But centralized exchanges rely on a central authority or middleman between you and your assets. This means your assets can be frozen or otherwise constrained by the exchange from participating in some actions or types of commerce. Centralized exchanges must also abide by Know Your Customer regulations and so must collect and verify personally identifying information, which makes them less ideal for individuals that want to preserve their privacy. Trading platform for cryptocurrency Founded in 2017, OKX is a Seychelles-registered cryptocurrency exchange that adopts blockchain technology to build the next-generation financial ecosystem. We provide the latest trading services for hundreds of diverse crypto assets.
Once you purchase crypto through an exchange, the exchange typically holds it in a custodial wallet. Most exchanges store assets in offline “cold storage” for safekeeping. If you want to take custody of the cryptocurrency yourself, most exchanges allow you to transfer it to your “hot” or “cold” wallet, along with the private keys for that cryptocurrency. How to Buy Bitcoin at CEX.IO: a Step-by-Step Guide The IRS treats cryptocurrency as property, not currency. Transactions in cryptocurrency spot markets are thus considered taxable by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whenever a taxable event occurs, such as selling cryptocurrency for a fiat currency (i.e., U.S. Dollars, Euros, etc.) or when traded for another asset. Investors are responsible for tracking cost basis, gains, and other reporting. If you have questions or concerns about the potential tax implications of transacting in cryptocurrencies, you should refer to this IRS publication or consult with a tax advisor.