Last updated: October 21, 2026
notkyc scores every no-KYC exchange with two sub-scores — Privacy and Trust, each starting at 50 and moved up or down by documented attributes — combined as 60% Privacy + 40% Trust into a 0–100 score and a letter grade from A+ to F; security incidents and failed honesty checks lower Trust, and a "Scam" finding forces an F. Every attribute and its point value is public on the attributes page, and real users' swap reports feed the no-KYC track record. This page explains the method so you can judge any listing yourself.
- 2 sub-scores: Privacy & Trust
- 60/40 weighting
- A+ to F grades
- 30+ exchanges scored
How the score is calculated
- Both sub-scores start at 50.
- Attributes add or subtract points — e.g. "Guaranteed no-KYC" +25 Privacy, "Mandatory KYC" −25 Privacy, "Verified" +10 Trust, "Custodial" −5 Trust.
- Security incidents subtract Trust, scaled by severity and how they were resolved, and fade over time unless marked permanent.
- Each sub-score is capped to the 0–100 range.
- Overall = 60% Privacy + 40% Trust, rounded.
- "Scam" overrides everything — the overall becomes 0 and the grade F.
Grades at a glance
| Overall score | Grade | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | A+ | Excellent |
| 80–89 | A | Very Good |
| 70–79 | B | Good |
| 58–69 | C | Fair |
| 45–57 | D | Weak |
| Below 45, or Scam | F | Avoid |
Examples of attributes and their weight
| Attribute | Category | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed no-KYC | KYC policy | +25 Privacy |
| Mandatory KYC | KYC policy | −25 Privacy |
| Proven no-KYC (last 10 swaps) | KYC policy | +5 Trust, removed automatically if a recent swap asked for KYC |
| No-logs policy | Privacy | +6 Privacy |
| Accepts Monero | Privacy | +5 Privacy |
| Tor / onion service | Privacy | +3 Privacy |
| Logs IP / metadata | Privacy | −4 Privacy |
| Verified | Trust | +10 Trust |
| Non-custodial / Live rates | Trust | +4 Trust each |
| Quoted rates don't match orders | Trust | −10 Trust |
| Scam | Trust | −50 Trust and forced F |
The full list, with descriptions, is on the attributes page.
Where the evidence comes from
- Published policies — terms of service, AML and refund policies.
- Real user reports — accepted only after a real deposit and moderated, so they can't be faked in bulk. Of 56 reports so far, 91% recorded no KYC request. See exchanges ranked by real reports.
- Our own tests — for example comparing API quotes with actual orders, which produced the FAKE RATE flag (how we caught fake rates).
- Incidents — hacks, freezes and exit-scam signals, weighted by severity.
- Official accounts — services can verify ownership via DNS and reply as themselves.
Grade vs tier vs live table
The grade rates privacy and trust. Separately, each listing has a tier — premium, standard or unvetted — reflecting how far we've vetted it. The swap table sorts by the amount you receive, but shows each exchange's grade, marks quotes outside its limits and replaces BEST with FAKE RATE where a service is flagged. Use all three together; for buying decisions, start from most trusted or best for privacy.
Frequently asked questions
How does notkyc rate exchanges?
Each exchange gets a Privacy and a Trust score starting at 50, adjusted by documented attributes and incidents, then combined as 60% Privacy and 40% Trust into a 0–100 score and an A+ to F grade.
Can an exchange pay for a better grade?
No. Grades come only from attributes, incidents, tests and verified user reports. Every attribute and its weight is public.
Why is privacy weighted more than trust?
notkyc is a directory for people who want to swap without identity checks, so privacy is the main criterion; trust still makes up 40% so that unreliable services can't rank highly.
How do security incidents affect the score?
They reduce Trust based on severity and resolution, and the penalty fades over time unless the incident is marked permanent.
How are user reports protected from manipulation?
Reports are accepted only after a real deposit to the exchange and are moderated before they count.
See the method in action: BTC → XMR, all attributes or every exchange. No account, no ID, no logs.