| FEATURE | GMX | PACIFICA |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| Maker Fee | 0.04% | 0.015% |
| Max Leverage | 100x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 103 | 77 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.4 | 3.6 |
GMX vs Pacifica: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $8.00 on Pacifica and $12.00 on GMX at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $4.00 per round trip.
For limit orders, GMX charges makers 0.04%, while Pacifica charges makers 0.015%.
GMX allows up to 100x leverage against 50x on Pacifica. The headline figure usually applies to a few markets only, so check the limit on the pair you trade.
GMX lists 103 perpetual markets, Pacifica lists 77.
Pacifica is the more liquid venue, with $297M in 24-hour volume against $83M on GMX (about 3.6 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 USDC, USDT, WETH, ETH +4 more on GMX and in USDC, SOL on Pacifica.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| GMX | Pacifica | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $12.00 | $8.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $8.00 | $3.00 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.054% | 0.028% |
| BTC max leverage | 100x | 50x |
| Margin modes | isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $83M | $297M |
| TVL | $246M | $27M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDC, USDT, WETH, ETH +4 more | USDC, SOL |
| Deposit networks | Arbitrum, Avalanche, MegaETH +4 more | Solana |
| Minimum order | $2 | $10 |
| Order types | 6 | 12 |
| Options | No | No |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | No | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | No | Yes |
| Insurance fund | No | No |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 9 | 13 |
| Founded | 2021 | 2025 |
Choose GMX if
- You want higher leverage: up to 100x against 50x.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 103 perpetual pairs against 77.
- You want a sign-up discount: 5% off fees through a referral link.
Choose Pacifica if
- You mostly use market orders: 0.04% taker fee against 0.06% on GMX.
- You place limit orders: 0.015% maker fee against 0.04% on GMX.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $297M in 24-hour volume against $83M.
- You trade from a phone: Pacifica has a mobile app.
GMX
PROS
- + Perpetual position fees of 0.04% for trades that improve the long/short balance and 0.06% otherwise; gold, silver, QQQ, and SPY markets charge 0.01% or 0.02% during market hours
- + Up to 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, gold, silver, and oil markets, and up to 50x on the QQQ and SPY index markets during trading hours
- + 103 perpetual markets on Arbitrum covering crypto assets, commodities (gold, silver, WTI, Brent, natural gas), and US indices (QQQ, SPY)
CONS
- − The Terms and Conditions bar U.S. Persons and residents of countries under US, UK, or EU sanctions, and prohibit using a VPN to get around the restriction
- − No native mobile app; mobile trading requires a wallet browser or WalletConnect
- − Staking rewards have been suspended since 4 March 2026: bought-back GMX stays in the Treasury until the GMX price reaches 90 USD
Pacifica
PROS
- + Base perpetual fees of 0.015% maker and 0.04% taker, falling to 0% maker above 100 million dollars and 0.028% taker above 500 million dollars of 30-day volume
- + 77 perpetual markets in the API on October 4, 2026, including FX (EURUSD, USDJPY), commodities, US stocks, and SP500, with 50x leverage on BTC, ETH, EURUSD, and USDJPY
- + Wide order type set documented: market, limit, stop market, stop limit, TWAP from 1 minute to 24 hours, scale orders of up to 100 limit orders, OCO, and trailing stop
CONS
- − Restricted in the US, Canada, the UK, China, Russia, Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, Syria, North Korea, and the Philippines under the Terms of Use dated June 11, 2026, and VPN use to bypass the block is prohibited
- − The docs still describe a Closed Beta: account equity for deposits is capped at 500,000 dollars and withdrawals at 500,000 dollars per 24 hours
- − The docs publish one audit report (BlockSec, April 2025) and describe no insurance fund; losses beyond the backstop liquidator are covered by auto-deleveraging of profitable traders
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GMX or Pacifica better?
GMX has a higher rating (4.4 vs 3.6). Pacifica offers lower fees (0.04% vs 0.06%). Choose GMX for higher leverage, and Pacifica for lower fees.
What are the fees on GMX vs Pacifica?
GMX charges 0.06% taker / 0.04% maker. Pacifica charges 0.04% taker / 0.015% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, GMX or Pacifica?
GMX offers up to 100x, and Pacifica offers up to 50x. Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do GMX and Pacifica require KYC?
GMX does not require KYC. Pacifica does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (GMX lists 9; Pacifica lists 13), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is GMX or Pacifica safer?
GMX has been audited and has no insurance fund on record here, and custody is non-custodial. Pacifica has been audited and has no insurance fund on record here, and custody is non-custodial. Neither audits nor insurance funds remove smart contract risk, so size deposits accordingly.
Which has more trading volume, GMX or Pacifica?
GMX recorded $83M in 24-hour volume and Pacifica recorded $297M, as of 2026-10-04. GMX lists 103 perpetual markets and Pacifica lists 77.