Hyperliquid vs Arcus
Detailed side-by-side comparison of features, fees, and trading experience
| FEATURE | HYPERLIQUID | ARCUS |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.045% | 0.0225% |
| Maker Fee | 0.015% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 330 | 60 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.8 | 3.6 |
Hyperliquid vs Arcus: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $4.50 on Arcus and $9.00 on Hyperliquid at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $4.50 per round trip.
For limit orders, Hyperliquid charges makers 0.015%, while Arcus charges makers nothing.
Hyperliquid lists 330 perpetual markets, Arcus lists 60.
Hyperliquid is the more liquid venue, with $2.3B in 24-hour volume against $238M on Arcus (about 9.8 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, HYPE, BTC on Hyperliquid and in USDG on Arcus.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| Hyperliquid | Arcus | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $9.00 | $4.50 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $3.00 | $0 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.024% | 0.0095% |
| BTC max leverage | 40x | 40x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $2.3B | $238M |
| TVL | $7.3B | $38M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDC, HYPE, BTC | USDG |
| Deposit networks | Arbitrum, Ethereum, Base +10 more | Robinhood Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum +3 more |
| Minimum order | $10 | $5 |
| Order types | 16 | 8 |
| Options | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Testnet or demo | Yes | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | Yes | No |
| Insurance fund | Yes | No |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 6 | 6 |
| Founded | 2022 | 2026 |
Choose Hyperliquid if
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 330 perpetual pairs against 60.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $2.3B in 24-hour volume against $238M.
- You trade from a phone: Hyperliquid has a mobile app.
- You want to post margin in more than one asset.
- You want a sign-up discount: 4% off fees through a referral link.
Choose Arcus if
- You mostly use market orders: 0.0225% taker fee against 0.045% on Hyperliquid.
- You place limit orders: 0% maker fee against 0.015% on Hyperliquid.
Hyperliquid
PROS
- + Perpetuals taker fee of 0.045% and maker fee of 0.015% at the base tier, falling to 0.024% taker and 0% maker above 7 billion USD in 14-day volume, with a further discount of up to 40% for HYPE stakers
- + Up to 40x leverage on BTC perpetuals, 25x on ETH and 20x on SOL, and up to 50x on HIP-3 FX pairs (EUR, JPY, GBP) and S&P 500 perpetuals
- + No KYC: trading starts after connecting a wallet or email login, funds stay in the user's own account, and every order and liquidation is recorded onchain
CONS
- − USDC is the default perpetuals collateral; HYPE and BTC count as collateral only under portfolio margin, which requires more than 10,000 USD in account value or 5 million USD in volume
- − Restricted in the United States, Ontario (Canada), Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria; the frontend blocks IP addresses from restricted locations
- − The official mobile app is Android only and was released in April 2026 as a limited MVP; there is no iOS app, so iPhone users rely on the web 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hyperliquid or Arcus better?
Hyperliquid has a higher rating (4.8 vs 3.6). Arcus offers lower fees (0.0225% vs 0.045%). Choose Hyperliquid for its features, and Arcus for lower fees.
What are the fees on Hyperliquid vs Arcus?
Hyperliquid charges 0.045% taker / 0.015% maker. Arcus charges 0.0225% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Hyperliquid or Arcus?
Hyperliquid offers up to 50x (40x on BTC), and Arcus offers up to 50x (40x on BTC). Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do Hyperliquid and Arcus require KYC?
Hyperliquid does not require KYC. Arcus does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Hyperliquid lists 6; Arcus lists 6), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Hyperliquid or Arcus safer?
Hyperliquid has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is non-custodial. Arcus 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, Hyperliquid or Arcus?
Hyperliquid recorded $2.3B in 24-hour volume and Arcus recorded $238M, as of 2026-10-04. Hyperliquid lists 330 perpetual markets and Arcus lists 60.