GMX and dYdX go head-to-head for the top decentralized derivatives position

1 year ago

The apical 2 decentralized derivatives platforms, dYdX and GMX, are head-to-head concerning liquidity and trading volumes.

The perpetual swap regular trading measurement connected dYdX ranged betwixt $340 cardinal and $2.6 cardinal successful March, per CoinGecko data. In comparison, GMX did little than $500 cardinal successful regular trading volumes.

The unfastened involvement (OI) volume, which measures the fig of contracts traders clasp connected some exchanges, is person than trading volumes. CoinGecko reported that GMX’s OI has ranged betwixt $170 cardinal to $200 cardinal since March 2023 connected Arbitrum alone. At the aforesaid time, dYdX’s OI volumes person stayed betwixt $330 cardinal to $260 million.

Notably, the ratio betwixt trading and OI measurement connected dYdX is higher than GMX. The ostentation of trading volumes connected dYdX tin beryllium explained by the DYDX token inducement to boost trading volumes. A report from IOSG ventures noted,

“In cases wherever incentives are explicitly targeted astatine trading activity, similar with dYdX, it remains hard to find the grade to which the trading measurement would beryllium without specified rewards.”

On the different hand, GMX’s exemplary of pitching liquidity providers successful GLP token holders against traders has fared successful facilitating zero-slippage trading. The incentivization of liquidity done GMX token led to a much integrated emergence successful GMX’s trading volume.

In presumption of full locked value, GMX outpaces dYdX by 1.7 times, with $627 cardinal deposited successful GMX versus dYdX’s $356 million, per DeFi Llama.

Comparing the trading and OI measurement and liquidity, there’s nary wide victor of the two. Thus, the contention for the apical spot successful decentralized derivatives trading is up for contention.

Improvements lined up dYdX and GMX

Both exchanges person advantages and shortcomings, with updates lined up for this twelvemonth to amended their merchandise lines.

The IOSG study noted that owed to the important trading incentives, dYdX has a ample discrepancy of $750 cardinal betwixt fees earned and incentives, “indicating that the task has paid much incentives than earned successful fees.”

However, the dYdX squad has taken steps to reduce the token ostentation implicit the past six months from 5.8 cardinal tokens per period to 2.7 cardinal successful the aforesaid period.

The dYdX squad aims to accrue “real value” for the DYDX token by directing trading fees and its Layer-1 blockchain transaction interest toward holders. They announced the program to motorboat a Cosmos-based autarkic Layer-1 concatenation successful 2022.

Recently, the squad conducted a palmy backstage testnet motorboat of the dYdX chain, which is acceptable to motorboat successful September.

While GMX has attained integrated trading volumes implicit dYdX, it offers constricted trading pairs of lone 4 cryptocurrencies successful Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Chainlink (LINK) and Uniswap (UNI). At the aforesaid time, dYdX offers trading successful 37 cryptocurrencies.

The GMX squad is moving connected adding a synthetic astute contract that volition alteration enactment for aggregate assets connected the perpetual trading platform.

GMX besides benefits from its determination to deploy connected Arbitrum due to the fact that of ample liquidity and integrations with different DeFi platforms. For instance, GMX has established partnerships with Camelot, Olympus DAO, Umami Finance and others wrong the Aribtrum ecosystem to boost liquidity and usage.

On the different hand, dYdX’s determination to permission the Ethereum ecosystem for an autarkic Layer-1 blockchain whitethorn fare good concerning velocity and performance. However, it could acquisition the adverse interaction of liquidity isolation.

Technical outlook and on-chain flow

DYDX token’s terms has surged 134% since the commencement of 2023 compared to 90% year-to-date gains successful GMX.

The token accumulation information from Nansen shows that ‘smart money’ wallets person accumulated dYdX fervently since the commencement of 2023. The analytics steadfast flags astute wealth accounts to place prolific and progressive traders.

Related: 3 ways crypto derivatives could germinate and interaction the marketplace successful 2023

Technically, DYDX faces absorption from the November 2022 highest levels astir $2.70. If buyers are palmy successful breaking retired supra this level, the token tin people 2022 breakdown levels astir $6.96. In lawsuit of a downturn, enactment lies astir $1.77.

DYDX/USD regular trading chart. Source: TradingView

Crypto analytics steadfast Lookonchain reported whale accumulation of GMX astir March 28, totalling $5 million. The level reported different $4.9 cardinal merchantability connected April 5 by different whale account, which is encouraging for buyers.

GMX token reached caller all-time highs of $85.95 successful March 2023. With the 2022 highest astir $58.91 arsenic support, the token could determination higher if it breaks supra the $85 level.

GMX terms chart. Source: CoinGecko

While it's unclear which level retired of dYdX and GMX volition instrumentality the eventual pb successful decentralized derivatives trading, the developments planned for these platforms look affirmative for both. The tokenomics and marketplace operation of their autochthonal tokens are some showing bullish signs.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed present are the authors’ unsocial and bash not needfully bespeak oregon correspond the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

This nonfiction does not incorporate concern proposal oregon recommendations. Every concern and trading determination involves risk, and readers should behaviour their ain probe erstwhile making a decision.

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