If you've been looking for a straightforward guide to buying Numeraire (NMR), you're in the right place. Numeraire is one of the more unique projects in the DeFi and data analytics space, sitting at...
Buy Numeraire (NMR) — A simple guide
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DeFi
Decentralized finance, or DeFi, uses blockchain applications to provide services such as swapping tokens, lending, borrowing and supplying liquidity. A wallet interacts with smart contracts that hold assets and apply the protocol’s rules.
Browse the buying guides
All buying guidesBuy DeepBook (DEEP) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy DeepBook (DEEP), you've come to the right place. DEEP is the native token of DeepBook, a core liquidity infrastructure layer built specifically for the Sui blockchain. It's...
Buy VVS Finance (VVS) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy VVS Finance (VVS), you've come to the right place. VVS Finance is a decentralized exchange and automated market maker built on the Cronos network, making it a key piece of...
Buy Block Street (BSB) — A simple guide
If you've been looking for a straightforward guide on how to buy Block Street (BSB), you've landed in the right place. Block Street is a DeFi and infrastructure project built on the Ethereum...
Buy MYX Finance (MYX) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy MYX Finance (MYX), you've landed in the right place. MYX Finance is a decentralized perpetuals trading protocol built on the BNB Chain, offering a way to trade derivatives...
Buy GMX (GMX) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy GMX (GMX), you're in the right place. GMX is one of the most recognized decentralized perpetuals exchanges in crypto, letting traders access 70+ assets with leverage...
Buy dYdX (DYDX) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy dYdX (DYDX), you've come to the right place. dYdX is one of DeFi's most serious trading platforms, built for users who want professional-grade decentralized trading without...
Buy Kamino (KMNO) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Kamino (KMNO), you've landed in the right place. Kamino is one of Solana's most ambitious DeFi protocols, combining lending, liquidity, and leverage into a single unified...
Buy Meteora (MET) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Meteora (MET), you've come to the right place. Meteora is a DeFi protocol built on Solana that's been gaining traction for its innovative liquidity infrastructure, and MET...
Buy Reserve Rights (RSR) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Reserve Rights (RSR), you've come to the right place. RSR is the native token of the Reserve protocol — a DeFi project focused on creating overcollateralized, decentralized...
Buy 0x Protocol (ZRX) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy 0x Protocol (ZRX), you've come to the right place. ZRX is the native token of the 0x Protocol, a foundational piece of decentralized finance infrastructure built on...
Buy yearn.finance (YFI) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy yearn.finance (YFI), you've come to the right place. YFI is the governance token behind one of DeFi's most recognized yield optimization protocols, giving holders a say in...
What are DeFi tokens?
Browse the buying guidesAccess can be open, although websites, asset issuers and individual products may impose restrictions. DeFi describes the service, not a guarantee that every part of it is decentralized.
How it works
Tokens can represent a vote, a deposit, a debt position or a claim on a pool of assets. These roles are not interchangeable. A governance token may have no right to protocol revenue, while a liquidity-pool token exposes its holder to the assets and pricing of that pool. Returns can come from borrower interest, trading fees or newly issued incentives; unusually high rewards need a clear explanation. Smart-contract failures, price-oracle errors, liquidation and bridge dependencies can all affect a position.
Explore the foundations
DeFi Explained: Swaps, Lending and the Risks Between Them↗
Decentralized exchanges: check a swap before you sign↗
Liquidity pools: inspect the position before you deposit↗
Sources and further reading
A little groundwork goes a long way
Before your next purchase or transfer, understand who controls access, where your crypto is going and what the trade will actually cost.
Protect access to your crypto
An exchange account and a self-custody wallet need different safeguards. Protect exchange logins with a unique password and strong two-factor authentication. For self-custody, your recovery backup is what lets you restore access.
Keep recovery words offline and private. A support agent or website asking for them is a reason to stop.
See a recovery example
Your phone breaks. An exchange may help you recover your account after identity checks. A self-custody wallet cannot reset your recovery phrase. Check your wallet’s official backup instructions before relying on it.
Choose the right transfer network
The asset, token version and network must be supported at the destination. A familiar ticker or a matching address format is not enough. Read the receiving platform’s deposit instructions before selecting a withdrawal network.
Check the address, any required memo or tag, fees and minimums. Consider a small test transfer first.
See a network example
Your destination accepts USDC on Ethereum. Selecting a cheaper network at the sending exchange does not make it an Ethereum transfer. Use a network both ends support; an ordinary withdrawal does not bridge tokens.
Understand the price you pay
Trading fees are only part of the cost. The spread, available liquidity and withdrawal charges also matter. A market order prioritizes execution; a limit order controls the price but may remain unfilled or fill only partly.
Check the order preview and the amount you will receive, then compare the full cost of your intended purchase and withdrawal.
Work through a cost example
Hypothetical example: a $200 trade with a 0.1% trading fee costs $0.20 in trading fees. A separate $5 withdrawal fee brings those charges to $5.20. Spread or slippage may add more; these are not quoted exchange rates.
