Crypto infrastructure can already keep a large share of technical work out of the user’s way. Swap routing, RPC access, node maintenance and network-specific logic can run in the background while someone opens a wallet, chooses an asset and starts a transaction.
A non-custodial wallet still relies on that infrastructure. The difference is custody. The provider does not hold the user’s private keys, so access to the wallet, recovery and transaction authorization stay with the owner.
ChangeNOW discussed these two parts of the experience during an X Space with Dinara, Content Manager at NOW Wallet, and Mohammad, CBDO at NOWNodes. Dinara spoke about the practical friction around self-custody, while Mohammad covered the infrastructure that wallets, exchanges and dApps depend on.
Inside the NOW ecosystem, those functions are handled by different products. NOW Wallet provides the self-custody interface, ChangeNOW powers non-custodial swaps and NOWNodes provides RPC and node access used by blockchain applications.
RPC access, swap routing and network maintenance run behind the wallet interface. Private-key control, recovery and transaction authorization belong to the self-custody side of the product.
| Part of the Transaction | Where It Happens | NOW Ecosystem Example |
|---|---|---|
| RPC and node access | Infrastructure | NOWNodes |
| Swap routing | Exchange infrastructure | ChangeNOW |
| Network maintenance | Infrastructure | NOWNodes |
| Gas payment UX | Wallet / transaction flow | NOW Wallet GasFree in supported flows |
| Private key control | Self-custody | Wallet owner |
| Recovery | Self-custody | Wallet owner |
| Transaction authorization | Wallet / user authorization | Wallet owner |
| AI agent permissions | User-defined authorization | Wallet owner |
Important Note: Routing, RPC access and network maintenance are infrastructure tasks and can run without direct user involvement. In a non-custodial wallet, key control, recovery and transaction authorization remain the user’s responsibility.
New users often reach custody and recovery questions before they are comfortable making their first serious transaction. They need to understand who controls the wallet, what happens if the seed phrase is lost and which actions cannot be reversed.
“I actually see three main reasons for that. First of all, it’s awareness, because I think many users do not clearly see the difference between a custodial solution and a non-custodial one. The second point is responsibility, because self-custody gives you full control, but at the same time you have to be responsible for your own funds and for keeping your seed phrase safe. Another one is complexity. I think it relates to the whole crypto industry in general, because for newcomers the way crypto operates can still be difficult to understand.” - Dinara, Content Manager at NOW Wallet
Faster settlement only helps after the user is ready to send the transaction. For someone still unsure about recovery, speed is not the first problem to solve.
In-wallet swaps are already standard across many crypto wallets. They save users from moving funds to a centralized exchange, placing a trade there and withdrawing the result back to the wallet.
A manual exchange route may look like this:
wallet → exchange deposit → trade → withdrawal → wallet
With an integrated swap provider, the exchange starts inside the wallet interface. NOW Wallet uses ChangeNOW for this part of the flow.
“Before that, you would have to create the wallet. And if you wanted to swap one asset for another, you would have to go to an exchange, do that and then go back. By building a swap within our ecosystem, we are removing the extra steps, therefore removing extra possibilities to make mistakes. This is exactly what we are here to do, to simplify the crypto experience for our users and make it as smooth as possible.” - Dinara, Content Manager at NOW Wallet
The integration removes the manual deposit, separate trading interface and withdrawal back to the wallet. The swap itself still relies on exchange infrastructure running behind the wallet screen.
Gas can interrupt the transaction for a different reason. A user may already hold the asset they want to move but still lack the native token required for the network fee.
GasFree USDT by NOW Wallet
USDT on TRON is a common case. A regular transfer requires TRX, so someone holding only USDT may have to get TRX before returning to the transaction they originally wanted to make.
“Take gas-free swaps. USDT is one of the most popular stablecoins, and on TRON users normally have to buy TRX first just to pay for the network fees. It is quite convenient for users who urgently need to send an asset but don’t have the gas fee available.” - Dinara, Content Manager at NOW Wallet
For eligible transactions, NOW Wallet GasFree removes the separate TRX requirement from that flow.
A multi-chain wallet compresses very different networks into the same few actions: choose an asset, enter an amount, send or swap. Behind that familiar interface, Ethereum, TRON and every other supported chain still run on their own software, upgrade schedules and performance requirements.
Inside the NOW ecosystem, those jobs are handled by different products. NOW Wallet is the user-facing wallet, ChangeNOW powers the swap and NOWNodes provides blockchain access for applications.
