How Vortex Works & Fund Flow
How Vortex Works & Fund Flow
Vortex is designed around four principles:
Stablecoins at the core – Stablecoins are the primary settlement asset, reducing volatility and simplifying reconciliation. Other crypto tokens can also be on- or off-ramped, but they are exchanged into stablecoins through the Vortex DEX before reaching fiat settlement.
Local partners – Regulated partners in each market handle fiat transfers, maintain local stablecoin liquidity, and carry out compliance. They hold the fiat accounts and are responsible for payouts and collections.
Direct settlement – Each conversion links one crypto transfer with one fiat transfer. There is no pooling of funds; every payment is processed transaction by transaction.
Abstracted flow – The complete routing, swapping, and bridging process is hidden from the end user. Only the starting asset and the resulting payout are visible; all intermediate steps are automated inside Vortex.
The Role of the Vortex DEX
The Vortex DEX provides deep on-chain liquidity between the primary settlement stablecoin and the local partner stablecoins (for example, EURC as the stablecoin used for EUR, or BRLA as the stablecoin used for BRL). This ensures that every fiat corridor has a reliable and transparent crypto-side exchange mechanism.
The DEX itself does not interact with fiat. Its sole purpose is to keep conversion between stablecoins efficient and fairly priced, supported by external price oracles.
Typical On-Ramp Flow (Fiat → Crypto)
Fiat payment is initiated through a local rail (e.g., SEPA, PIX).
Fiat is received by the local regulated partner.
Equivalent value is issued as the partner stablecoin and routed through the Vortex DEX.
The partner stablecoin is exchanged in the Vortex DEX into a primary settlement stablecoin, unless it already qualifies as one.
The primary settlement stablecoin can be swapped into another output token if needed, and delivered to the recipient wallet.
Settlement is completed either instantly or within the clearing timeframe of the chosen fiat rail.
Typical Off-Ramp Flow (Crypto → Fiat)
A crypto payment (stablecoin or other token) is sent to Vortex.
The asset is swapped, bridged, or routed into a primary settlement stablecoin.
The primary settlement stablecoin is exchanged on the Vortex DEX into the local partner stablecoin.
The local partner stablecoin is sent to the regulated partner, and fiat payout is made through SEPA, PIX, or another supported scheme.
Settlement is immediate where rails allow, or within the standard local timeframe.
This flow applies across all Vortex products. The same backend, local partner setup, and DEX-driven exchange process govern the Buy & Sell Crypto App, the Vortex Widget, and the Liquidity API.
Note: In some cases, the flow does not go through the Vortex DEX. If a liquid direct pair with the local stablecoin exists on another DEX/router, that path may be used instead. In early corridors, PSP partners may also handle conversion in a more traditional way before the local stablecoin pools are live.
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