| FEATURE | AVANTIS | DYDX |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.045% | 0.05% |
| Maker Fee | 0.001% | 0.01% |
| Max Leverage | 500x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 148 | 73 |
| Spot Trading | No | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 3.5 | 4.0 |
Avantis vs dYdX: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $9.00 on Avantis and $10.00 on dYdX at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $1.00 per round trip.
For limit orders, Avantis charges makers 0.001%, while dYdX charges makers 0.01%.
Avantis allows up to 500x leverage against 50x on dYdX. The headline figure usually applies to a few markets only, so check the limit on the pair you trade.
Avantis lists 148 perpetual markets, dYdX lists 73.
dYdX also has spot trading; Avantis is perpetuals only.
Avantis is the more liquid venue, with $50M in 24-hour volume against $3M on dYdX (about 17 times more). Deeper books mean less slippage on large orders.
Neither exchange requires KYC: both are used by connecting a wallet.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| Avantis | dYdX | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $9.00 | $10.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $0.20 | $2.00 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.0315% | 0.025% |
| BTC max leverage | 500x | 50x |
| Margin modes | isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $50M | $3M |
| TVL | $11M | $108M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDC | USDC |
| Deposit networks | Base, Ethereum | Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism +6 more |
| Minimum order | $100 | $1 |
| Order types | 8 | 6 |
| Options | No | No |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | No | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | No | No |
| Insurance fund | No | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 6 | 16 |
| Founded | 2023 | 2017 |
Choose Avantis if
- You mostly use market orders: 0.045% taker fee against 0.05% on dYdX.
- You place limit orders: 0.001% maker fee against 0.01% on dYdX.
- You want higher leverage: up to 500x against 50x.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 148 perpetual pairs against 73.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $50M in 24-hour volume against $3M.
- You want a sign-up discount: 5% off fees through a referral link.
Choose dYdX if
- You want spot and perpetuals in one account.
- You trade from a phone: dYdX has a mobile app.
Avantis
PROS
- + Zero maker and taker fees on forex, commodities, indices and equities while those markets are in growth mode (spread and funding still apply)
- + Crypto fees of 0.045% taker and 0.001% maker per side, where maker means a trade that reduces open-interest skew
- + Upside Perps on BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP and HYPE: no opening, closing or borrow fees, and traders keep 75% to 95% of profit on winning trades
CONS
- − Deployed on Base only, and USDC is the only accepted collateral
- − Fixed-fee leverage on crypto majors is capped at 50x and altcoins at 40x; higher crypto leverage requires Upside Perps, which take 5% to 25% of profit
- − Profit on a single position is capped at 2500% of collateral on most markets, and positions are liquidated at an 85% loss
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 Avantis or dYdX better?
dYdX has a higher rating (4 vs 3.5). Avantis offers lower fees (0.045% vs 0.05%). Choose Avantis for lower fees, and dYdX for its features.
What are the fees on Avantis vs dYdX?
Avantis charges 0.045% taker / 0.001% maker. dYdX charges 0.05% taker / 0.01% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Avantis or dYdX?
Avantis offers up to 500x, and dYdX offers up to 50x. Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do Avantis and dYdX require KYC?
Avantis does not require KYC. dYdX does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Avantis lists 6; dYdX lists 16), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Avantis or dYdX safer?
Avantis 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, Avantis or dYdX?
Avantis recorded $50M in 24-hour volume and dYdX recorded $3M, as of 2026-10-04. Avantis lists 148 perpetual markets and dYdX lists 73.