Current US president Donald Trump introduced a universal 10% tariff on imports and higher specific rates for countries like China and Japan, signaling a major shift in US trade policy.

On Apr 2, 2025, Donald Trump announced aggressive US tariffs, including a universal 10% levy on all imports alongside specific rates of 34% on China, 24% on Japan and 20% on the European Union (EU), while the absence of tariffs on Russia was a notable exception. This policy shift resulted in significant volatility in both traditional and cryptocurrency markets.

The timing of Trump's announcement was widely speculated to be strategic, occurring shortly after US stock markets closed in order to mitigate immediate market reactions. However, the following day, Apr 3, 2025, saw substantial declines: the S&P 500 dropped over 5.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell more than 5.6%, reflecting investor anxieties about potential economic disruptions and heightened inflation. 

This marked the fifth-worst trading day of the 2020s, with parallels drawn to the infamous Black Thursday in March 2020. But in stark contrast, Bitcoin displayed remarkable resilience, trading around $81.7K, a mere 6% drop from its local bottom of $77K recorded on Mar 10, 2025. This stability suggests that investors may increasingly be viewing cryptocurrencies as a hedge against geopolitical uncertainties, since Bitcoin’s decentralized nature allows it to operate independently of tariffs and supply chain disruptions that affect traditional assets.

Trump characterized the tariff announcement as the beginning of a "Liberation Day," introducing a two-tier system where the universal 10% tariff would take effect on Apr 5, 2025, while reciprocal tariffs targeting around 60 countries would follow on April 9. This reciprocal approach aims to counterbalance existing tariffs imposed by other nations on American products, pushing countries and regions like China, Japan and the EU to reconsider their trade policies. During his speech, Trump presented a chart illustrating the disparities in tariff rates, using it to justify the administration's stance on the need for these measures to correct long-standing trade imbalances.

The implications for Asian countries are particularly severe, with many facing the highest tariffs, including Cambodia at 49%, Laos at 48% and Madagascar at 47%. Economists who favor proactive trade policies view these tariffs as a negotiation tactic, often referred to as a "game of chicken," whereby the US essentially dares other nations to either accept new, more favorable trade terms or face increased costs for their exports to the US. 

Trump argues that many countries impose heavy taxes on American goods that make them less competitive abroad. He believes that by introducing these tariffs, other nations will be compelled to lower their own export taxes on US products, fostering fairer trade conditions. However, critics warn that this strategy could backfire, potentially igniting a trade war damaging to every country and area involved. They express concerns that retaliatory tariffs from other countries might lead to increased costs for American consumers and economic uncertainty for businesses. 

The success of Trump's tariff policy ultimately hinges on whether other nations choose cooperation over confrontation. Proponents of the strategy argue that countries might fear losing access to the lucrative US market, prompting them to negotiate more favorable terms for American exports. If successful, this could theoretically boost US jobs and profits.

In summary, as the situation evolves, the effects of these tariffs on global trade dynamics and market stability remain to be seen, with potentially far-reaching implications for both traditional and cryptocurrency markets.

Amidst the tumultuous landscape created by the recent tariff announcements, Bitcoin has demonstrated a surprising level of resilience. Despite the significant volatility affecting traditional markets, Bitcoin maintained robust support around $80K, showcasing its ability to withstand external economic pressures. This stability is particularly noteworthy when compared to mainstream public equities, which experienced substantial declines in response to the tariffs.

The magnitude of Bitcoin's price drawdown was considerably less severe than that of many established stocks, highlighting its unique position in the financial ecosystem. While indices such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite plummeted over 5%, Bitcoin's relatively mild decline suggests that investors may increasingly view it as a safe haven and alternative asset during times of economic uncertainty.

This resilience can be attributed to several factors. First, Bitcoin's decentralized nature allows it to operate independently of traditional market dynamics and geopolitical influences, making it less susceptible to the same shocks that impact equities tied to physical goods and international trade. Additionally, the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class has bolstered investor confidence, leading to a more stable demand for Bitcoin, even in volatile environments. In particular, Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy) continued accumulation of Bitcoin and BlackRock’s launch of ETP products in Europe continues to cement Bitcoin’s unique position in equity portfolio allocation.

