Exchange (Cryptocurrency Exchange)

Cryptocurrency exchange It's a digital platform that facilitates the purchase and sale, exchange and, in some cases, the custody of digital assets, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or ERC-20 tokens. It operates as a specialized financial infrastructure that connect buyers and sellers, offering liquidity, order matching and access to different trading pairs (e.g. BTC/USDT, ETH/DAI, etc.).

There are two main types of exchanges:

• Centralized (CEX): managed by a company, which acts as an intermediary and custodian of funds. They offer high liquidity, advanced tools, fiat support, and services such as staking, futures or margin trading.
• Decentralized (DEX): built on blockchain, they allow peer-to-peer exchanges using smart contracts without the need to give up custody.

An exchange performs key functions such as:

• Fiat ↔ crypto conversion (on-ramp and off-ramp)
• Real-time trading with technical analysis and order book
• Liquidity Management for digital asset markets
• Storage in custody wallets or connection to external wallets
• Regulatory Compliance through verification processes such as KYC/AML

In addition, it is the entry point for investors, traders, companies and retail users, being a critical infrastructure in the mass adoption of Web3 and the crypto ecosystem. Its importance lies in offering global access, competitive pricing, financial tools and, in many cases, additional functions such as staking, lending, launchpads or airdrops.