If you're looking to buy Curve DAO (CRV), you've come to the right place. CRV is the governance and utility token behind Curve Finance, one of the most widely used decentralized exchanges in DeFi —...
Buy Curve DAO (CRV) — 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 Ether.fi (ETHFI) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Ether.fi (ETHFI), you've come to the right place. ETHFI is the governance token behind one of the fastest-growing liquid restaking protocols in the Ethereum ecosystem,...
Buy JUST (JST) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy JUST (JST), the governance and utility token powering one of the largest DeFi ecosystems on the Tron blockchain, you've come to the right place. JST plays a central role in...
Buy PancakeSwap (CAKE) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy PancakeSwap (CAKE), you've come to the right place. CAKE is the native token of one of the most widely used decentralized exchanges in the crypto space, and it's available...
Buy Sei (SEI) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Sei (SEI), you're already a step ahead — this guide walks you through everything you need to know, from what the project actually does to where you can pick some up today....
Buy Jupiter (JUP) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Jupiter (JUP), you've come to the right place. Jupiter is one of the most widely used decentralized exchange aggregators on the Solana blockchain, helping traders find the...
Buy Morpho (MORPHO) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Morpho (MORPHO), one of the more interesting projects in decentralized lending, you've come to the right place. Morpho is a permissionless lending and borrowing protocol...
Buy Ethena (ENA) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Ethena (ENA), you've come to the right place. Ethena is one of the more talked-about DeFi projects in the crypto space, operating as a stablecoin issuer built on Ethereum...
Buy Pump.fun (PUMP) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Pump.fun (PUMP), you've come to the right place. PUMP is the native token of one of Solana's most talked-about meme coin launchpad platforms, and it's now listed on major...
Buy Ondo (ONDO) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Ondo (ONDO), you've come to the right place. Ondo is one of the more talked-about projects in the Real World Assets (RWA) space, working to bring institutional-grade...
Buy Sky (SKY) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Sky (SKY), the governance token behind one of DeFi's most ambitious protocol upgrades, you've landed in the right place. SKY gives holders a real say in how the Sky Protocol...
Buy Aster (ASTER) — A simple guide
If you're looking to buy Aster (ASTER), you've landed in the right place. Aster is a decentralized perpetual exchange built for traders who want CEX-grade tools without giving up control of their...
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.
