FixedFloat vs ChangeNOW: head-to-head

Based on public documentation and reviews as of September 2026 — not hands-on testing. Estimates are marked as estimates. Not financial advice.

Our ChangeNOW links are referral links (we may earn 0.4% of referred trades at no cost to you); FixedFloat links are plain official links. Disclosure.

The short version

ChangeNOW is the longer-running, never-hacked option with broader pair support and fuzzier fees. FixedFloat publishes the clearest fees in the business (1% fixed / 0.5% floating) but carries the baggage of two major 2024 hacks — and it doesn't serve US users. Neither requires an account for standard swaps.

Head-to-head table

FixedFloat vs ChangeNOW (Sept 2026)
Factor	ChangeNOW	FixedFloat
Stated fee	~0.5–4% baked into rate (estimate) + network fees	1% fixed-rate / 0.5% floating-rate + network fees shown in quote
Fee transparency	Low — margin hidden in the quote	High — flat percentages published
KYC for standard swaps	None; AML triggers rare (~0.5%, estimate)	None; triggers rare but strict when they happen
Fixed-rate lock	~20 minutes	10 minutes
Minimum swap	~$2 equivalent	~$1 equivalent
XMR support	Both directions	Both directions
US users	Available	Not available
Operating since	2017	2018 (Estonian FIU licensed)
Security history	No major incidents reported	Hacked twice in 2024 (~$26.1M + ~$2.8M); rebuilt, now on ff.io
Reputation	Trustpilot 4.5/5, 13,000+ reviews (2026 sources)	Trustpilot 4.9/5 is pre-hack and dated; current unverified. Swapzone 3.7/5 (91 reviews).
Affiliate program	0.4% of referred swaps, paid in BTC; min payout 0.002 BTC or $100 (official pages differ)	40% of FF's income from referrals; min payout 0.001 BTC; approved within 3 days

Fees: transparency vs simplicity

This is the clearest dividing line. FixedFloat tells you exactly what it charges — 1% or 0.5% depending on rate type — so you can compute your cost before committing. ChangeNOW folds its margin into the quoted rate: simpler to read, impossible to audit. In practice, a FixedFloat floating swap at 0.5% will often beat ChangeNOW's estimated 0.5–4% range (estimate) — but "often" isn't "always," because the real margin depends on the pair and market conditions. Compare final quotes, not headline percentages.

KYC strictness

Both let you swap without registering, and both run automated AML screening that can rarely demand ID. The difference is temperament: ChangeNOW's triggers are described as rare across third-party sources, while FixedFloat is known to be strict when a review does trigger — and it excludes US users entirely. If you're in the US, this comparison ends here: ChangeNOW.

The 2024 hacks, disclosed honestly

This matters. FixedFloat lost approximately $26.1M and then $2.8M in two separate 2024 breaches. It rebuilt its infrastructure afterward and migrated from fixedfloat.com to ff.io — always use ff.io; the old domain should be treated as untrusted. No comparable incidents are reported for ChangeNOW.

Does the rebuild redeem it? That's your call. Arguments for giving it a second chance: the transparent fee schedule, the Estonian FIU license, and continued operation since the rebuild. Arguments against: two breaches in one year is a serious track record, and trust is the entire product for a non-custodial swap service. We list FixedFloat because its fees and terms are genuinely competitive — not because the history doesn't count.

Who each suits

Choose ChangeNOW if…

You're in the US (FixedFloat won't serve you)
You want the longest clean security record of the two
You value broad pair support and a ~20-minute fixed-rate lock
You're a beginner who wants the simplest flow

Choose FixedFloat if…

You want itemized, predictable fees (1% / 0.5%)
You're comfortable with the post-2024 rebuild
You're outside the US and swap regularly enough for the fee difference to matter

Try ChangeNOW Visit FixedFloat (ff.io)

ChangeNOW link is a referral link (we may earn 0.4% of referred trades at no cost to you); the FixedFloat link is a plain official link. Disclosure.