What Is ShapeShift?
ShapeShift is a borderless, cross-chain crypto trading platform and portfolio manager for user self-sovereignty. The platform enables users to buy, send, receive, swap, and manage assets via mobile interface or web platform, and lets them choose to use a range of software or hardware wallets, including ShapeShift native, Portis, KeepKey, Trezor, and Ledger.
ShapeShift is a 100% self-custody platform, meaning the user always controls their keys. ShapeShift does not collect personal information and adds no trading fees. The project’s governance and utility token, FOX, granted on all trades, makes trading more competitively priced than going directly to DEXs.
ShapeShift was founded in 2014, originally as a privately held company based in Switzerland. However, in June 2021, the organization announced that it was becoming a fully decentralized project, open sourcing all of its source code and turning ownership and governance over to the community of FOX Token holders. It’s founder, Bitcoin pioneer Erik Voorhees, stated this decentralized model “is the only way to maintain user sovereignty.”