ChangeNow exchanger

Funds withheld after successful KYC; refund obligation under ChangeNOW's own published rules not performed.

ChangeNOW exchange IDs are listed in BestChange, and I couldn't add another five transactions to the "exchange number" field. I'll provide them upon request to BestChange.

Exchange initiation date: May 19, 2026
Direction: ETH BTC
Channel: Atomic Wallet interface (ChangeNOW as swap provider)

1. Facts.
A swap was initiated via the ChangeNOW interface. The deposited funds were received by ChangeNOW; the outgoing leg was not delivered. The transaction was placed on hold by ChangeNOW's automated risk-assessment system. KYC verification was successfully completed via SumSub at the operator's request. After successful KYC, ChangeNOW issued a separate request for a Source of Funds (SoF) procedure, without disclosing specific factual grounds. I have formally refused the SoF procedure, exercising the explicit right granted by the operator's own Terms of Service (Section 3.8.2, paragraph 1) and by the operator's own public FAQ (KYC/AML procedure). I have requested a refund to the original sending address, net of network fees, as the same public rules require.

2. The operator's own published rules.
FAQ KYC/AML procedure (https://changenow.io/faq/kyc-aml-procedure):
"In case a client doesn't wish to disclose their identity for certain reasons and refuses to provide the documents, the KYC/AML procedure is considered failed and the deposited funds are then refunded to the address (or addresses) the deposit was made from, subtracting the network fees, within 24 hours."
Terms of Service, Section 3.8.2, paragraph 1 (https://changenow.io/terms-of-use/changenow-terms):
"The verification time window is 3 days, and the User can refuse to pass the procedure; in that case, the User will be provided with a refund."

3. The narrow exception in paragraph 2 of Section 3.8.2 does not apply on the facts.
The exception in paragraph 2 of Section 3.8.2 reserves the operator's right to freeze a transaction only "if the transaction is suspected of being connected to illegal activities," and contemplates a refund "upon the request provided by the relevant authorized bodies." Applying this exception therefore requires, at a minimum, (a) specific factual grounds for the suspicion, and (b) involvement of a competent authority identified by name and case reference. None of (a)–(b) has been provided in any channel of communication regarding this swap.

4. The dispute is not about the AML check itself.
To pre-empt the standard response: the dispute is not whether an AML check may be performed. The dispute is the operator's continued withholding of funds after (i) a successful primary KYC, (ii) a formal refusal of an additional procedure that the operator's own public rules entitle the user to refuse, and (iii) the expiry of the 24-hour refund window stipulated by the operator's own public FAQ — in the absence of any of the conditions required by paragraph 2 of Section 3.8.2.

5. Specific demand to ChangeNOW.
Within a reasonable period (24-48 hours), the operator is requested to provide one of the following two:
(i) initiation of refund to the original sending address, net of network fees, with the on-chain TxID for verification; or
(ii) written documentation of an official investigation by a competent authority, identifying the authority by name and providing the case reference number.

6. Conditions of complaint withdrawal.
This complaint will be withdrawn immediately upon either (i) confirmed receipt of the refunded funds at the original sending address, or (ii) provision of the documentation in §5(ii) above.

Note for BestChange administration: a parallel financial complaint regarding a different Swap ID is currently active on bestchange.net (re-opened after the operator's unilateral attempt to move it to commenting status without refund and without naming any specific subclause of its own published rules justifying the withholding). The present complaint concerns a separate inhcident under the other Swap ID.

Today i was making exchange 9 eth to btc, Transaction was completed but orders status says waing for deposit
after i contacted support, i was given answer that i need to pass KYC in order to complete exchange
I dont feel comfortable in sending my PII to anyone, thats not how crypto suppose to works. So, based on TOS
https://changenow.io/faq/kyc-aml-procedure
quote:
"In case a client doesn’t wish to disclose their identity for certain reasons and refuses to provide the documents, the KYC/AML procedure is considered failed and the deposited funds are then refunded to the address (or addresses) the deposit was made from, subtracting the network fees, within 24 hours. Then, ChangeNOW reserves the right to blacklist this address (or addresses), thus rendering it (or them) non-eligible for making deposits on the service."

i refused, than support informed me: "(14:37:53) Kate: I'm afraid a refund is not possible at the moment. Our compliance team will need to check this case, a KYC would help with that."

is this a ***? why changenow bending its own rules? i was making exchange through atomic wallet, never even was informed that money being sent to service that can do such things like making rules on the fly

i have support ticket and order number if needed. just want to bring attention to this horrible issue, perhaps you will never see your money again if using them!

