SideShift review
SideShift is a swap service run by Paradigm Ltd, which operates without storing coins during a shift and does not require an account for transactions. Its automated risk system scrutinizes every transaction, pausing those where the deposit or settlement address has links to illegal activities for human review. Deposits that are seriously flagged must undergo verification before any refund is issued. A fixed shift secures the rate for 15 minutes, inclusive of all fees. Monero is not available. The main site does not serve US users, instead directing them to the distinct SideShift.us interface. In our opinion, SideShift fits users who accept the review process for flagged shifts.
ID only if flagged
SideShift asks for ID only if a payment is flagged, per its own pages.
Choose SideShift if
Who SideShift suits, from the values on this page.
SideShift suits you if
- You want no ID for normal use: SideShift asks only if a payment is flagged.
SideShift might not be the right fit if
- You want a market that can never ask for ID: SideShift can ask if a payment is flagged.
- You want Monero: SideShift does not list it.
- You want Lightning: SideShift does not support it.
What kycnot.me says about SideShift
kycnot.me is an independent directory of services you can use without ID checks. The rating and notes below are its own, not ours.
An ID check or a hold on funds can come up during a transaction, usually through anti-money-laundering screening, limits or partner rules. kycnot.me sorts services into five levels, from 0 (never asks for ID) to 4 (ID is mandatory).
Not accepted: Monero, Lightning, Fiat money, Cash.
Pros kycnot.me lists
- Identity-Free registration
- No registration needed
- Mature service
- Legally registered
Cons kycnot.me lists
- Data Sharing
- KYC required for refund on AML flag
- Transaction monitoring
- Source code is private
Also noted: API available, JavaScript needed, Telegram bot available, Some countries are restricted
Source: the kycnot.me listing. SideShift on kycnot.me (opens in a new tab)
Checked October 22, 2026
Inside SideShift
Screenshots taken November 3, 2026
What you get with SideShift
Yes, no or partly, from our dataPrivacy 1 of 6, 1 partly
- No IDPartlyIf a payment is flagged
- No accountYes
- Tor built inNot statedNot statedSideShift's own pages we checked do not say. This is not the same as no.
- Onion addressNoNone published
- I2P addressNoNone published
- Works without JavaScriptNo
Coins 1 of 4
- BitcoinYes
- MoneroNo
- LightningNo
- ZcashNo
Custody and code 0 of 3, 1 partly
- You hold the keysNo
- Open sourceNot statedNot statedSideShift's own pages we checked do not say, checked Oct 14, 2026. This is not the same as no.
- Address screeningPartlyScreens addresses
When can SideShift ask for your ID?
If a payment is flagged, per SideShift's own pages. Labels come from each provider's terms, never from our guess.
- 1Never, by designNo company holds your order, so nobody can ask
- 2Only if you chooseID only for extras you opt into
- 3If a payment is flaggedSideShift is on this stepNo ID by default; checks when a risk system flags you
- 4Above a limitID once you pass a stated amount
- 5AlwaysID before you trade, deposit or withdraw
If a check comes and you do not pass it
Not acceptable: account suspended, deposit refunded after a holding period
“Deemed not acceptable. The account will be suspended and the deposit refunded to the user after a holding period.”
What triggers a check: Deposit transaction or settle address linked to illegal or malicious activity by third-party risk tools: shift paused for human review; serious flags: verification required before refund; risk-management freeze during an investigation
Refund policy: Automatic: automatic when a refund address is set; flagged: refund after a holding period; verification for serious flags; fixed expired: deposit to an expired fixed shift is refunded
Not stated on SideShift's pages: fee on refusalSideShift's own pages we checked do not say. This is not the same as no.
Checked October 22, 2026
What SideShift costs
| What | SideShift |
|---|---|
| Model | In-rate; network fees estimated and included |
- Trade limits
- BTC ETH: min: 0.00003674 BTC; max: 0.73470012 BTC; max USD: 59,917; USDT TRC20 BTC: min: 39.84 USDT; max: 60000 USDT
- Typical time
- Ethereum chain: average deposit time 1m 57s, average settle time 1m 10s (chains page, live figures)
No-ID limits per trade
2 limits from SideShift's pages| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| BTC to ETH | 0.00003674 BTC to 0.73470012 BTC |
| USDT (TRC20) to BTC | 39.84 USDT to 60000 USDT |
Checked October 22, 2026
What SideShift knows about you
Who sees what during a trade, and who runs it.
During a trade
No ID check does not make a bank payment private.
Network and who runs it
- Governance
- Paradigm Ltd (company)
- Requests from authorities
- Answers requests from authorised law enforcement officials with proof of authority; the legal page explains how they can request customer information
- Warrant canary
- Not published
Checked October 22, 2026
Track record and code
None found.
Incidents
None found
- Regulator warnings
- None found
- Audits
- Not published
- Bug bounty
- Not published
- Support
- Channels: help center chat (Intercom); help center articles; languages: en; es; fr; pt-BR; languages basis: help center languages
- Wallet needed
- Yes: a settle address for the received coins; refunds go to a refund address
Checked October 14, 2026
Community
Discussions about SideShift on Reddit (opens in a new tab) (r/SideShift)
More facts we checked on SideShift
- Coins listed
- Sources disagree
- Networks
- Networks: 48; coins: 202; coin network pairs: 319
- Rate type
- Fixed: rate locked 15 minutes including all fees; expired fixed shifts refund deposits; variable: rate set at deposit; shift valid seven days
- Log retention
- No fixed period: kept as long as reasonably necessary for the service and legal, tax and reporting duties; transaction data kept to meet legal obligations
- Onion address
- Not published
- I2P address
- Not published
SideShift in the US and elsewhere
In the US
US availability: With conditions: only through sideshift.us (East Commonlands Inc., Panama), not for residents of FL, LA, MA, NY; sideshift.ai itself excludes US persons
- Blocks US IPs
- Terms: sideshift.ai excludes US users; US users are pointed to the separate interface sideshift.us
- VPN clause in terms
- No: the US interface terms forbid VPN or other anonymization tools to get around access restrictions
If you are a US person, US sanctions rules apply to you whether or not a service asks for ID.
