Centralized Exchange (CEX)

A crypto trading platform operated by a company. Users entrust their assets to the exchange, which manages trades. While convenient, this means the exchange holds your keys. If it gets hacked or goes bankrupt, your funds are at risk. Examples include Binance and Coinbase.

Related Terms

Uniswap

One of the OG decentralized exchanges. It lets you swap tokens straight from your wallet. No accounts, no middlemen, just pure on-chain action.

Delisting

When a crypto asset is removed from an exchange. Could be due to low volume, sketchy behavior, or just being dead weight.

Decentralized Exchange (DEX)

A crypto marketplace where you trade directly from your wallet. No signups, no middlemen, just peer-to-peer swaps powered by smart contracts.

Binance

The biggest centralized exchange in crypto, and a one-stop shop for trading, staking, farming, launching tokens, you name it.