Purchase Celsius (CEL) with Saudi riyal (SAR) easily at Switchere and benefit from fast, secure transactions.
Celsius Network, with its native CEL token, emerged as a major centralized finance (CeFi) platform designed to bridge the gap between traditional banking and the world of digital assets. Its primary function was to offer users the ability to earn yield on their cryptocurrency holdings and to take out crypto-collateralized loans. The platform operated on a custodial basis, managing user funds to generate interest income through lending activities to institutional borrowers. This model positioned it as a user-friendly alternative for crypto holders seeking to put their assets to work without navigating complex DeFi protocols.
The CEL token was the core of its loyalty and rewards system. As a utility token, holding and using CEL provided tangible benefits within the Celsius ecosystem, such as preferential interest rates for both earning and borrowing. Users could receive higher yields on their deposited assets and lower rates on loans, with rewards often distributed weekly in the form of CEL. This tokenomics structure was designed to incentivize user loyalty and drive demand for the native asset. However, the platform faced significant operational challenges and market pressures, which ultimately led to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, profoundly impacting its users and reshaping the narrative around risk in the CeFi lending industry.
A direct SAR/CEL trading pair is extremely rare due to Celsius Network's bankruptcy. The typical method is a two-step process: first, use a licensed Saudi fiat on-ramp to buy a major cryptocurrency like BTC or USDT with SAR via a local bank transfer or Mada card. After completing KYC/AML compliance, you would then transfer that digital asset to an exchange that still lists CEL and perform a crypto-to-crypto swap.
Trading CEL post-bankruptcy is a high-risk activity. The primary risks include extreme price volatility, significantly reduced liquidity due to delistings from major exchanges, and regulatory uncertainty. The token's future value is fundamentally tied to the outcome of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and the specifics of any restructuring or liquidation plan, which could potentially render the token worthless.
Following the Celsius Network's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, many major centralized exchanges (CEXs) delisted the CEL token due to heightened risk, regulatory concerns, and lack of project viability. As a result, the remaining liquidity pool for CEL shifted to decentralized exchanges. On DEXs, token listings are permissionless, meaning anyone can create a liquidity pool for a trading pair, allowing the asset to continue being traded via non-custodial wallets.
The CEL token was an in-app utility token for the Celsius crypto lending platform. Its primary function was to provide enhanced benefits to users through a loyalty rewards system. By holding CEL, users could access higher yields on their deposited assets via the 'Earn program', receive discounts on loan interest payments, and benefit from what the company called its 'Flywheel' tokenomics model.
Yes, there are several cryptocurrency exchanges licensed to operate in Saudi Arabia that act as SAR fiat gateways. These platforms are compliant with regulations set by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and require users to complete a full KYC (Know Your Customer) verification process. They facilitate the purchase of established digital assets using Saudi Riyal, typically through local bank transfers.
Given that CEL is now primarily a speculative asset traded on DEXs, self-custody is paramount. After acquiring CEL, immediately transfer it from the exchange to a secure, non-custodial digital wallet where you control the private keys. Be extremely cautious of scams related to Celsius recovery or reimbursement plans. Always verify the smart contract address of the CEL token on a block explorer before executing a swap to avoid counterfeit tokens.