Over the past decade, the cryptocurrency industry has evolved from a niche market to a key piece of the international economy. Driving this change has been a steady process of global adoption as more and more people realize the opportunities that this technology offers them. Current estimates have the number of cryptocurrency users to be over 850 million, a jump of over 200 million from 2023’s estimates of about 580 million. While there have been opportunities since crypto was launched, they have never been more accessible to average users than they are now.
Crypto exchanges have played a vital role in the industry’s increasing accessibility, breaking down walls and opening up new levels of financial freedom for individuals and businesses all over the world. In this article, we are going to take a look at one of the biggest crypto exchanges on the market, ChangeNOW, and the recent changes it has implemented in an effort to further increase accessibility and spur on mainstream crypto adoption.
ChangeNOW overview
ChangeNOW opened its doors back in 2017 with the vision of becoming the go-to cryptocurrency exchange for everyone, regardless of their technical proficiency or crypto knowledge. Unlike many of the major exchanges that have since risen to prominence, ChangeNOW is a non-custodial exchange, meaning that it does not control user assets and protects user data. This is due to the exchange’s commitment to the original principles behind the development of cryptocurrency technology, which envisioned it as a means of restoring balance back to finance and protecting users and their privacy.
Since 2017, ChangeNOW has grown into one of the biggest crypto exchanges on the market with a massive user base. This rise can be attributed to the platform’s ease of use, speed, low fees and wide selection of supported digital assets. ChangeNOW only employs KYC measures in cases where there is a clear risk of illegal activity, making it an attractive option for those looking to make crypto transactions without having to deal with the hassles that they have to on other exchanges.
New, enterprise-grade developments
Over the past few months, ChangeNOW has introduced a number of enterprise-grade developments that highlight the exchange’s commitment to increasing accessibility and accelerating massive crypto adoption.
These changes have come at one of the most fascinating times in the development of the cryptocurrency industry. After experiencing remarkable periods of growth and weathering multiple storms, there is a general consensus that digital finance is not only here to stay, but will continue to emerge as one of the central players in modern finance.
As such, demand for digital assets only continues to grow, and the current wave of crypto adoption has been fueled in part by the emergence of enterprise-grade services that open up access and provide solutions that can meet that demand. By rolling out these new features, ChangeNOW has repositioned itself as a leader at the forefront of crypto adoption.
Fiat conversion in the Exchange API
Perhaps the most significant new feature that the exchange has introduced recently has been fiat conversion. Now, the ChangeNOW’s Exchange API, which features fit endpoints, allows individual users and businesses to seamlessly convert over 40 fiat currencies into any of the platform’s 1000+ supported cryptocurrencies, all at the lowest fees on the market.
This development is key on two fronts. Now, users will be able to enjoy easy swaps from fiat to crypto and vice versa, without having to deal with the hassle of using intermediaries for conversions. The fiat conversion feature offers them a direct and easy solution, which, paired with the exchange’s low transaction fees, completely changes its dynamic.
Additionally, these APIs are available for business integrations, which opens up huge doors for businesses looking to introduce fiat-crypto on-ramps. Now, businesses that choose to employ ChangeNOW APIs not only get an easy-to-use exchange component, but they can also offer their users fiat-to-crypto conversions and access a vast array of cryptocurrencies. This integration has the potential to significantly increase cryptocurrency adoption, as it comes as demand is at an all-time high and more and more users are looking for simple and cost-effective ways of acquiring and swapping digital assets.
New assets, custody option
Beyond its fiat conversion breakthrough, ChangeNOW has also made moves to introduce a wide array of new assets as well as a custody option aimed at making using the exchange more advantageous and convenient than ever. Recently, the exchange has introduced over 30 new tokens and coins, including popular assets like TON USDT, the version of the Tether stablecoin launched on the Telegram Open Network; COREUM, the native token of the highly scalable and security-oriented Coreum enterprise blockchain; and ZANO, the native token of the privacy-focused Zano Project blockchain for both users and businesses.
Alongside the new offerings, ChangeNOW has launched a new custodial feature called ‘NOW Custody’ that allows users to take advantage of the platform’s secure cold storage while making transactions quicker than ever. Users who opt for the custodial option are able to make instant swaps on the exchange with all of the platform’s 1000+ supported assets. This makes the process of depositing and withdrawing assets much simpler and is ideal for users who are looking for convenience in their crypto experience without sacrificing their security.
Moreover, NOW Custody’s advanced security, coupled with limitless access to blockchain operations, makes it an ideal option for businesses like neobanks, online payment platforms and lending platforms looking to integrate crypto.
