The Challenge
Uruguay has a growing appetite for crypto, but most existing exchange platforms are built for users who already understand blockchain. Zenda set out to change that: a local exchange that feels as simple as a bank transfer for everyday users, while still giving experienced traders the flexibility to connect their own wallets and operate across networks.
The technical challenge matched the ambition. Multi-network support across Tron, Polygon, and Ethereum, real-time KYC verification, local payment rails, and a non-custodial architecture all had to come together in a product that anyone could use on day one.
Our Approach
SpaceDev joined Zenda from the product discovery phase, helping define the architecture, UX flows, and phased feature roadmap before a single line of production code was written. That foundation made the build phase significantly faster and more focused.
The team of two developers, one QA, and one PM built the full platform in parallel: the order engine for USDT across Tron, Polygon, and Ethereum; Privy for non-custodial wallet onboarding; Sumsub for KYC and identity verification; and RedPagos and MercadoPago for local fiat payment rails.
Infrastructure runs on AWS using the SST framework, with a complete VPC setup, PostgreSQL on RDS, ECS for container orchestration, and Secrets Manager for secure credential handling across environments. Bitbucket Pipelines keeps deployments automated and auditable.
Results
Zenda went live and quickly established itself as a functional, compliant exchange for the Uruguayan market. In the first weeks, the platform registered 140 users, verified 50 identities, and processed over 200 orders. The admin dashboard gives the Zenda team full visibility into operations, and the CI/CD pipeline ensures new features reach production without manual intervention. Development continues, with expanded network support and new product features in the roadmap.
