Paradex

Paradex

A non-custodial perpetuals exchange on StarkNet — trade crypto and TradFi assets with deep liquidity and settlement enforced on-chain.

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Why Paradex

Most perpetuals platforms ask you to trust them with your funds. The Paradex platform does not. Settlement happens on StarkNet, a ZK-rollup anchored to Ethereum mainnet, so the math enforces the rules — not a company policy.

Non-custodial by design

Your USDC collateral stays in smart contracts. No hot wallet, no withdrawal delays caused by platform insolvency. Roughly 47 markets at launch, growing weekly.

Fees traders actually notice

Maker rebates start at -0.02%. Taker fees go as low as 0.03% for high-volume accounts. DIME stakers get a further discount tier on top of volume-based rates.

TradFi perps — rare in DeFi

Silver (XAG), crude oil (CL), platinum (XPT), and natural gas (NG) perps are live. That's four commodity markets with 24/7 access and no brokerage account needed.

Vault liquidity via ERC-4626

The Paradex protocol's Vault Trading Funds follow an ERC-4626-compatible interface. Passive liquidity providers deposit once and earn yield while market makers handle execution.

How it works

1. Connect a wallet

Use Argent, Braavos, or an Ethereum wallet via Privy's embedded solution. The handshake takes under ten seconds. No email, no KYC form.

2. Bridge USDC as collateral

Send USDC from Ethereum mainnet through the StarkNet bridge. Fast-withdrawal providers can reverse this in minutes for a small fee if you need liquidity quickly.

3. Choose a market and size your position

Pick from BTC, ETH, SOL, XAG, CL, or 40+ other perp markets. Set leverage up to 20x on majors. The cross-margin engine optimises collateral across your open positions automatically.

4. Place an order

Market, limit, or TWAP — all three order types are available. TWAP orders split large sizes into smaller slices to reduce market impact. Good for blocks above $500 k notional.

5. Monitor and close

The portfolio page shows unrealised P&L, margin ratio, and trade history in real time. Close with a single click or set a take-profit limit order and walk away.

Key features

Cross and isolated margin

Switch between modes per position. Cross margin shares collateral across all open trades; isolated margin caps your risk to a single position's deposit.

On-chain order book

Orders are matched off-chain for speed but settled on StarkNet. The ZK proof guarantees execution integrity without trusting the matching engine operator.

TWAP execution

Time-weighted average price orders let large traders enter or exit positions over minutes or hours. Slippage on a $1 M BTC position drops meaningfully versus a single market order.

Options market

Beyond perps, the team behind Paradex runs a separate options interface at the same domain. BTC and ETH options with multiple expiries trade alongside the perpetuals book.

Referral programme

Generate a referral link, share it, and earn a percentage of trading fees from every account you bring in. Payouts are in USDC and settle weekly.

Foundry-tested contracts

Core settlement contracts are tested with Foundry, the Rust-based EVM testing framework. The test suite exceeds 800 unit and integration tests as of protocol version 2.

Mobile app

A native mobile app for iOS and Android gives full portfolio visibility and order placement. Push notifications alert you when margin ratios approach liquidation thresholds.

Paradex by the numbers

$2B+

Total trading volume processed since mainnet launch in 2023

47+

Active perpetual markets including crypto, commodity, and equity index perps

50k+

Registered wallets connected to the Paradex platform as of Q1 2025

2

Major protocol versions shipped, with Foundry-backed contract test suites each time

FAQ

Answers to the questions traders ask most often. For more detail, visit the help centre or read the about page.

What is Paradex?

Paradex is a decentralized perpetuals exchange built on StarkNet, offering low fees, deep liquidity, and cross-margin trading for crypto and TradFi assets. The protocol launched on mainnet in 2023 and has settled over $2 billion in volume.

How do I start trading on Paradex?

Connect a compatible wallet, deposit USDC as collateral, and place your first order through the Paradex platform interface. No account creation is required. The whole onboarding takes under two minutes for a wallet already holding USDC on Ethereum.

Is Paradex safe and audited?

The Paradex protocol's smart contracts have been audited by independent security firms. Settlement is enforced by StarkNet's ZK-rollup, meaning the Ethereum base layer validates every state transition. The team also uses Foundry for continuous contract testing — over 800 tests across unit and integration categories.

What assets can I trade on Paradex?

The platform lists perpetual contracts on BTC, ETH, SOL, and dozens of altcoins. TradFi perps include silver (XAG), crude oil (CL), platinum (XPT), and natural gas (NG). New markets are added regularly; check the markets page for the current list.

Why should I use Paradex instead of a centralized exchange?

The Paradex platform is non-custodial. Funds remain in smart contracts, not an exchange hot wallet. There is no KYC gate and no risk of platform insolvency taking your collateral. Honestly, for traders who have been through an exchange collapse, that distinction matters a lot.

Can I trade on Paradex if I am a beginner?

Yes. The interface includes market and limit orders, a portfolio overview, and a built-in help section. New traders can start with small positions and a simple market order, then graduate to TWAP execution once they need to move larger size.

What are the fees on Paradex?

Paradex charges maker and taker fees that decrease with trading volume. Maker rebates reach -0.02% at high tiers. DIME token stakers receive an additional layer of fee discounts on top of the volume-based schedule.

How does Paradex handle liquidations?

The protocol uses both cross-margin and isolated-margin modes. Positions approaching the maintenance margin threshold trigger the automated liquidation engine, which closes the position and redirects a portion of remaining collateral to the insurance fund. Other traders' positions are not affected.

What is the DIME token and how is it used?

DIME is the native governance and utility token of the Paradex ecosystem. Stakers receive reduced trading fees and can participate in protocol governance votes. The staking interface lives at the same domain under the Staking tab.

How do I deposit and withdraw funds on Paradex?

Deposits use the StarkNet bridge from Ethereum mainnet. Standard withdrawals follow the same route and settle in roughly two hours. Fast withdrawals, processed by liquidity providers, complete in minutes for a small fee — typically 0.05% to 0.1% of the withdrawn amount.

What is the maximum leverage available on Paradex?

Major pairs such as BTC-USD-PERP allow up to 20x leverage. Smaller altcoin markets offer lower maximums — some as low as 3x — to reflect their liquidity depth. TradFi perps like XAG and CL sit in an intermediate range around 10x.

Can I use Paradex if I live outside the United States?

The Paradex platform is accessible in most jurisdictions. Users in restricted regions, including the United States, are blocked at the interface level per the terms of service. The on-chain contracts themselves are permissionless, but the front-end applies geo-restrictions.

What wallets does Paradex support?

Paradex supports Argent and Braavos natively for StarkNet users. Ethereum wallet holders can connect via Privy's embedded wallet, which abstracts the StarkNet account creation step. MetaMask and WalletConnect-compatible wallets work through this path.

How does Paradex generate liquidity for its markets?

The Paradex protocol partners with professional market makers who provide continuous two-sided quotes. Vault Trading Funds, built on an ERC-4626-compatible interface, let passive LPs deposit USDC once and earn a share of trading fees while market makers manage the active hedging. You can read more about vault mechanics in the help section.

For background on decentralized exchanges, see the Wikipedia article on DEXs. Technical context on ZK-rollups is available in the Ethereum developer documentation.