Guides

Plain-language guides to checking an exchange yourself: licences, proof of reserves and the warning signs.

• How to check if a crypto exchange is regulated

  Find the legal entity that operates the exchange, look it up on the regulator's own public register, and know the difference between an anti-money-laundering registration and a full licence.

  Last updated 2026-09-22

• How to read an exchange's proof of reserves

  A reserves report only means something if it covers liabilities, is recent, and can be verified by someone other than the exchange. Here is what to look for and what to ignore.

  Last updated 2026-09-22

• Nine warning signs an exchange may not be safe

  Vague corporate identity, promised returns, withdrawal friction and pressure to hurry — the patterns that tend to show up before people lose money.

  Last updated 2026-09-22