Furthermore, the current market sentiment indicates a shift in the way that investors perceive Bitcoin, particularly as an effective hedge against inflation and geopolitical risks. As traditional markets grapple with the ramifications of aggressive tariff policies, Bitcoin's ability to hold steady at the $80K level may attract more institutional interest, reinforcing its position as a viable alternative investment.

In conclusion, Bitcoin's resilience within the tariff-induced volatility not only highlights its potential as a digital asset, but also suggests a broader acceptance among investors seeking diversification and stability in uncertain economic times. This comparative strength against mainstream equities could signal a pivotal moment in the evolution of cryptocurrency as a mainstream financial instrument. 

Advanced

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Bybit x Santiment: Tariffs-led whipsaw solidifies Bitcoin’s resilience

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events; the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume; and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

As markets near US president Trump's "Liberation Day" for tariffs, crypto remains volatile. BTC has dropped from a local high of $88K to $82K amid signs that tariffs will affect many countries. Implied volatility has spiked and then eased. Other derivatives market metrics show that BTC and ETH volatility smile skews remain significantly skewed toward puts, a level last seen in March 2023.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

BTC options show signs last seen in March 2023

As crypto prices remain highly correlated with macro-sensitive assets, the week began with a surge in short-tenor implied volatility for BTC and ETH. The sell-off continued as President Trump announced tariffs affecting about 90 countries. BTC's front-end volatility quickly fell below longer maturities, and short-dated volatility smiles briefly favored OTM puts, reminiscent of levels seen during the March 2023 US banking crisis. 

SOL options remain the least traded among major cryptocurrencies (i.e., BTC and ETH), but there was a significant rise in call options this week, dominating both volume and open interest. Following the Mar 28, 2025 expirations, many contracts weren’t reopened, with the notional size of call contracts decreasing from over $3.2M to around $2.5M. However, there has been a slight increase in the notional size of open put options, as traders respond to a continued decline from the January all-time high of $250.

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Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (Apr 2, 2025): BTC option skews show a bearish sign last seen in 2023

Fidelity recently announced that it would be launching its own stablecoin, to be pegged to the US dollar. Learn more here.

After first making headlines upon filing paperwork for its very own money market fund, Fidelity seems to be taking the next step toward this grand goal by issuing its own 

 pegged to the US dollar could be the start of a multi-stage scheme to help crypto achieve mainstream adoption.

If you're new to fund-issued stablecoins, or perhaps a crypto beginner whose attention has been piqued, you might be wondering how Fidelity’s stablecoin could impact the crypto market. From highlighting how the Fidelity stablecoin differs from its other fiat-backed counterparts (e.g., 

) to elaborating on the possible motives for launching it, here's everything you need to know about the proposed Fidelity stablecoin.

Founded in 1946, Fidelity Investments has built a reputation as a leader in financial services. To date, it's managed trillions of dollars in assets for individuals and institutions alike. 

Known for its innovative approach to investing, Fidelity has consistently stayed ahead of the curve by embracing new technologies and trends. From mutual funds to retirement accounts, it's fair to say that Fidelity is a trusted name in finance, and has successfully established its presence, thanks to its storied legacy in financial services.

Fidelity’s foray into crypto isn’t new. With the demand for digital asset services growing larger over time, the company has quietly been building its presence in the crypto space through 

 since 2018, with dedicated service that provides custody and trading services for institutional and individual investors.

By launching its own stablecoin, Fidelity is taking this commitment toward 

 innovation to the next level, signaling its belief in the long-term growth potential of digital assets.

Like many of its popular stablecoin counterparts, Fidelity’s stablecoin is pegged to the US dollar. This ensures price stability, a critical feature for traders looking to mitigate risk amid 

. Built on blockchain technology, this stablecoin is ostensibly designed to integrate seamlessly with Fidelity’s broader ecosystem of tokenized financial products. This means users can expect a secure, efficient and transparent digital asset that aligns with Fidelity’s high standards.

 like Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC dominate the market, Fidelity’s offering brings something unique to the table: trust. As a regulated financial institution with decades of experience, Fidelity offers a level of credibility that few other stablecoin issuers can match. Furthermore, its focus on regulatory compliance positions it as a safer alternative for both retail and institutional investors.