The additional deposit to same deposit address (linked exchange) was not processed and not paid out to me. It's been 5 days since I've reported my issue and I'm waiting for their "technical department" to update me.

This was a terrible experience. I only used this website's exchange service and made a transaction of 3 XMR to USDT, and they froze my transaction and refused to refund my XMR. Even after I explicitly refused KYC verification, they still didn't process the refund. This is a *** website.

ID:***.

In 2025, I used ChangeNow's service for an exchange and encountered an anti-money laundering check. I fully cooperated with them to complete KYC verification and proof of funds source. However, during the lengthy review process, due to my own mistake, I lost the mnemonic phrase (seed phrase) for the original wallet address. During the review, I had already contacted them to request a change of refund address, but to this day, they still insist that I contact judicial authorities to communicate with them, or obtain an ownership certificate issued by judicial authorities. I have consulted judicial authorities, and they explicitly stated that this matter falls outside their jurisdiction as it does not involve a crime. ChangeNow has completed all checks and confirmed that there are no issues with my funds. During this time, I also contacted our country's central bank and securities regulatory authorities, but they stated that due to different jurisdictions and in accordance with our country's laws and regulations, they are unable to provide assistance. I have sent them screenshots of these explicit rejections, yet they continue to make things difficult for me. Although I have provided my own KYC documents, notarized agreements, and bank statements, are these not sufficient to prove that I am the owner of this address? If KYC verification cannot prove that I am the owner of this address, then what exactly is the purpose of conducting KYC and providing proof of funds source? I have repeatedly stated that I can contact a notary to prove my identity and confirm that it was me who performed the KYC verification on their website. They have previously mentioned that they have no objection to my identity information or the ownership of the original address. Combined with their company's terms of service, this indicates that they acknowledge the original address and confirm that I am the owner of that address. However, the current problem is that the original address is inaccessible, and they are unable to verify whether it is indeed me requesting the change of refund address. Therefore, I propose to have my identity notarized. Combined with the information they already possess, this would indirectly prove that I am the owner of that address and that I am the one requesting the change of refund address. The certificate issued by a notary holds a certain legal status. I have run out of options; I have pursued all available legal avenues in my country, and the results have been the same. Therefore, I am asking BestChange to help mediate this communication. I believe a notary can certify my identity, and their KYC system retains my KYC documents. If the notary's certificate can prove my identity and matches the documents they have on file, then it would directly prove that I am the one requesting the change of refund address.

I have used ChangeNOW multiple times in the past with no issues — exchanges completed quickly without any KYC or holds.

This time, my transaction was flagged by the automated risk system. I fully cooperated: successfully completed KYC verification (received confirmation) and provided all requested Source of Funds documentation.

However, it has now been 8+ days since successful KYC completion and full document submission, with only generic replies like "we are reviewing" and no updates on status, timeline, or next steps. The funds remain on hold, causing ongoing financial inconvenience due to market conditions.

This indefinite delay after full compliance contradicts the published policies and reasonable expectations for a service operating in 2026 with advanced automated tools available.

I kindly request immediate resolution: either complete the exchange at a fair/current rate or issue a refund to the original deposit address (minus only network fees) as an alternative, in line with your procedures for reviewed cases.

I prefer a positive resolution and would appreciate a prompt update in this thread or via support ticket. If no progress, I will continue sharing this experience on relevant platforms (BestChange, Reddit, facebook threads about ChangeNOW holds, etc.) to seek community/regulatory advice.

Thank you for your attention and swift action.

I have been using this service for a long time, and like many other users, judging by the latest negative reviews, I encountered an unreasonable AML check, passed 4 checks and provided proof of funds, but this is still not enough for technical support. My request for a refund within the first 24-48 hours was also denied. Please look into this. Ryan and Tony responded to my technical support request.

