The Block Publishes Educational Guide on Crypto Market Structure

WHY IT MATTERS

Market structure is a term that describes how buyers and sellers come together to trade. Think of it like the rules and layout of a farmers market — who can set up a stall, how prices are displayed, and how transactions happen. In crypto, this structure is different from traditional stock markets because there is no single central exchange where all trades happen. Instead, trading is spread across many platforms around the world. Understanding this helps beginners grasp why prices can sometimes differ between exchanges and how trades actually get executed when someone buys or sells cryptocurrency.