Fidelity’s stablecoin represents a deliberate effort to integrate its institutional expertise with blockchain’s efficiencies. By creating a dollar-pegged digital asset, the firm aims to serve as a trusted intermediary for clients navigating both traditional and crypto markets. Moreover, the Fidelity Digital Assets division has already laid the groundwork through Bitcoin custody services and 

. The proposed stablecoin extends this infrastructure, allowing institutional investors to transition seamlessly between volatile cryptocurrencies and stable-value instruments without exiting Fidelity’s ecosystem.

The stablecoin market has grown exponentially, surpassing $200 billion in 2025. This surge is largely being driven by demand for volatility hedging and cross-border payment efficiency. Fidelity recognizes that traders and institutions increasingly require reliable on-ramps between fiat and crypto. Its stablecoin offers a compliant alternative to incumbents, such as Tether and Circle, who face lingering skepticism about reserve transparency. By entering this space, Fidelity would not only meet immediate demand, but position itself as a leader in institutional-grade digital assets, thus appealing to risk-averse entities.

The US regulatory landscape under the current administration has shifted decisively toward crypto-friendly policies, and the Stablecoin Innovation Act and the GENIUS Act are advancing through Congress, aiming to establish clear rules for reserve backing and 

 compliance. Designed with Treasury reserves and audit transparency, Fidelity’s stablecoin aligns with these impending standards. By proactively adopting regulatory best practices, Fidelity avoids the scrutiny faced by Tether — and positions its stablecoin as a “gold standard” for institutional adoption.

Stablecoins generate revenue through interest earned on reserve assets. For example, Tether reported over $6 billion in net income in 2024 from its treasury holdings. Fidelity already manages $80 billion in its Treasury Digital Fund, and can potentially monetize its stablecoin reserves while offering competitive yields to clients. This creates a dual revenue stream, consisting of fees from asset management and interest from stablecoin reserves.

The stablecoin market remains dominated by Tether and Circle, but their retail-focused models leave room for institutional alternatives. Fidelity’s brand reputation, combined with its existing relationships with hedge funds and pension plans, gives it a unique edge. For example, its stablecoin could integrate directly with retirement accounts, allowing 401k participants to allocate to crypto without custody risks. This differentiation is critical as rivals like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton expand their tokenized offerings.

While details are still scarce, the following are some likely use cases for the Fidelity stablecoin.

Using Fidelity’s stablecoin for staking

One of the most exciting use cases for Fidelity’s stablecoin is staking. For traders and investors, staking offers an opportunity to 

 by locking up their assets in support of blockchain networks. With Fidelity’s stablecoin, users could stake their holdings with confidence, knowing they’re backed by one of the most trusted names in finance.

Enhancing market liquidity and capital efficiency

Fidelity’s stablecoin is also expected to enhance liquidity across trading platforms. By providing a reliable medium of exchange that 

 fiat currency and digital assets, this stablecoin could streamline trading operations and reduce transaction costs, creating a win-win for traders and exchanges.

Facilitating real-world asset (RWA) tokenization

Fidelity's stablecoin is strategically positioned to drive the tokenization of RWAs by democratizing access through fractional ownership of commodities and real estate, thus streamlining the trading and settlement of tokenized securities as a stable exchange medium. This could ultimately foster a more efficient and transparent payment ecosystem for tokenized goods and services.

How will this impact the current crypto landscape?

Legitimization and mainstream adoption of crypto

Fidelity's established reputation within traditional finance lends significant credibility to the crypto space. This legitimacy can alleviate concerns among mainstream investors who have been hesitant, due to perceived risks or a lack of understanding. By offering a regulated stablecoin, Fidelity signals that digital assets are becoming a legitimate part of the broader financial landscape, encouraging greater participation from institutional and retail investors alike. This increased confidence can lead to wider adoption of crypto-related products and services, integrating them into everyday financial transactions.

Market stabilization and increased liquidity

The substantial capital that Fidelity brings to the market can significantly increase liquidity, reducing price volatility and making crypto assets more attractive to traditional investors. Increased liquidity facilitates smoother trading and reduces the risk of significant price swings, creating a more stable and predictable market environment.

Fidelity's involvement encourages dialogue between regulators and established financial institutions, leading to clearer and more comprehensive regulatory frameworks for stablecoins and other digital assets. By leveraging its existing compliance and risk management expertise, Fidelity can contribute to the development of robust security standards and best practices for the crypto industry. This increased regulatory clarity and security can reduce the risk of fraud and market manipulation, fostering greater trust and confidence among investors.

he introduction of a regulated stablecoin from a trusted institution can accelerate the integration of traditional financial products and services into the 

 (DeFi) space. Such integration can lead to the development of innovative financial instruments, such as tokenized securities and decentralized lending platforms, bridging the gap between TradFi and DeFi while allowing for far greater capital efficiency within the DeFi space.

