What ChangeNOW is
Launched in 2017, ChangeNOW is a non-custodial instant swap service: you do not open an account and do not deposit funds, you send one crypto and receive another directly to your own wallet. The listing exceeds 1,500 assets across more than 100 blockchains and there is a fiat option via card. The model eliminates custody risk (the platform never holds users' funds on deposit), but shifts responsibility for the wallet onto the user. The company operates as CHN Group LLC, registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with declared headquarters in the Seychelles (Mahé). The company's public face is Pauline Shangett, Chief Strategy Officer since 2025 after various C-level roles in the group starting in 2018; on leadership ChangeNOW has historically remained reserved and does not publish the name of a CEO. (Verified: September 2026)
Regulation and licences
- MiCA: NO — ChangeNOW does not appear among the CASPs authorised in the ESMA register (September 2026).
- The company is registered offshore (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines / Seychelles). The "no registration" approach coexists with selective AML checks: a small share of transactions (the company indicates around 0.5%) is held for KYC verification after automatic flags.
- Access is already restricted in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
- Since 01/07/2026 crypto exchange services aimed at EU clients require CASP authorisation. An unauthorised service does not offer MiCA protections (safeguards on funds, complaints, supervision): using it means operating outside that perimeter, with the responsibilities that follow. (Verified: September 2026)
Security
Being non-custodial is the main defence: with no user deposits, there is no "vault" to empty, and there are no breaches of user funds. The typical risks are different: transactions held for AML checks (with variable unlocking times) and less favourable rates than an exchange with an order book. (Verified: September 2026)
Alternatives
- ShapeShift — the other veteran of custody-free swaps, today a decentralised interface
- Kraken — for those who want an exchange with a full MiCA licence
- Crypto.com — MiCA via Malta, with app and card
FAQ
- Does ChangeNOW require documents? As a rule no: no registration and no upfront KYC. But a small percentage of transactions (around 0.5% according to the company) is held for AML checks, and in that case documents are needed to unlock the funds.
- Is ChangeNOW legal in the EU? It is not a MiCA-authorised CASP: after 01/07/2026 crypto services aimed at EU clients require that authorisation. Anyone using it does not enjoy the protections of the European regime.
- Does ChangeNOW hold my funds? No: the model is non-custodial, the exchange takes place wallet to wallet. It is its main security argument — and also the reason why responsibility for the keys rests entirely with the user.
Verified sources
- https://cryptobriefing.com/changenow-non-custodial-crypto-execution/
- https://coinpaprika.com/education/changenow-review-non-custodial-instant-crypto-exchange-e
- https://u.today/interviews/strategy-leadership-building-trust-and-growing-ecosystems-big-i
- https://casptracker.eu/
TEAM MEMBERS
LEADERSHIP
HQ OF THE CHANGENOW
Seychelles
CONTACTS OF CHANGENOW
All images, branding and wording are copyright ChangeNOW. All content on this page is used for informational purposes only. Spaziocrypto has no affiliation or relationship with the company mentioned on this page.
