Frequently asked questions.

Whether you've run into problems or you're curious to learn more, you're in the right place.

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Questions about Invity

Some basic info about us. To learn even more about who we are and what we believe, visit our about us page.

Invity is a cryptocurrency exchange curator: we bring all the services of different crypto exchanges together in one place. This saves you from wasting time searching the web for the best exchange rates, the lowest fees, and the shortest transfer times. And forget about suspicious exchanges that could put your privacy and finances at risk—we work only with verified partners.

But Invity's straightforward user interface isn't just meant to simplify your hunt for the best trading conditions. It's intentionally designed to be nontechnical enough to allow anyone to buy, exchange, sell, or save crypto with just a few clicks. No need to be a geek, no need to have been involved with digital currencies since the beginning—we believe crypto is for everyone.

So what exactly is Invity? We're a trustworthy, user-friendly one-stop shop for all your crypto needs.
Invity doesn't simply include every crypto exchange we can find: we handpick and thoroughly vet each and every exchange partner included on our site. Working off the high quality standards we've developed over years of providing our service within the Trezor hardware wallet, we're able to ensure that each exchange is a fully certified financial operator who complies with legal regulations that protect you from malicious activity and damages. This means that Invity's users receive the best services and support alongside the best rates.

But that's not all. Invity's Invest in crypto savings plan and Spend crypto feature make it a truly comprehensive location for anything you want to do with your digital currencies, allowing you to benefit from every part of the cryptocurrency ecosystem through a single site.
We're glad to hear that you're as enthusiastic about spreading Invity's philosophy as we are! We're working on creating an affiliate program with a full sign-up process, terms and conditions, and commission scheme so that this can be a win-win process for all of us. Unfortunately, however, it's not ready quite yet—check back often, and in the meantime keep talking up Invity!
That's exciting news—we're always looking for more partners to expand Invity's offerings. Unfortunately, however, our contact form isn't ready quite yet—check back often!
Invity chooses its partners based on a checklist of qualities that we've developed over years of working as the exclusive buy and exchange partner of the Trezor hardware wallet. While this list is much too long to include here, the main features we are concerned with are a potential partner's good reputation in the crypto community, positive customer experiences, and operations that conform to all necessary legal requirements.

Once we've performed our due diligence, we enter into a contractual relationship with each partner. This allows us to regularly review that they meet our very high KYC and AML standards and that they make these and other policies clear to our customers. The result of this thorough vetting process is a curated list of only the most trustworthy exchange providers that can guarantee problem-free transactions.
KYC stands for "know your customer". This refers to providing some identifying information to the exchange provider, usually a phone number and a copy of an identification document. These pieces of data are intended to keep everyone honest—so that the provider knows they can trust the user and the user knows the provider is doing everything by the book. KYC requirements vary from provider to provider and may depend on the amount you're exchanging, so check this information carefully before proceeding. You can check the KYC requirements of each exchange partner at the bottom of each offer.
AML stands for "anti-money laundering". This refers to laws and other procedures that help prevent criminals from passing off illegally obtained funds as legal ones. In turn, this makes it more difficult to embezzle, traffic illicit goods, finance terrorism, or engage in other unsavory activities. These measures are intended to make the crypto economy a safer and more honest place for every user, and hopefully it can help make the world a better place in general. AML requirements vary widely depending on the location of the exhange provider and the location of the customer, and we've reviewed each partner to make sure they take the necessary AML steps.
We try to live up to the founding principles of cryptocurrencies, meaning, among other things, that we take privacy very seriously. Therefore we try to collect as little data as possible about our visitors. However, we do need to collect some data to make sure our site works as intended and to measure traffic so that we can improve our site experience and continue offering the best crypto tools on the web. This mainly means we use cookies that anonymously measure things like what type of device you're using, which browser you're browsing on, and whether you're a new or returning visitor. We'll only collect your email address if you choose to subscribe to our newsletter (which you should do—there will be lots of good stuff in it!). In all cases, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable rules.

And of course you're always welcome to check out our full privacy policy for the fine details.
Invity is free to use, meaning you can always compare rates from across the web at no charge. Invity does conclude individual revenue sharing agreements with each partner, which generally means that we get a small percentage of the exchange fee charged by a given provider. While the exact amounts vary from transaction to transaction, any fees that may apply are already included in the rate you're offered. We also strive to be as transparent as possible, so you can look over our full schedule of fees in detail.
Coinmap.org is another project run by the Invity team. It focuses on collecting the most up-to-date list of businesses where you can spend your virtual currency in the real world, and it currently has almost 20,000 entries! Browse the heatmap to find Bitcoin businesses around the corner or wherever you'll be taking your next trip. Or if you're a business that accepts crypto or you find one that isn't listed, you can easily add a new listing. Check it out today!

