Perp DEXs Attract Major Liquidity and Retail Investor Confidence
Perpetual decentralized exchanges (Perp DEXs) are entering a high-growth phase, with trading volumes smashing records and major industry players like Binance and Tron joining the race. Platforms such as Hyperliquid and Aster are continuously setting new benchmarks, attracting the attention of on-chain investors eager to get in early before the market becomes saturated.
Big Players Signal Market Confidence
The rise of perp DEXs is no longer confined to the DeFi community. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao recently highlighted Aster, a next-generation perp DEX, creating a ripple effect among his 8 million followers. Zhao previously proposed a dark pool-style DEX for perpetual futures to enhance trade privacy and prevent front-running. Meanwhile, Tron founder Justin Sun actively promoted SunPerp, leveraging the Tron ecosystem to bring millions of users into the fold.
These strategic moves indicate that perp DEXs are maturing as viable destinations for liquidity flows. When leading ecosystems participate, they not only bring capital but also retail investor confidence, potentially pushing decentralized perpetual trading from a niche market toward mainstream adoption.
DeFi’s “Secret Weapon” in the Post-CEX Era
Perp DEXs’ growth has been spectacular. According to DefiLlama, perpetual futures trading volume over the past 30 days surged to $569 billion, while total August volume exceeded $623 billion, the highest since 2022. Hyperliquid (HYPE) dominates with $329 billion in 30-day trading, capturing 57.8% market share, while Aster emerges as a rising challenger with $140 billion in cumulative trading, per Dune Analytics.
The allure of perp DEXs lies not only in numbers but in mechanics: low fees, high leverage, user reward airdrops, and, most importantly, self-custody of assets. In a post-FTX world where trust in centralized exchanges is fragile, self-custody on perp DEXs becomes a decisive advantage for traders seeking security and control.