Driving crypto infrastructure standardization

Fidelity's participation can drive the development of standardized infrastructure and interoperability protocols, facilitating seamless transactions across different blockchain networks and traditional financial systems. This standardization could improve the efficiency and scalability of the crypto market, thereby enabling greater adoption and integration with existing financial infrastructure.

What are the challenges that Fidelity may face?

While Fidelity's late entry into the stablecoin market is promising, due to its institutional credibility and regulatory focus, it does face substantial challenges. At the top of the list of Fidelity’s potential challenges: competing with established stablecoin giants like USDT and USDC will require Fidelity to demonstrate superior transparency, security and seamless integration of the Fidelity stablecoin within existing ecosystems. 

Building trust with a potentially hesitant crypto native demographic and overcoming established network effects will also require strategic partnerships, competitive incentives and a flawless track record in maintaining a stable peg to the US dollar.

The regulatory environment surrounding stablecoins is rapidly evolving. Recent developments such as the 

 (GENIUS) Act signal a more favorable stance toward crypto in the United States. For companies like Fidelity, this creates an opportunity to innovate within clear regulatory frameworks while addressing concerns around transparency and accountability. However, this evolving legislative landscape doesn't mean that Fidelity is out of the woods yet. This is especially so because regulations aren’t uniform across all jurisdictions. Therefore, Fidelity will need to demonstrate regulatory agility and adaptability to navigate these varying requirements.

Lastly, while there’s speculation that the Fidelity stablecoin could play a huge part in the company’s tokenized money market fund offering, there’s currently nothing set in stone. This is due to the inherent complexities of integrating a newly launched stablecoin into existing financial products, as well as the need to navigate potential regulatory hurdles related to that integration. Since Fidelity Digital Assets and 

 are two separate entities, there will likely be some coordination needed before Fidelity can incorporate its stablecoin into its onchain bond market.

Fidelity’s launch of its own stablecoin marks an important milestone in the evolution of digital finance. By combining stability with trust and regulatory compliance, this new offering has the potential to reshape the way traders interact with crypto. For beginners looking for a safe entry point into crypto, as well as experienced traders seeking reliable tools for staking and liquidity management, Fidelity’s stablecoin offers an enticing proposition. 

Likewise, for institutional traders, the proposed stablecoin provides a compliant and secure bridge between traditional finance and DeFi, unlocking new avenues for managing assets and diversifying portfolios. While challenges remain, Fidelity’s entry is poised to accelerate the integration of digital assets into mainstream finance, ultimately paving the way for wider adoption and innovation.

Intermediate

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Fidelity’s new stablecoin: A bold step into crypto stability

Learn how Amnis Finance (AMI) transforms APT staking with liquid staking solutions. Earn rewards, maintain liquidity, and explore DeFi opportunities seamlessly.

 (DeFi) enthusiasts passionate about exploring the endless opportunities in the crypto market.

, through which your assets are locked for a fixed period and can’t be used for other purposes, liquid staking solutions offer the flexibility to channel your staked assets to yield-generating ventures while preserving liquidity. 

One such platform is Amnis Finance, a pioneering liquid staking protocol on the 

 that provides investors with yield-bearing tokens to leverage DeFi opportunities.

 is a liquid staking platform on the Aptos blockchain whose users can stake their APT tokens and earn rewards through DeFi activities, such as 

Offering a staking APR of 8.02%, Amnis is exclusive to Aptos, a 

 with superior technology known as Move, designed for scalability, security and low-cost transactions.

Through Amnis, those who hold APT (the native token for the Aptos network) can stake their tokens and receive tokens of equivalent value, which they can now use for trading and investing opportunities without unstaking their locked tokens.

Furthermore, Amnis has created new financial instruments that are attractive to institutional investors. These instruments use a yield tokenization concept that splits tokens into yield-bearing and principal tokens.

At the heart of Amnis Finance’s operations is an innovative staking structure designed to provide the involved parties with efficient and flexible investing. Amnis system is powered by smart contracts that enable APT token holders to effortlessly maximize returns without having to lock their capital or run a validator’s node.