Outside the US
Where SideShift does not serve
6 places in its terms- United States of America
Cuba
Iran
North Korea- Saint Kitts and Nevis
Syria
Regional rule: Not statedSideShift's own pages we checked do not say. This is not the same as no.
- Site blocks by region
- United States of America; Cuba; Iran; North Korea; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Syria
Where you live and the provider's terms
Many services on this page do not serve every country. Some exclude people because of where they live or their citizenship, not only where they connect from. Read the provider's terms before you send funds. If the terms exclude you, do not use the service, and do not try to get around the restriction, for example with a VPN.
Taxes
A service that does not ask for ID does not change your taxes. In the US, the federal income tax return asks a yes-or-no question about digital assets, and you must report digital asset transactions whether or not they result in a gain or loss. In the UK, you may owe Capital Gains Tax when you sell, swap or spend crypto, and you must keep your own records. Rules in other countries differ.
No KYC is not anonymity
"No KYC" here means the provider says it does not ask for ID in the cases its terms describe. It does not make you anonymous. SideShift's terms say it can ask for ID in these cases: Deposit transaction or settle address linked to illegal or malicious activity by third-party risk tools: shift paused for human review; serious flags: verification required before refund; risk-management freeze during an investigation. Regulated exchanges you send funds from or to may have to collect information about who sends and who receives a crypto transfer. Your tax duties stay the same.
Funds can be held
If a provider asks for more information during a swap or a withdrawal, it may hold your funds until it gets it. Its terms decide what happens next. In the UK, a crypto business that asks for information on a transfer to or from a self-custody wallet, and does not receive it, must not pass the funds on. Read what the provider's terms say before you send. SideShift's terms say that if a check is requested and not completed: not acceptable: account suspended, deposit refunded after a holding period.
Checked October 22, 2026
Instant swaps to compare with SideShift
Other active services in this category from our list. The shield shows each one's ID rule from its own terms.
SideShift side by side
From our privacy data, the same fields for every service| What | SideShift | BitcoinVN | CCE Cash | ChangeHero | Changelly | EasyBit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ID rule | ID only if flagged | ID only if flagged | ID only if flagged | ID only if flagged | ID only if flagged | ID only if flagged |
| Account | None | None | None | None | Not stated | None |
| You hold the keys | No | Not stated | Not stated | No | No | No |
| Monero | No | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Yes | No |
| Lightning | No | Not stated | Not stated | No | No | No |
| Open source | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Checked October 28, 2026
Short answers about SideShift
From the data on this page.
Does SideShift ask for ID?
SideShift asks for ID only if a payment is flagged, per its own pages. There is no account.
How much can you trade on SideShift without ID?
BTC to ETH: 0.00003674 BTC to 0.73470012 BTC; USDT (TRC20) to BTC: 39.84 USDT to 60000 USDT.
Who holds your coins during a SideShift trade?
Held during the swap. Non-custodial.
Can you buy Monero on SideShift?
No. SideShift does not list Monero, per its own pages.
What does SideShift cost?
Model: In-rate; network fees estimated and included.
Who checked this page
Sources, how we read the terms and our process
Sources
- docs.sideshift.ai/api-intro/refunds, for refund policy, checked October 5, 2026
- docs.sideshift.ai/api-intro/shift, for rate type, checked October 22, 2026
- help.sideshift.ai/en, for support, checked October 22, 2026
- help.sideshift.ai/en/articles/6230858-sideshift-ai-s-risk-management-policy, for what triggers a check, what happens if a check fails, address screening, account and wallet needed, checked October 22, 2026
- iosco.org/i-scan, for regulator warnings, checked October 22, 2026
- kycnot.me/service/sideshift-ai, for kycnot.me rating, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai, for onion address, I2P address and coins listed, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai, for JavaScript, checked October 23, 2026
- sideshift.ai/api/v2/coins, for Monero, Zcash and networks, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai/api/v2/coins, for bitcoin and Lightning, checked October 23, 2026
- sideshift.ai/api/v2/pair/btc-bitcoin/eth-ethereum, for no-ID limit and trade limits, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai/api/v2/permissions, for status, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai/chains, for typical time, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai/legal, for ID rule, custody, custody in detail, operator, excluded countries, fees, governance, requests from authorities, warrant canary, audits, bug bounty and site blocks by region, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.ai/privacy, for data collected and log retention, checked October 22, 2026
- sideshift.us/legal, for US availability, blocks US IPs and VPN clause in terms, checked October 22, 2026
How we read the terms
We do not give privacy services a score. We record what each provider's own pages say: when it asks for ID, the limits, who holds your coins and what it costs. Labels come from each provider's terms, never from our guess. How we read the terms
Our process
We take fees, availability, licenses and coin counts from primary sources: SideShift's own fee schedules, terms and help pages, and the public registers kept by regulators. Every value carries the date we last checked it. The values on this page were checked between October 5, 2026 and October 23, 2026.
Not legal or tax advice. This page explains how these services work and what their own terms say. It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by country and change often. Check the rules where you live, or ask a qualified professional, before you use any service listed here.