# ShapeShift review: KYC policy, privacy and safety grades

> ShapeShift is an aggregator. Its terms put it at KYC level 1 of 4: no ID mentioned. NoKYC Score grades it 7.1/10 for privacy (strong) and 6.2/10 for safety (fair). In its favour: no account needed, no email needed and no phone number. To watch: it passes orders to partner exchanges. No incidents are on record.

Source: NoKYC Score, "ShapeShift review", reviewed 23 Oct 2026, https://nokycscore.com/service/shapeshift

## Key facts
- **Category:** Swap Aggregators
- **KYC level:** 1 of 4: No ID mentioned
- **Grades:** Privacy 7.1/10, Safety 6.2/10
- **Sign-up:** No account needed
- **Custody:** non-custodial
- **Incidents on record:** 0
- **Last reviewed:** 23 Oct 2026
- **Official website:** https://shapeshift.com

## What it is
ShapeShift today is a community-owned, open-source DeFi app run by the ShapeShift DAO, not the former company that required accounts. The app connects to the user's own wallet and routes trades across DEXs and cross-chain protocols such as THORChain and Maya, showing the venue, miner fee and other fees before each trade; fiat on and off ramps are offered through third parties. Its terms of service (dated January 2022) say the platform is fully non-custodial and never takes access to wallets or keys, and contain no identity-verification requirement. The code is public under the MIT licence.

## What the terms say about ID
Terms of service (January 2022) contain no identity-verification requirement; they state the platform "is fully noncustodial". Third-party fiat ramps reached through the app apply their own checks.

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

## Questions
### Does ShapeShift require KYC?
ShapeShift is rated KYC level 1 of 4 on this site: no ID mentioned. Terms of service (January 2022) contain no identity-verification requirement; they state the platform "is fully noncustodial". Third-party fiat ramps reached through the app apply their own checks.

### Is ShapeShift safe to use?
ShapeShift has a Safety grade of 6.2 out of 10 and a Privacy grade of 7.1 out of 10. No incidents are on record. Evidence level: documentation reviewed.

### Is ShapeShift legit?
ShapeShift is a working aggregator. Being real is not the same as being safe: its Safety grade here is 6.2 out of 10, built from custody, liquidity, track record and incidents.

### Is ShapeShift 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 ShapeShift.

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

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

### Which cryptocurrencies does ShapeShift support?
ShapeShift supports BTC, ETH, RUNE, CACAO, ATOM, DOGE, LTC, BCH, SOL.

### Is ShapeShift custodial?
No. ShapeShift is non-custodial: the operator does not control user funds.

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

## Sources
- https://shapeshift.com
- https://app.shapeshift.com/#/legal/terms-of-service
- https://github.com/shapeshift/web

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