I made two transactions using the Exodus wallet and the *** website. Both wallets automatically use this exchanger for exchanges.
To be honest, the exchanger wasn't specified when making the exchange; they told me this later, after I'd been waiting for my transaction for 24 hours.

I made both exchanges from ADA to ETH from the same address, and both were frozen by this exchanger for AML verification.
I contacted ChangeNow support, and they asked me to undergo AML verification, which was successfully completed.
Currently, they haven't specified any deadlines and are talking about their "investigation," which, as I understand it, could take an unlimited amount of time. Please look into my situation and return all funds to the wallet from which the transactions were made. Thank you.

Order number:
ec02813358eafa (4.873.18 ADA)
fbf3e2d8bfef14 (500 ADA)
Support number:
***

On bestchange price 1 btc 90 012 USDT
the transaction was conducted at 109 000 USDT
I lost $1,200 during the exchange.

I made an exchange on December 27, 20205 last year, but the exchange was not completed. They requested a KUS and documents. The KUS was approved. I sent everything.
I still haven't received my money. So far, I have a very negative impression of this exchange. +
I did an AML check on my transfer — there are no risks.

Hello, this seems very weird, but i can't being silent anymore. it started from SOF, finished i want to get a refund a while changenow is pushing me to finish transaction (1 btc difference for them), trying to SE me. i never accepted the transaction to go thru, while their support actually trying to socially engineer the customer where i NEVER AGREED to transaction goes thru and want to get a FULL REFUND of SAME AMOUNT I SEND YOU. however, people are not care and said to me that their "deeply investigation" can't refund me same amount but only can "finish it" on their side, leaving me losing 1 btc for fun because they want to make money for theirselves as team before christmas. actual disgusting. i didn't violated any rules and passed AML things, but they keep SE'ing me saying they cant help at all. and now when i tried to text them, they added me in their email blocklist.

On June 6, 2025, I made a transaction in this exchanger to exchange 0.18btc for 56.9974136 XMR, as a result of which KYC arrived, it is unclear why, they do not give any clear answer in support, as well as in letters to the mail. Here is the hash of the transaction 7c2cb0e781578a53e1eb6a3c86a7589d939543ce7fb28649860de88ddb6da52e
You can use it to view the recipient and sender.
On June 6, I made a transfer. The amount was 0.18 BTC. I don't see any obvious reasons to require KYC, and support doesn't say anything about it. I demand either a refund or the end of the transaction.

Hi everyone,

I’m sharing my experience with ChangeNOW, hoping someone can give me advice or point me in the right direction.

On August 18, 2025, I made an exchange through ChangeNOW for 18,000 USDT.
Shortly after the transaction began, it was automatically stopped for “AML/KYC verification.”

I immediately sent all requested documents — identification, contracts, and proof that the funds came from a legitimate investment in my real-estate tech startup.
Despite full cooperation, the verification links they sent me didn’t work (twice), and since then my funds have been completely frozen.

For over two months now, I’ve been talking with their “Compliance Department” — mostly people named James, Christina, and Monica — and all the replies are identical:

“The investigation is ongoing. We cannot provide details. Please be patient.”

It’s now November 2025 — over 70 days later — and nothing has changed.
No updates, no transparency, no proof of any real investigation, and no timeline for resolution.

I’ve done everything right and cooperated in every way possible, but I’m being left completely in the dark.
This situation has caused serious harm — not just financially, but personally.
These funds were meant to keep my company running and pay urgent commitments.

At this point, I just need my refund so I can move forward with my life and keep my business alive.

If anyone has been through something similar or knows how to escalate this — maybe through regulators — please, share your advice.

I’m not looking for conflict, just a fair resolution and the return of my funds.

Benjamin was greatly helpful in moving along a transaction with Changenow where I made a mistake.

I had an extremely disappointing experience with ChangeNOW, the exchange service integrated in the Exodus wallet.

I used Exodus to swap BTC to USDT, and the transaction was automatically processed through ChangeNOW (their third-party partner). Everything seemed fine until my exchange was suddenly stopped for KYC verification — even though I was using my personal wallet.