The basic architecture of Amnis is composed of the following components:

, it issues amAPT. The user can then use these tokens to participate in the Aptos DeFi ecosystem, or stake them on Amnis to receive stAPT tokens and generate rewards.

, maintaining a 1:1 peg with APT. Users who stake their APT tokens through Amnis Finance receive an equivalent amount of amAPT, which can be utilized across various DeFi platforms without forfeiting staking rewards. This design ensures that users retain flexibility and can engage in activities such as lending, borrowing and liquidity provision, while their assets continue to generate staking yields.

 that allows investors to instantly withdraw their amAPT tokens. This convenient withdrawal feature helps them bypass the 14-day waiting period common with traditional staking.

Amnis Finance has established a reserve mechanism to ensure price stabilization in case of market surges. When necessary, the platform may buy back amAPT, and the profits are transferred to the Amnis treasury.

For users seeking to maximize their staking returns, stAPT offers an auto-compounding yield-bearing option. By depositing amAPT into the stAPT vault, users receive stAPT tokens that represent their share in the staking pool.

As staking rewards accumulate, the value of stAPT increases proportionately, eliminating the need for manual restaking and providing a seamless way to enhance staking yields over time.

Beyond its dual-token model, Amnis Finance introduces an innovative approach to yield optimization through yield tokenization. This process involves 

 yield-bearing assets (such as stAPT) into standardized yield tokens (SY), which are then divided into principal tokens (PT) and yield tokens (YT).

The PT token represents the original value of the staked asset, and can be redeemed at a 1:1 ratio upon maturity, while YT signifies the portion of interest generated over time. This segmentation allows users to tailor their investment strategies by separately managing principal and yield components, offering greater control and flexibility in crafting financial outcomes.

 for the Amnis Finance ecosystem. It’s designed to ensure a balanced ecosystem on the network. AMI token holders can propose changes and vote on key matters regarding the operation of Amnis Finance. AMI is also used as an incentive to promote the adoption of the Amnis Finance liquid staking ecosystem.

Amnis Finance has a total supply of 1 billion AMI tokens, allocated as follows:

Furthermore, Amnis Finance has a token emission schedule (spread over 48 months) that’s designed to facilitate decentralization, ensure balanced distribution and incentivize participants. The vesting schedule is shown below:

 to reward its early adopters and active contributors to its ecosystem. The details of the AMI airdrop are as follows.

30 million AMI tokens were set aside for the Amnis Retroactive Airdrop, in which 10,000 users received rewards for their participation (based on their rankings). The snapshot for those who qualify for this airdrop ran from Nov 7, 2023, to Mar 25, 2025.

Eligibility was determined based on accumulated retroactive points earned through various activities, such as minting APT to amAPT on Amnis, providing amAPT/APT liquidity on platforms like Liquidswap and PancakeSwap, and depositing stAPT with Aries Markets.

In addition to the Retroactive Airdrop, Amnis Finance has allocated 5 million AMI for holders of Draconian NFTs, with each NFT granting its holder 1,500 AMI tokens.

Furthermore, to commemorate its token generation event (TGE) and honor community support, Amnis Finance launched an Exclusive TGE NFT Airdrop campaign. This initiative allows participants to earn rare NFTs and claim a share of a 1 million AMI reward pool. The claiming period for Exclusive TGE NFT holders began on Apr 2, 2025, and will remain open for 12 months.

 on Bybit’s Spot trading platform. To celebrate this listing, Bybit is holding two Token Splash events in which a total of 

Amnis Finance is revolutionizing the Aptos ecosystem by unlocking the full potential of the APT token through liquid staking. By converting APT into amAPT, users can earn staking rewards while they maintain liquidity and access to DeFi opportunities.

With added benefits like a Retroactive Airdrop and NFT-based rewards, Amnis incentivizes active participation and long-term engagement. As the platform continues to grow, it’s empowering users to put their APT to work more efficiently, increasing both flexibility and yield.

Whether you're a DeFi enthusiast or a long-term holder, Amnis Finance is a powerful tool for maximizing your Aptos staking potential.

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Amnis Finance (AMI): Maximizing APT potential with a liquid staking protocol

DeFi

Automated market makers (AMM)s are a key feature of decentralized exchanges (DEXes). Read all about them here.

