As per definition this is a crypto currency based global exchange which operates out of US. This exchange is registered under Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or FinCen and categorized as a money service business that has been operating since 2014 and gained legitimate status in 2016. The exchange has a registered office in Wilmington, Delaware. The company website called Owler shows CEO and founder’s profile which lends credibility to the exchange as users can gain necessary information about the company running operations in the background and know details about its functions as much as they wish to.
What makes Poloniex unique?
In the world of crypto currency exchanges this exchange has established itself as the largest in Ethereum trade. For those who are looking for trendy and new coins in the trade they can certainly sign up to trade on this exchange. Useful features are as follows:
The exchange platform is built for serious crypto trading as there are detailed charts provided as well as useful data analysis tools.
The trading interface code is client sided and open source that allows enthusiasts to examine closely as well.
There are around 70 kinds of digital assets to trade with.
Charges for the deposit as well as withdrawal are low and competitive in the industry.
Security in the form of full refund for users in case security is breached.
An Active community forum where one can get their queries answered promptly.
Limitations of the exchange
There are certain aspects of this crypto currency exchange that need to be worked upon to improve their services such as:
Often users state that withdrawing their funds from the exchange is difficult.
Management of private keys is centralized that exposes funds to risks of exposure as many other crypto currency exchanges offer decentralized alternatives.
Fiat currencies cannot be deposited in this system.
Identities of investors and managers on this platform are not revealed through community interviews or blog articles which reduce the credibility of the platform.
Users are asked for identity verification for large volume activities.
Slow and downtime issues are often reported.
Performance of the exchange
This crypto currency exchange has performed well from the time it has been operating. The trading volume is highest in the industry. The website of this exchange gets about 50 million visits every month. The closest competitor to this exchange is Coinbase that gets around 45 million visits every month. The exchange has popularity in countries like Vietnam, Russia, US, UK, Brazil and others. Another distinguishing feature of this exchange is the lack of support of fiat currency. Many users feel that it makes this exchange exclusive and also frees it from government regulations for this very fact. The large number of crypto currencies and similar assets that it allows trade in is another great feature of the exchange.
The user base and market share of the exchange has increased over the years as its rival exchange Cryptsy has closed operations. Even though there is no separate mobile app for the website, but the mobile compatibility of the website is high which ensures that users will not have any problem using the exchange on their phones or tablets. An API that is available for the exchange ensures that third party developers can conduct account management and data analysis of the site. The site has several useful features to offer such as margin trading, crypto currency conversion and so forth. The signing up process on this site is also simpler as compared to other exchanges.
Security features
The private keys to wallets that hold crypto currencies of the users are controlled by the exchange in its centralized manner of operations. The exchange assures the users that their deposits are stored in the air gap characterized cold storage and offline places. The account holders are encouraged to activate two factor authentications for their account as well as use tools for browser recognition.
When it comes to security breach, some minor incidents have been reported such as one in the year they started operations as in 2014 when about 12% of the deposits of the users were found stolen. Users were reimbursed subsequently by the exchange. Though founder information is not easy to find on the exchange or physical offices, users can bank on larger volumes of trades conducted over the years as a sign of their intent to be true and reliable to the users. It is advised that users should send across their excess funds to a wallet platform where one has greater control.
User feedback
This is another aspect of this exchange that showcases reliability. Feedback from users is vital for those who wish to register and use the exchange for the first time. Most users state that the interface of the exchange works smoothly except for certain heavy trading times when downtimes have been experienced. The users are prompted to ramp up security features of their web browser when they start trading on this platform. The exchange is known to revamp security and website interface features from time to time that keep up the interest of the users as well as make trading secure and easy. Some users often state that deposits take a long time to reflect in their trading accounts. The customer care response team is another drawback that many customers point out. There is the absence of a sound ticketing system for the website as well.
To summarize
The large trading volume that has ensued on this platform showcases dependability of the platform. Those who are hesitant to trade on this platform could also put up crypto currencies for lending and earn interest through this platform. The low fees that the exchange charges makes it a popular trading platform for most. The centralized operations are the only point of concern for many as their private keys are regulated by the exchange. However, one can rely on profitable trading activities that they will find on this platform if they sign up for it and maintain the necessary precautionary measures.