NOW Products Family
The user does not need to know which node returned the balance or which RPC endpoint carried the request. The application still has to reach the right chain, pull current data and keep the connection working when the user taps Send or Swap.
“We build the infrastructure behind blockchain applications. We work behind the scenes and make sure that your dApps, exchanges and wallets work properly. My belief is very simple: the best infrastructure is the one nobody notices.” - Mohammad, CBDO at NOWNodes
The workload grows with every new network. Node software differs, releases arrive on separate schedules and a performance issue on one chain may have nothing to do with another. Even when the wallet gives them the same interface, the networks still have to be monitored and maintained on their own terms.
“We’re no longer supporting just blockchains. We are supporting entire digital economies. Every new chain, every new application and every new business increases the expectations placed on the infrastructure. Different networks have different architectures. They have their own update cycles, their own performance requirements and their own headaches. With every chain, the complexity grows much faster than most users realize.” - Mohammad, CBDO at NOWNodes
Important Note: Adding another chain may look like one more option in a wallet. Behind it comes another node stack, another update cycle and another network that has to stay healthy.
RPC nodes give wallets, exchanges and dApps access to on-chain data and allow them to broadcast signed transactions to a blockchain network.
Top Supported Blockchain RPC Nodes
Most users only notice the RPC layer when something stops working. A balance may freeze, a request may time out or the wallet may fail to reach the selected network.
“The paradox of infrastructure is that the better the infrastructure is, the less people know it exists. Nobody opens Netflix thinking about DNS. Nobody goes to order an Uber wondering where AWS is running from. Nobody sends a payment thinking about the database behind it. Blockchain should become exactly the same. When you start noticing the blockchain, something has probably gone wrong.” - Mohammad, CBDO at NOWNodes
The wallet screen is where the failure shows up, even if the cause sits deeper in the stack. For the user, a stale balance or failed network request is still a product problem.
AI can produce API requests much faster than a developer working through them manually. For a node provider, the obvious question is: what happens when software starts sending requests at that speed?
NOWNodes has already implemented MCP servers for AI-assisted development, giving compatible tools access to blockchain API documentation, methods and request parameters.
“At least for NOWNodes, I can say that we are ready for AI. We have implemented MCP servers. If we are talking about the amount of requests that can be made, AI is way faster than a human, so infrastructure has to be ready for that kind of usage.” - Mohammad, CBDO at NOWNodes
More AI activity did not always mean more infrastructure traffic. In some NOWNodes partner workflows, AI produced more accurate requests and reduced unnecessary calls.
Once an AI agent can act through a wallet, permissions matter. The owner has to define what the agent can spend, which actions it can perform and when approval is required.
“A wallet for an AI agent shouldn’t even look like a regular wallet for people. It needs to be programmable, it needs to have certain limits and also permissions to operate on behalf of the user. I think AI will become a smart assistant that can help optimize transactions, recurring payments and other operations.” - Dinara, Content Manager at NOW Wallet
Authorizing a $20 monthly payment to one address is a limited permission. Letting the agent move any amount to any address gives it far more control and requires a different level of authorization.
Crypto infrastructure already removes a lot of manual work from a routine wallet transaction. A user does not need to choose an RPC endpoint, run a node or move funds to a centralized exchange just to make a swap.
In a non-custodial wallet, private keys remain with the user. Recovery and transaction authorization therefore become part of the user experience in a way RPC routing or node maintenance never do.
A person may never know which node returned a balance. They do need to know what restores access to the wallet and what exactly they are approving when funds move.
“If we are talking about whether we are ready for the next billion users, I think the question is not only about whether the technology is ready. It is more about user perception. Are people ready to switch from traditional payments and traditional applications to new ones that offer more seamless, cheaper and sometimes faster services? From our side, we are definitely ready. From the user side, we are helping them by providing valuable resources so they can make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right financial provider.” - Dinara, Content Manager at NOW Wallet
RPC routing, node maintenance and swap execution can stay with the services operating them. The wallet only needs to surface those systems when a failure affects the transaction.
Recovery and authorization can be simplified, but users still need clear answers to two questions: how do I regain access, and who can move my funds?
For mass adoption, routine transactions should not require knowledge of node architecture, RPC endpoints or exchange plumbing. Access to the wallet and authority over the funds are the parts users still need to understand.
Want to hear the full discussion? Listen to the complete ChangeNOW X Space.
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