Perp DEX Sector
Reverse Engineering On-Chain Derivatives from CEX — Then and Now, Just Like This Moment
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| PERP DEX |
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| Perp is not new, timing is everything |
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| Two types: AMM Perp vs CLOB Perp |
| One impossible triangle to choose from |
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+-----------------------------------------------------------+1/ Perp Sector Isn't New
On-chain Perp existed as early as 2018, like Synthetix, MUX, PERP, not a new sector.
Due to historical reasons, many ways to implement contracts on-chain existed, but ultimately 2 major categories remained:
| Type | Representative Projects | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| AMM Perp | Jupiter, Avantis, GMX | Oracle pricing, pool as counterparty |
| CLOB Perp | Hyperliquid, edgeX, Lighter, Aster | Order book matching, similar to CEX logic |
2/ Impossible Triangle
Perp DEX has an impossible triangle, can only choose 2 of 3:
New Asset Coverage
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Liquidity Price
Depth Fairness| Project | Choice | Sacrifice |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperliquid | New assets + Liquidity depth | Risk control (XPL incident is feature not bug) |
| Jupiter | Liquidity depth + Price fairness | Asset coverage (only 3 trading pairs to date) |
| Most CLOB | New assets + Price fairness | Long-tail asset liquidity |
3/ Why Hot Now
Previous Perp DEX weren't bad, it's a timing issue:
Timeline:
2020: $SNX pumped to blue chip
2021: DYDX airdrop amazed entire network
2023: GMX/GNS saved great bear market
2024: Hyperliquid trending
Why only remember Hyperliquid?
├── Post-23 new users don't know DeFi summer
├── Post-Luna collapse Western users have no Perp to use
├── SEC extremely unfriendly to DeFi
└── DeFi revival after Trump's riseAt this time no-KYC DeFi perp already rigid demand for Western users who can't use Binance
4/ From CEX Development History See Perp DEX
Think why a CEX could go from 18-19 to now, then you'll know what Perp DEX can succeed.
Core Task: Serve LPs, whales, capital depositors well
Listing pricing power is core competitiveness:
- Turn air into real money through listings
- Create whale groups around assets
- Form market making/structured product APY opportunities
Today's project party, tomorrow's whale operator. Exchanges and project parties, whales are mutually bound relationship
5/ CLOB Challenge: War with Major Exchanges
Problem 1: No Capital Deposits
CLOB Mechanism Problems:
├── At most make strategy Vault
├── Depth entirely depends on market makers
├── Post-TGE market makers withdraw liquidity
├── Vault yields low, no TVL
└── Inevitably falls into "liquidity war"Problem 2: Direct Competition
CLOB itself is direct competitor to CEX derivatives business, and has no-KYC advantage.
If viewed as "platform token" class competitor by major exchanges, might not list on major exchanges
6/ Breaking the Deadlock
To break deadlock only 2 methods:
| Strategy | Method | Case |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Model | Without major exchange, violently pump asset, rush into top 100 market cap, artificially create capital deposits | Bitget-BGB |
| Split Model | Make own ecosystem, have new asset pricing power, form major customer system | Hyperliquid-HYPE |
This is why:
- Must violently pump BGB
- Hype, Aster must violently pump
- Hype must choose Native Markets to make USDH
7/ AMM's Different Path
AVNT is not Base's Hyperliquid, it's Base's Jupiter
AMM Perp's real power:
1. AMM has pricing power
└── Low cost permissionless issuance
└── Doesn't depend on market makers for pricing
2. Doesn't conflict with CEX
└── Doesn't compete for order book depth and major customers
└── JLP/GLP is highest yield-bearing asset on-chain
└── Complements CEX asset management departmentsBinance Listing Data:
- Orderbook class: 3 ($INJ $DYDX $AEVO)
- AMM Perp: 5 ($GMX $GNS $AVNT $SNX $PERP)
Considering CLOB quantity far exceeds AMM, this ratio speaks volumes
8/ Points Farming Strategy
If haven't committed yet, think about two questions:
- Is there direct interest conflict with top exchanges?
- Have ability to solve capital deposits and pricing power without major exchange liquidity?
Choose Orderbook First Choice:
- Obtain public chain ecosystem level funding (like Sui, Monad)
- Influential exchange system, institutions or individual public domain traffic support
Choose AMM First Choice:
- Chains with asset pricing operation capability (Sui, Solana, Base)
- Current sector leader hasn't obtained Binance Futures or above results
- JLP/GLP class assets TVL largest
9/ Potential Projects
| Project | Logic |
|---|---|
| Ethena Ethereal | Binance/Ethena dual system strategic importance |
| BasedApp | Hyperliquid frontend + HypeEVM launchpad |
| Phantom | Main wallet token issuance cycle possibility |
Core Formula
Perp DEX Competitiveness = Listing Pricing Power × Capital Deposit Capability
Impossible Triangle:
├── New asset coverage
├── Liquidity depth
└── Price fairness
(Can only choose 2 of 3)
CLOB vs AMM:
├── CLOB: War with major exchanges, needs self-built ecosystem
└── AMM: Harmony with major exchanges, complementary relationship
Points Farming Decision:
├── Interest conflict check
├── Capital deposit capability assessment
└── Pricing power pathGambling my friend, continuous gambling, and gambling in Shandong
Next: BSC On-Chain Strategy