Perpetual Futures

Definition ∞ Perpetual futures are derivative contracts that allow traders to speculate on the future price of an asset without an expiration date. Unlike traditional futures, these contracts do not have a set settlement date, enabling positions to be held indefinitely. They are a prevalent instrument in cryptocurrency derivatives markets. Their structure involves funding rates to keep the contract price aligned with the spot market.
Context ∞ The current discourse surrounding perpetual futures centers on their widespread use in crypto trading and the associated leverage risks. Debates frequently arise concerning their potential to exacerbate market volatility and the regulatory oversight required for these instruments. A critical future development to monitor is the implementation of enhanced risk management features by exchanges and clearer guidance from regulators regarding their classification.

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→Perpetual Futures

→On-Chain Liquidity

→Decentralized Exchange

Lighter Launches ZK-Powered Perpetual DEX on Ethereum Layer 2

Lighter's mainnet launch of its ZK-powered perpetual DEX on Ethereum L2 significantly advances capital-efficient, low-latency derivatives trading, expanding the addressable market for decentralized finance.

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→Airdrop

→Spot Trading

→Perpetual Futures

Avantis Launches Base Ecosystem Derivatives Platform on KuCoin

Avantis introduces a dedicated derivatives platform on Base, enhancing capital efficiency and sophisticated trading within the emerging Layer 2 DeFi landscape.

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→Ecosystem Growth

→Perpetual Futures

→User Experience

MetaMask Integrates Hyperliquid for In-App Leverage Trading

MetaMask's direct integration of Hyperliquid's perpetual DEX streamlines high-leverage trading, enhancing user capital efficiency within the dominant Web3 wallet.

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→Decentralized

→Institutional DeFi

→Institutional Adoption

GRVT Secures $19 Million to Launch Private ZK-Powered Perpetual DEX

GRVT's ZK-powered perpetual exchange redefines institutional DeFi engagement, mitigating "position hunting" risks through on-chain privacy.

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→On-Chain Data

→Digital Assets

→Ecosystem Growth

Aster Overtakes Hyperliquid as Top Perpetual DEX by Volume

A new decentralized exchange, Aster, has surged past its competitor Hyperliquid in trading volume, signaling a shift in the DeFi landscape.

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→Liquidity Surge

→On-Chain Trading

→Financial Innovation

Decentralized Exchange Trading Volumes Surge across Key Platforms

Decentralized perpetual exchanges are witnessing a remarkable surge in trading activity, signaling robust growth within the DeFi sector.

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→Perpetual Futures

→Capital Efficiency

→Decentralized Exchange

Aster Perpetual DEX Captures Half of Record $70 Billion Daily Trading Volume

Aster's innovative multi-chain architecture and advanced trading features redefine decentralized derivatives, attracting unprecedented capital and market share.

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→High Leverage

→Ecosystem Growth

→Protocol

Avantis Launches Derivatives Platform and AVNT Token on Base

Avantis introduces a universal leverage layer on Base, enabling high-leverage perpetual futures across diverse assets, significantly advancing capital efficiency in decentralized derivatives.

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→Smart Contract

→On-Chain Forensics

→Governance Vote

Mango Markets Manipulated for $110 Million in Collateral-Based Exploit

A sophisticated price oracle manipulation allowed an attacker to illicitly inflate asset values, enabling the unauthorized borrowing of significant protocol funds.