Exchange Operators

Definition ∞ Exchange operators are companies or platforms that facilitate the trading of digital assets, allowing users to buy, sell, or swap cryptocurrencies and tokens. These entities provide liquidity, price discovery, and often custody services for traded assets. They serve as central hubs for market activity in the digital asset ecosystem.
Context ∞ Exchange operators are consistently at the forefront of crypto news, with reports on regulatory compliance, security breaches, and new listing announcements. Their operational integrity and adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations are under constant scrutiny by global authorities. The competitive landscape among these operators drives innovation in trading features and user offerings.