DEX Architecture

Architecture

Decentralized exchange (DEX) architecture fundamentally alters traditional market structures by removing intermediaries, enabling peer-to-peer trading of digital assets. This shift necessitates novel approaches to order matching, liquidity provision, and settlement, often leveraging smart contracts on blockchain networks. Current designs range from automated market makers (AMMs) utilizing liquidity pools to order book models attempting to replicate centralized exchange functionality, each presenting unique trade-offs in terms of capital efficiency and price discovery. The evolution of DEX architecture is heavily influenced by layer-2 scaling solutions aimed at mitigating on-chain congestion and reducing transaction costs.