Buying cryptocurrencies

Quick and easy guide to buying crypto.

Buying digital currencies with Invity isn't much different than making an online purchase from Amazon or using your internet banking service, except this time you get to choose both the product and how much you're willing to pay for it. Just keep your security in mind and complete the steps below.

  1. Have your debit or credit card ready. We accept cards issued by Visa and Mastercard, as well as some prepaid cards.
  2. Go to Invity.io and select Buy crypto in the menu at the top of the screen.
  3. Select the fiat currency you want to spend from the If you pay drop-down menu and the cryptocurrency you want to buy from the You'll get drop-down menu.
  4. Enter the amount of money you want to spend in the Amount box. Make sure that the country you live in is selected in the Results for menu—this ensures that we'll only show you purchases you can legally make in your country. Then select Compare and buy.
  5. A safety notice will pop up, since we want the world of crypto to be secure and trustworthy for everyone. Read each statement and check the box to confirm that you understand each safety tip. Then select I understand and want to purchase crypto!
  6. Our algorithm will display the estimated amount of cryptocurrency you'll be able to receive at the end of your exchange. The provider able to complete the purchase is listed to the right of each offer. Note that the rates offered may differ slightly depending on the provider or currency, though each offer already includes all the fees associated with the transaction. Compare the details of each offer carefully, but remember to act quickly, since offers refresh every 30 seconds.
  7. Choose the offer you want to take, then select Get this deal.
  8. Enter the receiving address generated by your cryptocurrency wallet. This is where your cryptocurrency will go once your purchase is complete. Always carefully verify that the address is correct—transactions can't be undone if they're sent to the wrong address. We recommend using the copy and paste function instead of manually typing each character; this reduces the risk of errors. Once you've checked the address, select Next step. If you change your mind about this offer, select I want a different offer to go back.
  9. You'll be shown a summary of your transaction, allowing you to review all the details one last time before you purchase. If everything is correct, select I'm sure I want this deal! If you want to change anything, select Double-check my details to go back.
  10. A secure payment page belonging to the payment provider you chose (Simplex or BTCDirect) will open in a new tab; don't close the Invity tab! Carefully follow the provider's instructions and enter the information they request.
  11. The boxes in the Invity tab will be checked as each step is completed, so you can easily follow along. Once the All done! box is checked, your purchase is complete. Access your wallet to make sure that you see the correct amount of the type of crypto you wanted to end up with.

And there you have it—you've purchased some cryptocurrency! Now that you're familiar with the buy process, you're ready to explore Exchange crypto; using these two features, you can get nearly any digital currency out there. Or you can read our blog to plan your next moves. Have fun!
At the moment Invity supports buying Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Ether (ETH), Ripple XRP (XRP), Stellar (XLM), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and Binance Coin (BNB). These currencies represent the largest userbases, the largest market capitalizations, and a healthy cross section of the different protocols used in the crytpo world—in short, they're the "main" digital currencies. If, however, you want access to a wider variety of altcoins, many more are available through our Exchange crypto feature!
Purchases can be made using most Visa and Mastercard debit or credit cards, bank transfers, or even some viritual or prepaid cards. Invity's partners currently accept payments in most of the world's major currencies—including USD, EUR, CAD, and JPY—as well as many others you may not expect. Check out the full list.
Simplex is one of Invity's partners for buying crypto using a debit or credit card. We like their company because they share our philosophy of bringing the crypto industry into the mainstream, and we like their service because its AI-backed technology is highly secure and easy to use. Visit Simplex to learn more about them.
BTC Direct will soon be one of Invity's buying and selling partners. Once their service is integrated in the summer of 2020, they'll allow you to buy crypto with euros using your debit or credit card or any of a number of local payment options then cash your crypto out whenever you want. We like that they have a low minimum purchase amount of EUR 30 and that their rates and fees differ depending on the amount of crypto you're buying and the method you're using to purchase it—allowing you to fine-tune your choices to get the best rate. Visit BTCDirect to learn more about them.
You'll want to get this sorted out straight away, since you'll need a wallet to buy crypto or make exchanges. Just as importantly, the wallet—more specifically, the type of wallet you choose—affects how well you can keep your funds safe. We'll have a thorough explainer very soon, but in the meantime here's a good overview of what you need to keep in mind when selecting a cryptocurrency wallet. Also keep in mind that some wallets may not support brand-new or highly obscure coins, so check closely that your wallet can handle the crypto you want to use.

