When you’re buying or trading crypto, your safe crypto exchange, a platform that holds, buys, and sells digital assets while protecting user funds and personal data. Also known as a centralized exchange, it’s the gateway between your bank account and the blockchain—but not all of them are built to keep you safe. Many platforms claim to be secure, but if they don’t follow basic rules like KYC, lack audits, or hide behind anonymity, they’re not safe—they’re risky.
A KYC compliance, the process of verifying a user’s identity to prevent fraud and money laundering isn’t just bureaucracy—it’s your first line of defense. Exchanges like Upbit and TradeOgre got crushed by regulators not because they were too strict, but because they ignored KYC entirely. That’s how $34 billion in fines and $40 million in seized crypto happen. A non-custodial exchange, a platform where you keep control of your keys instead of letting the exchange hold them sounds safer, but if it’s got no liquidity, no support, and no track record—like Libre or KyberSwap Classic—it’s just as dangerous. You don’t want to be the one who lost funds because a DEX had 0 trading volume.
Scams don’t always look like fake websites. Sometimes they’re real exchanges with weak security, hidden fees, or no customer support. Bitsonic is a real exchange—but if you don’t speak Korean, you’re on your own. Poloniex used to be trusted, but now it won’t serve U.S. users because it couldn’t keep up with compliance. That’s not a flaw—it’s a signal. The crypto exchange scams, fraudulent platforms that mimic real ones to steal login details or funds are everywhere, and they prey on people who think "it’s just a website." If an exchange doesn’t show audits, doesn’t list its team, or pushes you to deposit fast, walk away.
What you’ll find below isn’t a list of "best" exchanges. It’s a collection of real cases—some exchanges shut down, others got seized, some were never real at all. You’ll see how anonymity backfired, how compliance saved lives, and why the cheapest fee doesn’t mean the safest trade. This isn’t about hype. It’s about surviving in a space where mistakes cost more than money.
LongBit crypto exchange is not real-it's a scam. No legitimate records, audits, or user reviews exist. Learn how to spot fake exchanges and protect your crypto from phishing sites pretending to be real platforms.