Cryptocurrency exchanges are utilized by cryptocurrency holders to retailer their crypto belongings or to commerce cryptocurrencies. There are lots of of exchanges obtainable immediately, and it may be tough for cryptocurrency holders to decide on which alternate most closely fits their wants. In truth, most merchants use multiple alternate — each to hedge danger and to reduce advantages. How do merchants make their choices? Under, you’ll discover some attention-grabbing and even stunning insights.
How was this survey carried out?
On this survey, the BDCenter digital company teamed up with the sociology division of the Belarus State College, publishing the report in October, 2019. Greater than 800 merchants from 75 nations have been requested 30 questions. Researchers have been on the lookout for solutions to the next 4 teams of questions:
- What makes a crypto alternate enticing: Is its low charges, numerous obtainable pairs, quick withdrawals or one thing else?
- Do Foreign exchange merchants typically change to crypto buying and selling?
- What do customers count on from a buying and selling platform?
- Does buying and selling habits range from one demographic or regional group to the opposite?
Merchants worth simplicity
One of the crucial attention-grabbing takeaways from this survey is that merchants search for simplicity — and most cryptocurrency alternate fails to ship. 80% of individuals admitted to having entered the market lower than three years in the past and understandably sought instruments for rookies. 71% of individuals make demo accounts, with tutorials additionally being among the many key elements of selecting an alternate. 37% of exchanges have an intuitive, easy-to-use interface, whereas the remainder are overloaded with options and diagrams.
What are the qualities of an ideal alternate?
Other than being beginner-friendly, a superb alternate should be quick and keep away from charging prospects for something however the buying and selling itself. Simply over half of the respondents stated that deposit and withdrawal velocity is a vital issue (54%), in addition to the scale of the commissions (53%). The bulk (65%) discovered that transaction charges are superb — however solely 36% assume charge on withdrawing crypto is suitable. With regards to fiat withdrawals, the extent of approval is even decrease (29%).
Surprisingly, security issues aren’t so excessive on merchants’ record: solely 37% named it amongst their priorities — simply above the liquidity (34%). Merchants appear to belief exchanges with their cash: 32.5% stated they retailer all their crypto belongings there. That is an attention-grabbing reality contemplating that exchanges’ losses from hacks in 2019 exceeded $292 million price of cryptocurrency. Nonetheless, virtually 70% of individuals stated that they are going to think about switching to a different platform if their present alternate will get hacked.
Associated: Crypto Hacks: Crypto Change Hacks & Cryptocurrency Hackers
One alternate isn’t sufficient
It appears that evidently no alternate fairly suits the perfect profile. 40% of the individuals said they use three or extra exchanges regularly — and solely 19% use only one.
This may be partly as a result of concern of forex pair availability. Not like Foreign exchange platforms, which supply roughly the identical set of pairs, crypto exchanges differ wildly on this regard. Some function lots of of pairs, some lower than a dozen, some permit withdrawals in fiat, some do not. The number of buying and selling pairs is a precedence for 44.5% of merchants.
It is also price mentioning that exchanges’ efforts to interact their viewers via competitions, affiliate packages, and many others. are largely unsuccessful. Whereas 57% took half in not less than one alternate airdrop, contests and different actions have attracted solely 10% and 13% of shoppers, respectively. Simply 11.6% want exchanges which have a referral program.
Asia merchants want greater than two exchanges
Amongst Asian merchants, the bulk (59%) makes use of three exchanges or extra and prioritize the scale of buying and selling charges when selecting a platform (59%). Curiously, the variety of obtainable buying and selling pairs is way much less vital (22%). 65% admitted having misplaced belongings resulting from fraud — greater than exchanges getting hacked (45%). 75% go to crypto alternate websites every day — the very best share amongst all of the areas below research.
European merchants care extra about safety
European customers, specifically, are inclined to prioritize low charges and the deposit and withdrawal velocity (each 56.6%). They’re additionally security-sensitive: Solely 20% admitted storing all their crypto on exchanges, and 85% stated they’ve by no means misplaced belongings to hackers. 90% stated they would go away a platform if it will get hacked. The overwhelming majority (77%) makes use of browser interfaces to commerce.
People love decentralized exchanges
Probably the most attention-grabbing perception about United States merchants is that 59% use decentralized exchanges — greater than in another area. Surprisingly, not one of the respondents claimed to make use of scalping. As a substitute, 50% depend on impulse buying and selling. For the newest information, American customers are inclined to go to specialised crypto websites (68%). The recognition of Telegram is at 50%, whereas Instagram is relatively excessive on the record of information sources (23%).
Russian merchants don’t love OTC companies
Greater than in another area, Russian merchants are inclined to depend on only one alternate (27%). Few use decentralized platforms (23%). The selection of alternate is pushed by the number of forex pairs (60%) and the scale of charges (52%). Russians are extra susceptible to commerce in altcoins than their colleagues in different areas (64%), however the share of over-the-counter service customers amongst them is the bottom (17%). That is additionally the area with the very best incidence of feminine merchants (12%).
Desktop-only buying and selling vs. smartphone-only buying and selling
The provision of a cellular utility appears extra vital for merchants preferring to commerce utilizing smartphones than those that use solely desktop variations. But, there’s a distinction within the solutions relating to using a pleasant interface: This parameter is just not vital for merchants preferring to commerce through smartphones as for desktop customers. The rationale for that is that the cellular model is extra compact and allows us to see the working place at one other location, in contrast to the desktop model, that’s generally sophisticated.
Not like the merchants who use desktop variations, 83% of merchants who use smartphones to commerce have an interest within the ranking of the alternate. 42% of customers buying and selling through cellular units are from 35 to 44 years outdated. Superior merchants want desktop variations. Solely 11% of respondents buying and selling through cellular units have greater than three years of expertise.
The views, ideas and opinions expressed listed below are the creator’s alone and don’t essentially replicate or characterize the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
Oluwatobi Joel is a U.S.-based freelance copywriter, group supervisor, blockchain skilled and serial entrepreneur. He has labored with numerous blockchain startups as a advertising and marketing strategist.
