Fees:** 0.25% of the output amount on floating-rate swaps (per terms); fixed-rate fee built into the quoted rate
- **Incidents on record:** 0
- **Last reviewed:** 22 Oct 2026
- **Official website:** https://changelly.com

## What it is
Changelly is an instant crypto exchange operating since 2015 that also lists third-party fiat providers for buying and selling crypto. Its terms say exchanges are processed through a third-party exchange service, that a Changelly account with a verified email is required, and that users agree to pass AML/KYC procedures under its internal policy. The AML/KYC policy states that a transaction flagged as suspicious by the risk scoring system is put on hold and the customer is asked for name, date of birth, address and a government-issued photo ID. The terms exclude residents of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and several other countries.

## What the terms say about ID
AML/KYC policy: when a transaction is "spotted by our risk scoring system as suspicious, the transaction will be put on hold" and identification information including a government-issued ID is collected.

## Features and warnings
- **Identity:** ID never required: no; No account needed: no; No email needed: no; No phone number: not stated
- **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: yes; Passes orders to partners: yes; Holds your funds: yes; Email required: yes; Phone number required: not in terms; Closed source: yes; Nobody accountable: not in terms

## Questions
### Does Changelly require KYC?
Changelly is rated KYC level 3 of 4 on this site: ID on risk flag. AML/KYC policy: when a transaction is "spotted by our risk scoring system as suspicious, the transaction will be put on hold" and identification information including a government-issued ID is collected.

### Is Changelly safe to use?
Changelly has a Safety grade of 4.4 out of 10 and a Privacy grade of 1.7 out of 10. No incidents are on record. Evidence level: documentation reviewed.

### Is Changelly legit?
Changelly is a working swap service that has operated since 2015. Being real is not the same as being safe: its Safety grade here is 4.4 out of 10, built from custody, liquidity, track record and incidents.

### Is Changelly a scam?
NoKYC Score does not label services as scams; it records documented incidents with their sources and outcomes. No incidents are on record for Changelly. Its terms also allow it to hold a flagged deposit and ask for identity documents.

### Do I need an account or email to use Changelly?
Email required.

### What fees does Changelly charge?
0.25% of the output amount on floating-rate swaps (per terms); fixed-rate fee built into the quoted rate. Fees were recorded from Changelly's own pages and can change; check before you send.

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

### Which cryptocurrencies does Changelly support?
Changelly supports BTC, ETH, XMR, LTC, SOL, XRP, TRX, USDT, and fiat payments in USD, EUR.

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

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

## Sources
- https://changelly.com
- https://changelly.com/terms-of-use
- https://changelly.com/aml-kyc
- https://changelly.com/about
- https://changelly.com/privacy-policy

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