| FEATURE | ARCUS | DYDX |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.0225% | 0.05% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0.01% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 60 | 73 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 3.6 | 4.0 |
Arcus vs dYdX: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $4.50 on Arcus and $10.00 on dYdX at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $5.50 per round trip.
For limit orders, Arcus charges makers nothing, while dYdX charges makers 0.01%.
dYdX lists 73 perpetual markets, Arcus lists 60.
Arcus is the more liquid venue, with $238M in 24-hour volume against $3M on dYdX (about 79 times more). Deeper books mean less slippage on large orders.
Neither exchange requires KYC: both are used by connecting a wallet.
Margin is posted in USDG on Arcus and in USDC on dYdX.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| Arcus | dYdX | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $4.50 | $10.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $2.00 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.0095% | 0.025% |
| BTC max leverage | 40x | 50x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $238M | $3M |
| TVL | $38M | $108M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDG | USDC |
| Deposit networks | Robinhood Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum +3 more | Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism +6 more |
| Minimum order | $5 | $1 |
| Order types | 8 | 6 |
| Options | No | No |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | Yes | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | No | No |
| Insurance fund | No | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 6 | 16 |
| Founded | 2026 | 2017 |
Choose Arcus if
- You mostly use market orders: 0.0225% taker fee against 0.05% on dYdX.
- You place limit orders: 0% maker fee against 0.01% on dYdX.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $238M in 24-hour volume against $3M.
Choose dYdX if
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 73 perpetual pairs against 60.
- You trade from a phone: dYdX has a mobile app.
Arcus
PROS
- + 0% maker and 0.0225% taker fee on perpetuals at the base tier, falling to 0.0095% taker with a 0.003% maker rebate at 3 billion dollars of 30-day volume
- + 30 single-stock perpetuals plus SPY, QQQ, gold, silver, copper, and oil markets trade 24/7 next to 24 crypto perpetuals, all from one USDG balance
- + Spot trading of tokenized stocks costs 0% in fees, and Stock Tokens stay in the user's own wallet
CONS
- − Perpetuals are in beta: new users need a waitlist cohort or a single-use invite code, and the iOS and Android apps were still in pre-order on October 4, 2026
- − Not available in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom under the Terms of Use dated May 28, 2026
- − USDG is the only collateral asset, and 54 of the 60 online markets are capped at 20x leverage or less, with most single stocks at 5x or 10x
dYdX
PROS
- + Base tier perpetuals fees of 0.05% taker and 0.01% maker, falling to 0.025% taker and a -0.011% maker rebate at 200 million USD of 30-day volume
- + Staking discount on trading fees: 3,000 staked DYDX cuts base tier fees by 25%, and 20,000 staked DYDX cuts them by 50%
- + Onchain governance by DYDX token holders controls fees, market listings and rewards, with 75% of protocol fees directed to DYDX buybacks
CONS
- − Low liquidity in 2026: 24-hour perpetuals volume was about 3 million USD on October 4, 2026, and the active market count fell from 114 to 73 in three months as governance wound down low-activity markets
- − 50x leverage is available only on BTC and ETH; SOL is capped at 20x and the other 70 markets at 5x or 10x
- − Perpetuals are restricted in the US, UK and Canada, so US traders can only use the Solana spot product
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arcus or dYdX better?
dYdX has a higher rating (4 vs 3.6). Arcus offers lower fees (0.0225% vs 0.05%). Choose Arcus for lower fees, and dYdX for its features.
What are the fees on Arcus vs dYdX?
Arcus charges 0.0225% taker / 0% maker. dYdX charges 0.05% taker / 0.01% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Arcus or dYdX?
Arcus offers up to 50x (40x on BTC), and dYdX offers up to 50x. Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do Arcus and dYdX require KYC?
Arcus does not require KYC. dYdX does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Arcus lists 6; dYdX lists 16), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Arcus or dYdX safer?
Arcus has been audited and has no insurance fund on record here, and custody is non-custodial. dYdX has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is non-custodial. Neither audits nor insurance funds remove smart contract risk, so size deposits accordingly.
Which has more trading volume, Arcus or dYdX?
Arcus recorded $238M in 24-hour volume and dYdX recorded $3M, as of 2026-10-04. Arcus lists 60 perpetual markets and dYdX lists 73.