StakePoint

Solana DeFi Glossary

Definitions of key terms used in Solana DeFi, token locking, LP locking, and staking. Published by the StakePoint team.

Glossary/Decentralised Exchange (DEX)

Decentralised Exchange (DEX)

A peer-to-peer trading platform that operates via smart contracts without a central authority.

Definition

A decentralised exchange (DEX) is a trading platform that facilitates peer-to-peer token swaps through on-chain smart contracts, without requiring a central authority or intermediary to hold user funds.

On Solana, major DEXs include Raydium, Meteora, Orca, and Jupiter (which aggregates liquidity across multiple DEXs). Users connect their wallets directly to DEX interfaces and trade against on-chain liquidity pools.

DEXs are non-custodial — users retain control of their tokens at all times and trades are settled directly on-chain. This contrasts with centralised exchanges (CEXs) such as Binance or Coinbase, which hold user funds on their behalf.

StakePoint & Decentralised Exchange (DEX)

StakePoint integrates Jupiter-powered swaps — a DEX aggregator that finds the best route across Solana's major DEXs. StakePoint also supports locking LP tokens from Raydium and Meteora DEXs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a decentralised exchange?

A DEX is a trading platform that operates via smart contracts without a central authority. Users trade directly from their wallets without depositing funds to the exchange.

What are the main DEXs on Solana?

The main Solana DEXs are Raydium, Meteora, Orca, and Jupiter (which aggregates liquidity across multiple DEXs).