What is the Purpose of Centralized Exchanges?

It is hard to convince crypto investors of the good of a centralized crypto exchange at the moment. The manner in which the FTX exchange has collapsed has shown just how prone centralized exchanges could be. It has also shown that these exchanges could become a tool for the gross misappropriation of user funds.

Nevertheless, we cannot rule out the importance of centralized exchanges in the crypto space. They act in the same capacity as stock exchanges. Centralized exchanges act as the middle ground for traders who wish to engage in the buying and selling of digital assets. For this reason, a properly managed centralized exchange will serve all parties who wish to engage in the trading of digital assets.

In this piece, we explain the purpose of a centralized crypto exchange. This is with a view to explaining the function of the BlockX exchange.

The Function of a Centralized Exchange

The main function of a centralized cryptocurrency exchange is to serve as the middleman between crypto buyers and sellers. A crypto exchange act as an intermediary which ensures that the parties to a trade have no issues as regard execution.

Essentially, a centralized exchange maintains an order book that it uses to match buyers with sellers. This could be in the form of instant peer-to-peer trading (spot trading) or other forms of digital asset trading. Centralized exchanges also offer trading options such as options, margin, and perpetual trading.

Centralized exchanges use smart contracts to ensure compliance among parties. Most times, these exchanges act as custodial entities. This means that users need to have an account with the exchange before they are granted access to the services that the exchange offers. 

This custodial capability helps an exchange to execute smart contracts. For instance, during a p2p trade, an exchange temporarily holds funds until the seller confirms that payment has been made. The digital asset is only released to the buyer when the seller confirms that they have received payment.

For traders who engage in Contract for Difference (CfD), centralized exchanges grant them access to leverage trading. This significantly helps a trader to trade at a higher margin. Thus, increasing their profit.

Overall, a centralized exchange serves as an all-encompassing platform where crypto traders can seamlessly access products and execute trades.

Advantages of a Centralized Exchange

Centralized exchanges have certain advantages that make them appealing to the vast majority of crypto users. Some of these benefits are explained below;

Ease of Use

Centralized exchanges offer the best interface for most crypto users. They are easy to use and understand. Centralized exchanges are known to have guides in place for beginners. This makes it easy for newbies to seamlessly navigate centralized exchanges.

Trading Options

Centralized exchanges have the most comprehensive trading options for crypto traders. Traders can easily access trading options such as spot, P2P, margin, futures, and perpetual, within the same interface. 

Liquidity

Centralized exchanges typically have the highest trading volume among crypto exchanges. This makes it possible for users to access a rich liquidity pool most of the time. Centralized exchanges are known to have diverse swap and trading pair options. They also offer an avenue for users to convert their cryptocurrencies to fiat.

The downside of a Centralized Exchange

Centralized exchanges can be prone to hacks. This is perhaps the biggest downside to their operation. Centralized exchanges are known to hold user funds. This makes them obvious targets for hackers who can cash out big in the event of a breakthrough. Recent hacks on Binance and FTX have shown that crypto exchanges could be prone to huge hacks.

Conclusion

Centralized crypto exchanges play an important role in the entire crypto space. They serve as a one-stop shop for crypto traders. They offer diverse options and simplify usage for all users. While they have inherent challenges, centralized exchanges will continue to be integral to the entire crypto ecosystem.

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