I submitted all required KYC documents twice, but both attempts failed. After that, I decided I no longer wanted to continue and requested a refund. According to ChangeNOW’s own Terms of Use, if a user refuses to pass KYC, they will receive a refund to the original address. I quoted their policy multiple times, clearly stating:

“If a User refuses to pass the procedure, the User will be provided with a refund.”

However, despite waiting over five days, their support team kept refusing to refund my BTC and kept delaying with generic answers. This is completely against what they publicly promise on their website.

At this point, ChangeNOW is holding my funds hostage, even though I complied with their requests in good faith. Their communication is slow, unclear, and not transparent.

I strongly advise anyone using Exodus Wallet or any other platform that integrates ChangeNOW to be extremely careful. Once your transaction is stopped for KYC, you risk losing control of your funds, even if you later choose not to complete verification — they might simply keep your money.

This is unacceptable and unethical behavior from a company that claims to offer “non-custodial” services. If you value your crypto and privacy, avoid ChangeNOW at all costs.

I reached out with an issue. I was having with a payment that had not settled and was rejected. After navigating the Trezor Safe 5 suite I was able to send an email to Support who later resolved my issue. They were very quick to respond and walk me through the process. The most difficult thing was finding where to go on the wallet.

I'll try to keep it short and to the point.
There was an exchange from ETH (ERC-20) to USDT (Tron).
The approximate amount was ~$300.
The exchange went to KYC verification, even though AML services show low risk for my ERC-20 address.
Despite my indignation, I passed verification (KYC), but this was not enough for ChangeNOW. They requested detailed information about the origin of the funds, even though I made it clear that this wallet was created to receive funds directly, whether someone sends cryptocurrency from an exchange, directly from a wallet such as Metamask or TrustWallet, or whatever other wallets people use. I'm talking about the fact that it's not always exchange money, I'm not going to bother everyone about every transaction and beg them to provide me with some proof of the legitimacy of their funds, it's unprofessional, to say the least.
I asked a direct question: is there any communication from law enforcement regarding the cryptocurrency I sent you? They said no.
Apparently, ChangeNow decided to play crypto police, you know, those little crypto cops, ahaha.
To sum up, the funds are being held, in my case it's ~300 USDT. When I came here, I saw that the guys here lost more, they can't return 18,000 USDT to the guy, even though he provided all the documents.
I don't know what happened to the service. I used to make transactions from the same wallet, definitely more than 10 transactions in this exchange, and everything was fine. Maybe they sold it or it got hacked. Be careful.

Thanks for support!

Changenow customer for years, completing 25+ swaps and over $3M in total volume without any issue. Unfortunately, my latest experience was a nightmare.

On August 11, 2025, I initiated four ETH -> USDT swaps. All were frozen for “compliance review.” I immediately provided every document requested, yet for days I only received generic, automated replies. No real communication, no progress, just excuses.

In the end, I had to involve ***, who finally got a response from changenow and pushed them to drop the vague AML excuse. Only then did Simpleswap refund my transactions.

Final outcome: I did get my refund, but the process was stressful, unprofessional, and way too slow for a company I’ve trusted with millions in volume. Customers deserve better than being left in limbo for days with no answers.

Regardless the KYC and AML delay changenow is one of the best platforms out there for exchange, it's fast and user friendly. I hope they work on the AML part and all 5 stars.

I've used Changenow for a long time and have completed over 10 swaps worth more than $250k in total. Two weeks ago, I MADE a YES to ETH swap through my Exodus wallet. Althrough the transaction showed as successful, I never received my ETH. When I contacted Changenow support, they request kyc verification which I completed but my $160,000 worth of fund were remain hold.
After several follow's ups with no response. ***, and fortunately, Changenow finally replied and agreed to issue a refund.

I received $155k out of $160k. This entire experience was stressful and disappointing.
While I eventually got most of my funds back, I personally do not recommend using Changenow.

I still haven't received my crypt to my wallet. It's been 30 minutes. The status hasn't changed yet.

Very responsive and understanding customer service. Thank you very much for your professionalism.