Long-standing ChangeNOW features
These new developments have bolstered ChangeNOW’s standing as a user-first crypto exchange, adding to its already impressive list of offerings, which includes:
Limitless exchanges
Exchanges on ChangeNOW start at around $2 and there are no ceilings for users in terms of how much they want to swap. This exchange feature is paired with safeguards from the platform’s support team, which ensure that even if a user makes a transaction without selecting the right network or right coin, their transaction will still go through. The ChangeNOW support team has a 99% success rate of processing user errors.
Fast crypto transactions
As a major crypto exchange, ChangeNOW has made a name for itself by providing users with the opportunity to exchange, buy and sell a wide variety of digital assets. ChangeNOW currently supports over 1,000,000 cryptocurrency pairs, a list that includes both the major coins and lesser-known tokens.
ChangeNOW’s exchange features are underpinned by some of the industry’s fastest transaction times. The average transaction time on the platform is 5 minutes, which is highly competitive for a non-custodial exchange of its size and users can track their transactions easily in real-time.
Fees
The transaction speeds are paired with some of the lowest fees in the industry, providing ChangeNOW users with the potential for higher payouts. There is a no hidden fee policy, meaning that a user is always informed of what they have to pay, and users also have the opportunity to use NOW, the exchange’s native token, to unlock exclusive, low fees.
Permanent exchange address
ChangeNOW offers users permanent exchanges, allowing them to further automate their financial operations. The exchange will save your address for specific exchange pairs once you have selected your preferred pair, saving you time on your swaps and making it easier to top up your balance, receive regular crypto payments, integrate your web3 wallet and more.
Non-custodial access & security efforts
ChangeNOW is a non-custodial exchange and, as such, has no KYC requirements for using its services. Despite this, in order to ensure user safety, the platform does have formidable security measures to prevent risk exposure. These include KYC requirements for rare cases of suspicious activity and rigorous AML checks that have already helped the exchange recover over $19 million in fraud losses.
Cross-chain swaps
ChangeNOW has a seamless cross-chain swap feature that is perfect for dApps and DeFi projects looking to integrate transactions across different blockchains for their platform. By using ChangeNOW’s turnkey solution, developers can save lots of time and money while still being able to customize the service to best fit their needs. With the service comes access to all the assets supported by the ChangeNOW exchange along with fiat on-ramps and much more.
ChangeNOW Pro
The ChangeNOW Pro platform lets users create free accounts and unlock exclusive benefits. These include cashback on transactions, lower fees for off-chain swaps, free AML address checks and more. Additionally, with ChangeNOW Pro, users can store their assets directly on the exchange platform and withdraw them whenever they want, without having to top up their balance, which allows them to capitalize on market movements.
Crypto loans
For users looking for liquidity for business ventures or personal needs, ChangeNOW offers the opportunity to leverage their crypto assets for instant loans, without having to do a credit check. Loans are offered at transparent and stable APRs with no monthly interest payments and customizable loan terms.
Mobile app & wallet
ChangeNOW is available on desktop via changenow.io and also as a standalone app in the AppStore, on Google Play and for all Android devices. With the app, users can enjoy everything the exchange has to offer anywhere and anytime, although it lacks some complementary features available on the web version, such as crypto loans.
Additionally, ChangeNOW has launched NOW Wallet, which allows users to safely store, buy, exchange and stake their crypto via a desktop and mobile app. With the wallet, users have access to a wide range of digital assets, including 40+ coins and thousands of tokens across 7 networks, and instant swaps in a user-friendly and convenient interface.
Conclusion — is ChangeNOW safe to use?
Looking at the big picture concerning the cryptocurrency industry, it is clear that we find ourselves at a key moment in its growth. As demand increases and digital assets become an integral part of the global economy, there is a need for services that cater to both businesses and individuals and offer simplicity and convenience.
Alongside this, there are always security concerns for users looking at new services and platforms. ChangeNOW has a very large user base and consistently positive reviews on product trust sites like Trustpilot. Given that, and the customer service offerings on the platform, ChangeNOW is one of the safer exchanges available. Nonetheless, everyone should follow the golden rule of “do your own research” before trusting any service with their funds.
With the introduction of its new features, ChangeNOW has positioned itself as one of the world’s leading exchanges, offering an unmatched user experience that opens up the best opportunities this technology has to offer combined with a simplicity that makes the exchange accessible to everyone. Platforms of this kind will be key to the continued growth and adoption of cryptocurrency around the world.
Disclaimer: The featured image in this guide is for illustrative purposes only and may not accurately reflect the true likeness of the individuals depicted.
