When I first started trading on an exchange, I never questioned the mechanics.

I just took it for granted—the prices seemed fair, orders settled instantly, and everything ran according to the promises on their website.

Fast forward a few months, and reality hit different. You start to realize how much of that confidence was built on nothing solid. Price feeds you can't independently verify. Settlement processes buried in T&Cs. A system that claims transparency but keeps the actual infrastructure locked away.

That gap between what they say happens and what you can actually confirm? That's where doubt creeps in.