A Bitcoin-to-USDT exchange was carried out. The payout under the request differs from the declared amount by 1.395 USDT.

The transaction confirmation took 18 minutes — during this time the Bitcoin price was only increasing, which can be verified through open sources such as Binance.

While attempting to resolve the situation, the support agent deliberately tried to mislead me by showing a price chart allegedly indicating a decline. However, the chart was taken from the period 06:15 to 08:00 UTC, whereas according to the service itself, the exchange took place between 09:28 UTC and 09:58 UTC.

Thus, the client (me) was provided with false information about the market situation.

Screenshots of the correspondence with support have been saved and can be provided. I can also provide the transaction hash, confirmation time, and market data at the moment of the exchange.

I hereby request that the administration take measures against the exchange service for deliberately attempting to deceive the client by providing false information about market prices.

I paid for the transfer. The timer is over. The timer for 10 minutes is complete nonsense. But I have 3 confirmations of the network. Support says that you need to understand this issue. Why is it impossible to execute an application for the current course? This is a problem. The service is terrible.

My transaction was initially blocked by the automated verification system, so I reached out to the support team for assistance. They responded promptly and resolved the issue within an hour. I'm very satisfied with their efficient and helpful service.

Good afternoon. I'd like to share my experience with Changenow. As usual, I exchanged BTC, a small amount of $3,500, and they blocked it. I wrote to them, and they wanted to see my passport, my face, and my bank accounts. I think this is a travesty. I decided to review their rules and learned that the client has three days to initiate a refund, but they're not letting me do so. They specifically want to see my documents, arguing that my money is illegal. I decided to check the purity of my funds, and the website showed 12%, which I think is a reasonable percentage. Don't use this exchanger; they're collecting people's data.

It was an issue about a transaction I performed. The help center (Anthony) pursued the case and the issue was solved. Thank you there.

I had a payout that showed unconfirmed in my wallet.
After waiting several hours I contacted support via chat and was told that it showed complete so to contact my wallet for support.
My wallet doesn't have support but it has a community and forums so after reading into it a while I upgraded my wallet, but then the transaction didn't show up at all.
I contacted support via chat again and Kate with ChangeNow joined the chat.
She said she would check into it, and after some time she said that the payout hadn't gone through due to issues in the XMR network.
She asked if they could resend to the same address, which I enthusiastically agreed to.
I'm currently waiting with fingers crossed that I'll soon see the deposit in my wallet.
Thank you so much Kate, for taking the time and having the knowledge to identify and remedy my issue for me!
No deposit yet, but I'm confident you fixed that and we're just waiting for the powers that be to push the send button again!
You truly took my stress related to losing this money away, I'm in your debt!

It has now been 5 full days since I initiated my exchange with ChangeNOW. The status is still stuck, and absolutely nothing has changed.

I have been messaging them everywhere — on Telegram, on their web chat help, and via email. And guess what? No response. No help. Nothing. It’s as if they are deliberately ignoring me. This isn’t support; this is abandonment.

Let’s remember the facts:

Exchange started 5 days ago and stuck since then.

I first tried reaching them 3 days ago — no reply.

I escalated further — still silence.

Today, 5 days later, they are still ignoring every single attempt to get support.

At this point, it feels like they don’t want to help at all. I am completely out of patience. If they cannot process the exchange, then they should at least refund my coins back to the original source address. Keeping my money trapped while hiding behind silence is not just unprofessional — it is downright shady.

Honestly, this experience shows how unreliable and irresponsible ChangeNOW is. I will never ever use ChangeNOW again, and I strongly warn others to be careful. Services like this should not be trusted with anyone’s funds.

ChangeNOW, if you can’t handle exchanges, at least have the decency to refund customers instead of pretending they don’t exist.

Be careful! This exchange service *** 0.18 btc from me! Always read the comments about exchangers below, so as not to get into my situation!

Just took my money and then said they have a bug in the system. ***.
Do not recommend at all. And support stopped to respond so my eth is just frozen with *** developers from changenow who can't debug their system enough.

Support are just ignoring me. They took my money and have some technical problems.

Dont use this exchange i already lost money for you.