For our money, hardware wallets are the safest and most durable way to keep your crypto secure. The Trezor Model T is widely regarded as the industry leader in hardware wallets, and the Ledger Nano X is also a good choice. (Full disclosure: Before offering its services online, Invity's comparison tool was the exclusive partner for buying and exchanging within the Trezor wallet.) If you're still considering making an investment in a hardware wallet, the Blockstream Green and the BlueWallet are both trustworthy, easy-to-use hot wallet choices.
A wallet address is the exact destination to which people send your bitcoin or altcoin. You can think of it like an email address, and like an email address the information must be exact. In this case, many wallet addresses are also case sensitive, so it's a good idea to always use the copy/paste function when dealing with addresses. However, unlike an email address, a different wallet address should be used to receive each and every new transaction. This is partially for privacy and security reasons, but it also gets to how cryptocurrency systems work—as progressive and changing systems rather than fixed networks. This also means that there is no "return address"—just because you can see the address that sent you your crypto doesn't mean that same address can receive crytpto (if, for example, they sent you too much money). So to keep your funds safe, always provide a new address when you're ready to receive crypto and ask for a new address when you're ready to send crypto!

But don't worry: your addresses are linked to your wallet and making a new address doesn't add any more work for you. Most reputable wallets—whether online, an app, or hardware wallet—generate a new address whenever you're performing a transaction, and most will simply prompt you to do so. However, each wallet is unique, so investigate yours thoroughly to make sure you know how to use this function!
Cryptocurrencies are digital representations of value, and they can function as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, or a store of value. These features are what make digital currencies such useful and flexible (and potentially profitable) tools, but they also make them a bit more complicated and volatile. So it's important to keep some things in mind when entering the world of crypto.

First, values can shift in relation to one another and over time. This means that, like stocks, virtual currencies are subject to market forces—think supply and demand—so a currency that is high in value one day may lose some or even all of that value the next. Even in the short history of crypto, there have been numerous major price fluctuations, flash crashes, and market manipulations, among other things, and it may not always be possible to liquidate, or get out of the market. Furthermore, competition on the market is worldwide, making it essential to have knowledge of these markets and events that may affect them. Experience in trading in general and in trading crypto specifically is also highly recommended.

Second, cryptocurrencies are decentralized and not backed by governments or central banks. In other words, while digital currencies can often be spent like fiat currencies (like the US dollar) and exchanged for these same fiat currencies, digital currencies do not have the same status, protections, controls, or regulations. This means, for example, that if the Bitcoin market gets a little out of control and loses half its value in a few moments, there is no authority that will put on the brakes—it's up to the traders themselves to right the market. Furthermore, if you fall victim to a scam or theft, there's usually very little anyone can do to compensate you. This is why you'll see frequent reminders throughout Invity.io prompting you to be mindful of your security when dealing with crypto. And as always when it comes to money—if something feels fishy, it probably is.

Because of these risks, it's probably not a good idea to start trading crypto using funds taken from retirement savings, loans, emergency funds, or other necessary sources of funds. Instead, transact only with funds that you could survive losing. This is also why we recommend making crypto only one part of a diverse financial portfolio, particularly through our Invest in crypto savings plan.

But this shouldn't scare you off—many thousands of people around the globe participate in this alternative finance ecosystem, and so many thousands of people have an interest in keeping it going securely and with relatively few major shocks. What's more, many national governments have taken notice of the increasing role of digital currencies in the world's economy and have begun to issue advice, and in some places regulations, to help users who want to get involved in crypto. For just some of the advice issued by US authorities, read up on the Consumer Financial Protection Board's Consumer Advisory, the Securities and Exchange Commission's Investor Alert, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Customer Advisory, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's Investor Alert. You should also stay tuned to Invity's blog for information without the jargon regarding crypto safety, crypto markets, tax implications, and other topics you need to know to make the best out of your crypto investments. After all, you're in good hands.

Exchanging cryptocurrencies

What you need to know to get started exchanging with Invity.

Just like buying digital currencies, exchanging them isn't much different than making a purchase from your favorite online retailer or paying a bill online. As always, keep your security in mind and pay close attention to a few extra pieces of information.

