Smart Contracts
Beginner
What is
DEX (Decentralized Exchange)?
A peer-to-peer exchange that allows trading cryptocurrencies without intermediaries or custody.
Decentralized exchanges enable trustless trading directly from your wallet using smart contracts. On Ergo, DEXs like Spectrum Finance use the eUTXO model for atomic swaps - trades either complete fully or not at all. This eliminates front-running and MEV extraction common on Ethereum DEXs.
Key Points
- Trade directly from your wallet
- No KYC or account required
- Atomic swaps ensure fair execution
- No front-running on eUTXO
- Liquidity pools enable trading
- Spectrum Finance is main Ergo DEX
Use Cases
1
Swapping ERG for tokens
2
Providing liquidity for fees
3
Trading without centralized risk
4
Accessing DeFi ecosystem
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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about DEX (Decentralized Exchange)
Common questions about this topic
How to get started with Ergo?
Start by getting a wallet (Nautilus for browser, Terminus for mobile). Back up your seed phrase securely offline. Get some ERG from an exchange (Gate.io, KuCoin) or DEX (Spectrum). Make a test transaction. Then explore: try DeFi on Spectrum, check out NFTs, or dive into the technology if you're a builder.
How-to
Getting Started
What can I do with Ergo?
Ergo supports a full ecosystem: trade on Spectrum DEX, use SigmaUSD stablecoin, mix transactions with ErgoMixer, collect NFTs on SkyHarbor, mine with GPUs, lend/borrow on DuckPools, bridge to other chains via Rosen, and build dApps with ErgoScript. It's a complete platform for decentralized finance and applications.
Explainer
Getting Started
How to use Spectrum DEX on Ergo?
Connect your Nautilus wallet to Spectrum Finance, select tokens to swap, review the rate and slippage, then confirm. Spectrum uses AMM liquidity pools for instant trades. You can also provide liquidity to earn fees. All trades are atomic - they complete fully or not at all, with no front-running possible.
How-to
DeFi
Is Ergo a good investment?
This is not financial advice. Ergo has strong fundamentals: fair launch (no VC dump risk), innovative technology (eUTXO, Sigma Protocols, NiPoPoWs), active development, and a cypherpunk ethos. It's a smaller market cap project with higher risk/reward than established chains. Research thoroughly, understand the technology, and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Comparison
Getting Started