The cryptocurrency market keeps on moving ahead. Trading digital currencies is becoming increasingly popular among professional and novice users.

No matter how long you have been working with crypto, you probably know that there are two main ways to trade digital tokens — a broker and an exchange. If you look at the discussions on many crypto forums, it becomes clear that many users do not see the difference between crypto exchange and broker. But this difference is significant. Each trading method has its characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

Crypto Exchanges: General Info

The crypto exchange is a platform where participants can buy, sell, exchange, and store cryptocurrencies. It is presented in the form of modern and powerful computers and software. 

Such a platform provides the opportunity to use various payment systems, replenish electronic wallets, and exchange virtual funds for real money. You can also change from one currency to another.

New users register and create their accounts and an internal digital wallet to conduct financial transactions. You can register on any exchange for free.

To make transactions on the bourse, traders pay a commission for each deal. At the same time, customers get the opportunity to earn good money. The main source is the volatility of exchange rates. It can fluctuate and amount to more than 10%, which opens up fantastic opportunities for advanced traders.

The process of trading on the exchange is quite simple. It is enough to create a request specifying the amount and the rate at which you agree to buy/sell coins. Then, it remains only to wait for the client, who will be satisfied with the proposed conditions. The most important thing is to correctly guess the rate when it will be profitable to sell or buy coins.

Crypto Brokers 

The purpose of crypto brokers is the same as that of traditional ones. They serve as an intermediary between traders and the cryptocurrency market, allowing them to buy and sell digital funds. The brokers can be platforms, businesses, or individuals.

Trading on exchange rate fluctuations and investing are the two most common ways to increase profits offered by crypto brokers. However, the most popular approach is trading based on price volatility.

Many clients prefer to work with a broker because of several advantages. Here are some of them:  

 

• The broker works on professional trading terminals familiar to traders, such as MT4 and MT5. The software of most crypto exchanges is quite primitive and suitable only for beginners.
• It provides the ability to replenish your account with fiat money or coins using various payment systems.
• Crypto brokers have licenses to provide trustworthy financial services.
• It offers more advanced trading conditions and the opportunity to trade with leverage.

 

Differences Between Crypto Exchanges and Brokers

Price determination and profitability

Cryptocurrency exchanges attract traders with a variety of currency pairs, for which they have a fairly large spread due to liquidity with a relatively small market depth. They usually charge higher fees for trading, withdrawals, and sometimes even deposits.

 

Brokers offer lower fees for withdrawing and conducting trading operations, but they trade in large amounts. Thus, the total profit from commissions may be the same as that of exchanges.

 

User experience 

 

It is still easier to work with a broker than on the exchange, if you are wondering what to choose — cryptocurrency broker vs exchange. 

For example, to replenish your account on a cryptocurrency bourse, you can use fiat currencies, but there are many nuances here. First of all, exchanges accept them less and less. It is also worth considering the amount of commission for depositing standard money. The same can be said about the withdrawal of profits.

Brokers offer a wider range of services that you can use to replenish the account or withdraw profits. There are bank accounts, debit or credit cards, electronic payment systems, as well as digital currencies.

However, the exchange offers a lot more tools for trading.

Fees and costs

Crypto exchanges allow traders to earn on a variety of trading pairs, a large spread, liquidity, as well as insignificant market depth. Commissions, of course, are more voluminous here, both for deposits and withdrawals.

The broker's commission is significantly lower. But, larger amounts are traded here. Therefore, the total profit will be about the same, taking into account all the above nuances.

Trading volume and liquidity

Cooperation with brokers will be more appropriate if you trade a large volume of currencies. After all, there is a high level of liquidity and security here.

As for the exchange, a significant advantage here is the primitiveness of the procedure, as well as the availability of a set of applications for currency pairs and the deposited status of the asset. Thus, the crypto exchange connects the seller and the buyer, making a profit from the commission.

Intended audience

The audience is another crucial difference between crypto exchange and broker. The exchange's services are used by holders, who are mostly interested in long-term investments. They buy up one type of token in anticipation of their growth or transfer them to a hardware wallet.

Speculative market participants who need margin trading work with brokers. They regularly make purchase and sale transactions, guided by technical tools. The profit, in this case, is short-term or medium-term in nature. The broker acts as an intermediary.

Choosing a Crypto Exchange VS Broker

So, there is no definite answer to the question “crypto exchange or broker”. Each of the given options may suit a specific trader, depending on their financial goals.

As an example, if you have big available funds, it is better to use crypto brokers. Their activities are regulated and verified, and all their funds are stored in bank accounts. Even if the broker is hacked, its clients can receive compensation. Moreover, the broker provides extra tools such as technical analysis and the ability to use automated crypto trading strategies.

Those clients who are engaged in short- and medium-term margin trading should also contact brokers to benefit from fluctuations in digital currency prices.

On the other hand, trading on a crypto bourse involves not only high risks but the possibility of making significant profits. Although the bourse may charge high fees, it offers different trading pairs, including new altcoins, which can be traded due to their high volatility.

Exchanges are chosen by users for whom physical investments in cryptocurrencies (i.e. direct ownership of assets) and holding long positions are crucial.