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Cryptocurrencies have utilized the concept of decentralization for a variety of different services. A widely used service within cryptocurrencies is decentralized finance (

) and is increasingly seen as an alternative to traditional, or centralized financial services (CeFi).

, price negotiation among users may not be the cheapest and most efficient since constant updates are needed, leading to low liquidity. To solve this issue, a new exchanging protocol known as Automated Market Maker (AMM) has emerged. In this article, we are going to dive into the AMM and how it works. To understand the fundamentals of AMM, you first need to know what decentralized exchanges and market makers are.

(DEX) is one which requires no third parties to regulate transactions. These types of exchanges offer various functions that are similar to traditional exchanges, such as order books, matching systems, or security functions. Usually, decentralized exchanges are developed and launched as decentralized applications (

Each DEX is regulated through smart contracts. Smart contracts are sets of codes that are used to run a service, without requiring a central authority. So what are the main distinguishing features that the lack of a central authority brings to exchanges?

When it comes to similarities, both a decentralized exchange (DEX) and centralized exchange (CEX) offer cryptocurrency exchanges using a trading venue and a matching system. However, there are key differences between DEX and CEX. Some of the most important are listed below.

Decentralization entails anonymity. People who use DEXs remain anonymous since they are not required to disclose personal information to the exchange. With CEXs, however, authorities can access your personal information and exchange history. For example, banks require that you provide personal documents in order to be able to exchange your assets.

With a DEX, you have full control over your assets. No entity is able to access or use your assets in any other way. Centralized exchanges have access to your assets, making it possible for them to use your money. 

When using a DEX, there is no likelihood of human error since the platform runs using smart contracts. Moreover, a DEX, practically speaking,  cannot be hacked because the hacker would need to control the majority of the network, which is technically impossible. However, it is worth noting that the smart contracts themselves are prone to error if they have a flaw in their coding. This might mean potential damages to the exchange and the people who use it since smart contracts cannot be changed once they are launched. 

Government restrictions, regulations or shutdowns can greatly affect a CEX. On the other hand, a DEX is invulnerable to such decisions. Any government decision may have virtually no direct effect on such exchanges.

Liquidity is one of the most important components of exchanging. Since CEXs require that a central authority take care of the transactions, it makes transactions much faster compared to DEXs. 

A DEX generally has slower speeds because transactions need to be verified by miners. Therefore, one of the reasons why centralized exchanges are still favored by some people is the high liquidity of the former vs. the low liquidity of the latter.

CEXs are generally very simple to understand and use. The workings of exchange are not fundamentally complicated. A DEX, on the other hand, may seem confusing at first because of its decentralization. As a result, many decentralized exchanges are working to promote more simplicity.

As the name suggests, market making involves the price making of assets. Market makers are involved in the liquidity of exchange by promoting a negotiation medium for the buyer and the seller. The seller wants to sell his assets at a specific price, while the buyer wants to buy some of the assets at a different price. Market making involves finding prices and quantities between different buyers and sellers.

Let’s take a hypothetical example. Person A wants to sell 10

 at a price of $40,000 per BTC. Person B wants to buy 6 BTC at a price of $35,000 each. A market maker pushes person A to lower the ordered price to around $37,000 while suggesting person B should increase the buying price to $37,000. These demands are registered in an order book. In this way, BTC is sold by finding a common ground between the buyer and the seller. This method of negotiation already exists with centralized exchanges. The reason for market making 

A negative outcome of market making is slippage. Slippage refers to the purchase or sale of an asset at an undesirable price. This occurs when there is very low liquidity, due to the lack of market participants wanting to trade at the desired price. 

Now that we understand the main idea of a market maker, let’s jump to a new term: automated market maker (AMM).

If market making is made possible through entities that regulate transactions and promote a negotiating environment, what about decentralized exchanges — which don’t have a central authority?

As suggested, decentralized exchanges use smart contracts to regulate each payment and service. When it comes to the purchase or sale of assets, market participants can still negotiate. However, smart contracts cannot be changed. To make sure that the seller lowers the selling price or that the buyer raises the buying price, smart contracts need to continually attempt to reach common ground. The issuance of a new smart contract every time the participants change their order can be expensive, and it may take quite a long time until the transaction is finally completed. Due to this issue, a new DEX protocol known as an automated market maker (AMM) was created. 

