There is nothing more important particularly in the world of crypto exchanges, than gaining and retaining the trust of traders. Without a centralized body or regulator to oversee the process, this can be a challenge.
It is a challenge though that Poloniex, after an admittedly difficult start, takes on and succeeds with. Soon after the exchange was launched back in 2014, they were the victims of a hack during which they lost dozens of Bitcoins. True to their now solid reputation though, they refunded most of these losses to traders, and have gone on to earn a trusted reputation in the industry as a crypto to crypto exchange.
Although there are limited KYC checks, and they are now based in the Seychelles where regulations are not as tight, they do put in place a number of technical measures to keep traders as secure as possible. This includes features like two-factor authentication, cold storage of funds, email confirmations processes, IP lockouts, and more features designed to robustly protect you as a trader.