  1. Go to Invity.io and select Exchange crypto in the menu at the top of the screen.
  2. Select the cryptocurrency you want to spend from the If you pay drop-down menu and the cryptocurrency you want to receive from the You'll get drop-down menu.
  3. Enter the amount of cryptocurrency you want to spend in the Amount box, then select Compare offers.
  4. Our algorithm will immediately display the estimated amount of the cryptocurrency you'll be able to receive at the end of your exchange. The exchange provider able to complete the trade is listed to the right of each offer. Fixed-rate offers are listed first and floating-rate offers are displayed in a separate table below them; each offer already includes all the fees associated with the transaction. Compare the details of each offer carefully, but remember to act quickly, since offers refresh every 20 seconds.
  5. Choose the offer you want to take, then select Get this deal.
  6. Carefully read the safety tips and check the box when you've completed each one. Then select I'm secure and ready to exchange!
  7. In the box, enter the receiving address generated by your cryptocurrency wallet. This is where your cryptocurrency will go once your exchange is complete. Always carefully verify that the address is correct—transactions can't be undone if they're sent to the wrong address. We recommend using the copy and paste function instead of manually typing each character; this reduces the risk of errors. If your wallet asks you to enter a destination tag, enter that too. Once you've checked the address, select Next step. If you change your mind about this offer, select I want a different offer to go back.
  8. Enter the refund address for your wallet. Your starting funds will return here if the exchange can't be completed. Select I'm sure I want this deal! If you want to review the previous screen, select Double-check my receiving address to go back.
  9. All of the most important data for the exchange has been entered and the exchange provider is ready to make the trade you see on the screen. Make sure the information is correct; if you have any doubts or want to review your information, select Cancel and get new offer; this will cancel the transaction and send you back to the exchange screen. To continue the exchange process, you need to send the starting amount of crypto to the exchange provider. Open your wallet, make sure your wallet can access your device's camera, and scan the QR code; this will fill in the required information in your wallet. Alternatively, follow the instructions specific to your wallet and enter the alphanumeric code when prompted. Once you've sent the correct amount of crytpo to the correct address, select I've sent the [currency].
  10. This is the easy part—you just have to wait for the exchange process to complete on the provider's side. The boxes will be checked as each step is completed, so you can easily follow along. Don't worry, the process may take a few minutes to finalize. If you can help it, don't navigate away from or close this window while the exchange process is taking place—this helps make sure that the process completes without any problems, since you won't be able to come back to this screen once you leave. If the process isn't moving forward or you encounter an error, select Wait, what was I supposed to do? to make sure you've completed each step.
  11. Once the All done! box is checked, your exchange is complete. Access your wallet to make sure that you see the correct amount of the type of crypto you wanted to end up with.

Not too painful, huh? Now that you're familiar with the exchange process, it's a great time to make even more exchanges or read about other cryptocurrencies on our blog—there are plenty more out there!
Fixed rates show you exactly how much you'll end up with at the end of the exchange—the amount won't change between when you select the rate and when your transaction is complete. Floating rates, on the other hand, mean that the final amount you'll get may change slightly due to fluctuations in the market between when you select the rate and when your transaction is complete.

While you're sure to get what's shown in the fixed rate offer (they're also called "guaranteed rates"), they are also usually lower, meaning you won't be able to buy as much crypto. Floating rates, on the other hand, are less certain but often higher, meaning you could end up with more crypto in the end.
The offers you see after entering your information are refreshed every 20 seconds. Yes, this isn't very long, but we always want to be able to show you the most accurate information. Plus, with our easy-to-use interface and explanatory information, it should be easy to understand all the information you need to act fast on the most attractive offers.
These are pieces of information that allow your transactions to be processed properly; essentially they help exchanges make sure the right deposit goes into the right account. They're essential for transactions involving Ripple XRP (XRP), Stellar Lumens (XLM), Monero (XMR), EOS (EOS), Binance Coin (BNB), or NEM (XEM). In these systems, many users typically share a single deposit address, so it's the destination tag that notes which deposit belongs to which user. You can think of the deposit address as a bank's routing number and the destination tag as your individual bank account number. Your destination tag was generated as soon as you started using a wallet for the given currency.

Note that XRP uses the term "destination tag"; Lumens, EOS, and Binance use "memo"; NEM uses "messages"; and Monero uses "payment ID"—but don't worry, they're all essentially the same thing. If you forget to fill in this field as part of a deal that requires this information, your funds will likely be lost and, as with all crypto transactions, can't be recovered. Luckily, these pieces of information are generally easy to find and your wallet will usually remind you to fill in this field. Also be aware that each currency may use a different format: XRP destination tags are usually a number between 6 and 10 digits long, while Monero's payment IDs are 64-character alphanumeric codes.

Investing in cryptocurrencies

How and why you should save for your future with crypto.

At Invity, we think of investing in crypto as an alternative or supplemental form of savings. In other words, you can invest in crypto in the way that makes the most sense according to your goals, income, and other personal details. However, we think that it's best to make regular purchases of digital currencies just as you would make regular deposits into your savings account—this not only gives you a rainy day fund, it also insulates you from volatilities in the cryptocurrency markets. Soon we'll have a step-by-step guide to how to set up a recurring crypto purchase through Invity.

Until then, study how crypto savings could figure in to your personal portfolio. When you use an Invest in crypto savings plan with Invity, you're truly investing in your future!