How long does a ChangeNOW swap take?

Most swaps complete in 5 to 30 minutes, depending mainly on network congestion and the confirmation speed of the blockchains involved. FloatingRate swaps are generally faster because they lock the rate only for the moment of execution. FixRate swaps reserve a rate for a short window, but if the sending network is delayed, the reservation may expire and the swap can be re-created at a new rate. Very large transactions or busy networks (for example Ethereum during peak demand) can take longer.

A typical ChangeNOW swap is a five-step flow: pick the pair, choose FixRate or FloatingRate, enter the receiving address, send your coins, and wait for the exchange to be forwarded to your address. Most swaps complete in 5–30 minutes depending on network congestion, and the exchange status is trackable in real time on the official site.

Two habits prevent the vast majority of swap problems: always set a change (refund) address, and start with a small test transaction when trying an unfamiliar pair. If a swap fails, the change address is where ChangeNOW returns your funds, so leaving it empty or wrong is the most common user error.

Bottom line

Most swaps complete in 5 to 30 minutes, depending mainly on network congestion and the confirmation speed of the blockchains involved. For the full picture, see the complete ChangeNOW FAQ covering fees, KYC, limits, refunds, supported coins, and more.