What is a CEX?
In crypto, a CEX is an online trading platform that allows people connected to the internet to buy, sell, and swap cryptoassets. It is owned and operated by a private company, which means it is subject to the laws and regulations of every jurisdiction it operates in. A CEX requires users to sign up and open an account to participate, and a majority of CEXs demand Know-your-Customer/Anti-Money Laundering (KYC/AML) ID verification to trade.
The CEX matches buyers and sellers by collecting their orders in an âorder book." The exchange acts as a trusted intermediary between the buyers and sellers. Users rely on the exchange for the entire transaction process, trusting that the exchange wonât use their privileged place of knowledge to its advantage. The exchange also acts as a custodian for any cash or crypto held in user accounts, hopefully providing a safe place for users to store their funds. This has unfortunately not been true for many exchanges in the past.
