Aster and Hyperliquid drive $2tn volume record as perp DEX competition heats up

Decentralised exchanges offering perpetual trading for cryptocurrencies, such as Hyperliquid and Aster, are taking the industry by storm. The sector has become the centrepiece of crypto’s latest mania, accumulating $1.8 trillion in trading volume this quarter alone, according to DefiLlama data. That’s more than the niche’s entire trading volume recorded in 2024. Perp DEXs are decentralised exchanges for trading perpetual futures. These platforms allow traders to speculate on crypto price moves without ...