AMM contains a pricing algorithm, a formula that may vary from exchange to exchange. The most widely known formula is the one that Uniswap uses: x * y = k 

Using this algorithm, AMM maintains fair negotiation between two parties. In other words, AMMs are smart contracts that conduct negotiations and transactions without an order book. AMMs have managed to increase the liquidity of coins and tokens in the world of cryptocurrencies.

The x * y = k formula entails that the percentage of price changes in the negotiation process varies based on the number of tokens that you own. The more tokens you have in the equation, the less the change in price when negotiating. This means that you might not sell your asset at a much lower price than the one desired, or buy an asset at a much higher price than the one that is suitable. 

If you have fewer assets involved in the transaction, the percentage change might be a little higher, but the possibility for slippage is still lower because everything is automated.

What does AMM achieve? You do not necessarily need to find another trader in order to buy or sell assets. Therefore, you don’t need to find counterparties. When using DEXs such as Binance, trade is conducted automatically, enabling a fully peer-to-peer transaction, which is the main idea of decentralization itself.

But logically, without a counterpart, there would not be any market makers. So how does market making occur without a counterpart? This is achieved through liquidity providers (LPs). 

Liquidity pools are collections of funds that come from liquidity providers. These liquidity providers earn fees for funding these pools as an incentive to keep funding them. The funding requirements differ from exchange to exchange. For example, with 

, if the LPs deposit two token types, they deposit around 50% for each. 

The reason why LPs need to do this is that there should be an equivalent number of two token types in the pool so that the AMM formula can be valid. To put things into perspective, if the value of y is 0 in the formula x * y = k, then k = 0, which would not make sense — since it would also imply that there are no tokens for the ‘y’ variable.

Anyone can be a liquidity provider, which means that anyone can become a market maker. 0.3% of transaction fees go to the LPs, making liquidity pools a good way to earn a steady income. Liquidity pools such as Uniswap’s have equal shares for every liquidity provider. As a consequence, no matter how much you deposit in the pool, you can be rewarded at the same rate as a user who has deposited much more than you.

Liquidity pools attempt to lure more liquidity providers into funding the pool. This is done to avoid slippage, which as a result increases the volume of a cryptocurrency.

It is worth noting that DEXs in the Ethereum network requires that only 

 tokens are used to fund the liquidity pools. 

However, the tokens do not necessarily need to be authorized by Uniswap in order to deposit them in the pool. Ethereum allows people to launch their own tokens, and people can list those tokens in DEXs and liquidity pools such as Uniswap.

But would the funding in liquidity pools be balanced if you would deposit 50% in ETH and another 50% of a much smaller project? Due to the high volatility of cryptocurrencies, the ratio of the deposited tokens can change drastically, especially when such differences between the two tokens are present. This is when impermanent loss occurs. Impermanent loss in the pool means that your asset is losing value due to the sudden price fluctuations from the change in ratio. 

However, there is a reason why these are called “impermanent” losses. The change in the ratio can be temporary, and the price can return to the initial price. For this reason, you should not withdraw funds prior to the prices returning to the original price, or else you may face huge financial losses. 

Despite impermanent losses, liquidity pools such as Uniswap have still proven to be very lucrative because of the trading fees they pay to liquidity providers. Moreover, liquidity pools such as Balancer’s manage to adjust the token ratios dynamically after a certain period of time. This gives liquidity providers the space to change their depositing strategy, so that impermanent losses are avoided.

There are also stablecoins in the crypto market whose value remains more stable than that of other cryptocurrencies. Depositing such coins in the liquidity pools almost guarantees to eliminate the risk for impermanent loss. For this reason, some liquidity pools only allow the deposit of stablecoins.

To sum up, automated market makers have increased the liquidity of decentralized exchanges, as well as a new profitable money-making option for liquidity providers. Being the very core of DeFi, AMMs have become one of the most important innovations of the decentralized world. AMMs may have their drawbacks, such as impermanent losses, but the benefits that come with them are much more significant. As a topic, AMM is still a relatively new concept in both the finance and technology worlds. One thing is for certain: AMM is likely to be shaped into a better feature of DeFi in the future, which as a result can increase the liquidity and lower the fees in DEXs even more.

What Is an Automated Market Maker (AMM)?

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