24h Volume
$953M
+3.5% 24hOpen Interest
$121M
Fee
Mar 2026 — May 2026 · 83 days
Multi-chain perp DEX powered by StarkEx engine. Features deep liquidity and a proven trading infrastructure.
$APEX
Launched (2022)
23%
APEX token live. Active trade-to-earn rewards program.
XP campaign Jan-Jul 2025 (25M APEX). 175M APEX from treasury over 2 years.
ApeX is a multi-chain perpetual DEX powered by StarkEx, StarkWare's proven zero-knowledge rollup technology that also underpins dYdX V3 and other major protocols. Launched in November 2022, it combines the security of ZK-proofs with a professional orderbook trading experience on Ethereum L2.
The platform offers 40 markets with up to 30x leverage, charging 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker fees. ApeX accepts both USDC and USDT as collateral — a practical advantage for traders who hold Tether. The 8-hour funding interval means less frequent but potentially larger funding payments compared to 1-hour interval platforms.
StarkEx's infrastructure provides cryptographic validity proofs for every state transition, meaning ApeX inherits the same battle-tested security model used by protocols processing billions in volume. Multi-chain deposits allow users to fund their accounts from various networks, reducing bridging friction.
The APEX token has been live since 2022 with a 23% community allocation. The trade-to-earn model distributes APEX through ongoing XP campaigns (January-July 2025, with 25 million APEX allocated) and a 175 million APEX treasury distribution over two years. The platform also supports prediction markets and RWA trading.
ApeX targets traders who prioritize proven security infrastructure. StarkEx's ZK-proof model offers mathematical certainty of correct execution — a meaningful security upgrade over optimistic rollups or off-chain matching engines that require trust assumptions.
Hyperliquid and ApeX are both orderbook-based perp DEXes, but they differ in scale and infrastructure. Hyperliquid operates its own L1, while ApeX leverages StarkEx technology on Ethereum L2.
Aster and ApeX are both multi-chain orderbook DEXes, but they target different segments. Aster pushes boundaries with 1001x leverage and 302 markets, while ApeX focuses on proven StarkEx infrastructure with a more conservative feature set.
edgeX and ApeX are both Ethereum L2 orderbook DEXes, but they use different underlying technology. edgeX runs an off-chain matching engine, while ApeX is built on StarkEx's ZK-rollup infrastructure.
Lighter and ApeX are both Ethereum L2 orderbook DEXes, but Lighter's zero-fee model contrasts sharply with ApeX's traditional fee structure built on StarkEx.
Jupiter Perps and ApeX differ in chain, model, and scope. Jupiter provides streamlined Solana oracle perps, while ApeX offers a traditional orderbook experience on Ethereum L2 via StarkEx.
dYdX and ApeX are both Ethereum-adjacent orderbook DEXes with live tokens, but dYdX has evolved to its own sovereign chain while ApeX remains on StarkEx.
GMX v2 and ApeX represent the oracle-pool and orderbook approaches within the Ethereum ecosystem. GMX v2 offers multi-collateral Arbitrum pools, while ApeX provides a StarkEx-powered orderbook.
Drift and ApeX compete across Solana and Ethereum L2 with different trading models and DeFi integration levels. Drift offers a comprehensive DeFi suite with maker rebates, while ApeX provides proven StarkEx infrastructure.
SynFutures and ApeX take fundamentally different approaches: SynFutures uses an innovative Oyster AMM with permissionless markets on Base, while ApeX relies on proven StarkEx orderbook technology on Ethereum L2.
ApeX and Gains Network serve different trader types: ApeX provides a curated StarkEx orderbook for crypto perps, while Gains Network offers the widest asset selection with forex and stocks across three chains.
