In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, where prices can swing wildly in minutes, reliability matters more than ever. That's the key takeaway from a recent tweet by Keith Grossman, President of MoonPay, who called out the ongoing issues with centralized exchanges (CEXs) during times of high volatility. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Grossman highlighted how decentralized exchanges (DEXs) are steadily eating into CEX market share, especially as seen in the aftermath of the October 10, 2025, flash crash that wiped out billions in liquidations.

Grossman quoted a post from MoonPay celebrating their perfect uptime during the chaos of October 10—a day when Bitcoin plunged below $110,000 amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions sparked by President Trump's new tariffs Coindesk. MoonPay reported record transactions and volume without any hiccups, a stark contrast to the slowdowns and outages plaguing major CEXs like Binance and Coinbase. "Safe CEX? Use a DEX!" Grossman quipped, pointing to a chart showing DEX volume climbing as a percentage of overall CEX activity.

This chart from Blockworks Research illustrates a dramatic uptick in DEX usage, particularly spiking in late 2024 and into 2025. But what's driving this shift? A big part of it is the explosive growth of meme tokens, which thrive on the speed, accessibility, and low barriers of DEX platforms.

Meme coins, those fun, community-driven tokens often inspired by internet culture, have found a natural home on DEXs like Raydium on Solana or Aerodrome on Base. Unlike traditional assets that might list on big CEXs, many memes launch directly on DEXs to tap into viral hype without the hassle of regulatory approvals or high listing fees. Data from Blockworks shows that meme coins accounted for over 60% of Solana's DEX activity in late 2024 and early 2025 Yahoo Finance. Even as overall meme volumes dipped slightly later in the year, their influence on DEX dominance remains huge, with Solana's network revenue and on-chain activity buoyed by these tokens AInvest.

The October 10 crash, which saw over $7 billion in crypto liquidations in a single hour Bloomberg, exposed the vulnerabilities of CEXs once again. Traders reported frozen interfaces, delayed orders, and outright failures—issues that have plagued centralized platforms for years during peak stress. DEXs, on the other hand, operate on blockchain networks without a single point of failure, allowing seamless trading even in turmoil. For meme token enthusiasts, who often chase quick pumps and dumps, this reliability can mean the difference between capitalizing on a moonshot or getting rekt by downtime.

Grossman argues that the first 15 years of crypto were all about bundling services into CEXs for convenience, but now the tech is maturing. Decentralized tools are getting user-friendly enough to compete, fostering a pro-competition environment. MoonPay, as a fiat-to-crypto onramp, plays into this by enabling easy access to DEX ecosystems, and their flawless performance during the crash underscores the point.

Looking ahead, this trend spells big things for meme tokens. With platforms like Pump.fun on Solana making it dead simple to launch new memes, and DEX volumes hitting records—such as the $2.6 billion in a day from Four Meme launches Yahoo Finance—the space is primed for more innovation. But it's not without risks; the same volatility that draws traders can lead to massive losses, as seen in the recent purge.

If you're diving into meme tokens, consider starting on a DEX for that extra layer of resilience. Keep an eye on projects like $USDUC or $MINI mentioned in replies to Grossman's thread—they're prime examples of the grassroots energy fueling this shift. As the crypto landscape evolves, staying informed on these dynamics will help you navigate the memes and the markets alike.