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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→Order Book Model

→Decentralized Exchange

→Ethereum Layer 2

Lighter Perpetual DEX Secures $167 Billion Monthly Trading Volume on Ethereum Layer-2

The Ethereum Layer-2 perpetual DEX leverages scalability to rapidly capture significant market share in the derivatives vertical.

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→Decentralized Derivatives

→Trading Engine

→Order Book Model

Perpetual DEX Volume Surges past Trillion Dollar Mark, Redefining Derivatives Market

High-throughput perpetual DEXs surpassed $1.43T in monthly volume, validating specialized app-chain and Layer 2 architectures as the future of on-chain derivatives.

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→Derivatives Trading

→Decentralized Exchange

→Digital Assets

K-BIT Launches First Perpetual DEX on Kaia Chain with Orakl Network

K-BIT's launch of the inaugural PerpDEX on Kaia Chain, powered by Orakl Network's Off-Chain Aggregation, establishes a new primitive for scalable, cost-effective decentralized derivatives trading.

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→Capital Efficiency

→Decentralized Derivatives

→Liquidity Provision

Avantis Launches Universal Leverage Layer on Base, Expanding DeFi Derivatives

Avantis introduces a capital-efficient universal leverage layer on Base, democratizing access to synthetic derivatives across crypto, forex, and real-world assets with novel risk-layered liquidity.

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→DeFi Infrastructure

→Ecosystem Growth

→Low Latency

Hyperliquid Achieves Trillions in Perpetual Trading Volume on Custom Layer 1

Hyperliquid's custom Layer 1 blockchain and on-chain perpetuals exchange redefine high-frequency DeFi trading, delivering CEX-level performance with decentralized self-custody.

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→Decentralized Finance

→Data Integrity

→Wash Trading

DeFiLlama Delists Aster Data over Suspected Trading Manipulation

A major DeFi analytics platform removed Aster's trading data, raising concerns about market integrity and causing its token to drop.

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→Decentralized Exchanges

→DeFi Derivatives

→Trading Volume

Decentralized Perpetual Futures Trading Surpasses One Trillion Dollars Monthly

DeFi derivatives platforms achieved a historic $1 trillion monthly trading volume, signaling a critical shift in market structure and user preference for self-custodial leverage.

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→Volume Verification

→On-Chain Data

→Exchange Data

DeFiLlama Delists Aster Trading Data over Integrity Concerns

DeFiLlama removed Aster's trading volume data, citing unverified activity and a lack of transparency, raising questions about data reliability in some DEXs.

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→On-Chain Settlement

→ZK-Rollup

→Decentralized Exchange

Lighter Launches ZK-Rollup Perpetual DEX on Ethereum Mainnet

Lighter's ZK-rollup perpetual DEX on Ethereum delivers CEX-level performance with decentralized settlement, redefining capital efficiency in DeFi derivatives.

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→Market Volume

→Digital Assets

→Liquidity Incentives

Decentralized Perpetual Exchanges Hit Record Trading Volume

Decentralized perpetual exchanges achieved a historic $1.143 trillion in September trading volume, signaling a significant shift in crypto derivatives.