| FEATURE | ARCUS | PARADEX |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | HYBRID |
| Taker Fee | 0.0225% | 0% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 60 | 63 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 3.6 | 4.5 |
Arcus vs Paradex: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $0 on Paradex and $4.50 on Arcus at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $4.50 per round trip.
Paradex lists 63 perpetual markets, Arcus lists 60.
Arcus is the more liquid venue, with $238M in 24-hour volume against $6M on Paradex (about 40 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 Paradex.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| Arcus | Paradex | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $4.50 | $0 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.0095% | 0% |
| BTC max leverage | 40x | 50x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated | cross, isolated, portfolio |
| 24h volume | $238M | $6M |
| TVL | $38M | $32M |
| Custody | non-custodial | hybrid |
| Collateral | USDG | USDC |
| Deposit networks | Robinhood Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum +3 more | Ethereum, Starknet, Arbitrum +19 more |
| Minimum order | $5 | $10 |
| Order types | 8 | 11 |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | Yes | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | No | Yes |
| Insurance fund | No | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 6 | 19 |
| Founded | 2026 | 2023 |
Choose Arcus if
- You trade size and need liquidity: $238M in 24-hour volume against $6M.
Choose Paradex if
- You mostly use market orders: 0% taker fee against 0.0225% on Arcus.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 63 perpetual pairs against 60.
- You trade options as well as perpetuals.
- You trade from a phone: Paradex 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
Paradex
PROS
- + Zero trading fees for retail orders (0% maker and 0% taker) on all 63 perpetual futures markets, on dated options, and on spot
- + Private trading: positions, orders, entries, exits, and PnL are encrypted and hidden from other traders, which limits liquidation sniping and front-running
- + 63 perpetual markets beyond crypto, including GOOGL, META, MSFT, and MSTR, the US100 and US500 indices, gold, silver, copper, and crude oil, plus about 6,700 options contracts on 11 underlyings
CONS
- − USDC is the only collateral asset. Spot balances in other tokens count toward account value but cannot be used as margin for perpetuals
- − Not available to US and Canadian persons, residents of US territories, or people in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Sevastopol
- − Pro orders sent through the standard API are not free: 0.003% maker since July 3, 2026 and 0.045% taker at the base tier, with a 0.0175% floor after all discounts
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arcus or Paradex better?
Paradex has a higher rating (4.5 vs 3.6). Paradex offers lower fees (0% vs 0.0225%). Choose Arcus for its features, and Paradex for lower fees.
What are the fees on Arcus vs Paradex?
Arcus charges 0.0225% taker / 0% maker. Paradex charges 0% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Arcus or Paradex?
Arcus offers up to 50x (40x on BTC), and Paradex offers up to 50x. Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do Arcus and Paradex require KYC?
Arcus does not require KYC. Paradex does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Arcus lists 6; Paradex lists 19), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Arcus or Paradex safer?
Arcus has been audited and has no insurance fund on record here, and custody is non-custodial. Paradex has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is hybrid. Neither audits nor insurance funds remove smart contract risk, so size deposits accordingly.
Which has more trading volume, Arcus or Paradex?
Arcus recorded $238M in 24-hour volume and Paradex recorded $6M, as of 2026-10-04. Arcus lists 60 perpetual markets and Paradex lists 63.