© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.
Okay, look. Every other "top DEX" list just spits out the same 7 names like a broken record, acting like they're all equal. But that's bullshit. You can't treat Hyperliquid's speed demon the same as some beginner friendly wallet swapper. And they skip the real talk: how do you actually use these without getting rekt on gas fees or bad liquidity? In my experience, picking wrong means slippage eats your profits or you wait forever for a trade. So here's the fix - top 7 for 2026 that actually matter, with dead simple steps to trade perps on each. Why does this matter? 'Cause 2026 trading's all about on chain leverage without CEX custody bullshit.
Bitget Wallet's killing it as the top perpetual DEX right now. Deep liquidity on BTC, ETH, stables - think pools so fat you barely see slippage. Fees? Around 0.02% maker/taker, gas like ~0.000005 ETH on their L2. I usually start here if I'm new or just testing waters.
The thing is, it's self custody but feels like a CEX app. Multi chain, real time funding rates shown upfront so you don't get surprised. Sound familiar? That endless funding bleed on Binanace?
Potential issue? High vol spikes lag a bit. Fix: Trade during low vol or use their L2 for sub second fills. Honestly, I've pulled 20% weekly here without headaches.
Hyperliquid's the speed king. Processes 20k orders/sec. Pro traders love it 'cause execution's CEX level but decentralized. Fees: 0.025% average. But watch out - unaudited code means black swan risks, like that Oct 10 mess with $10B liqs.
In my experience, it's perfect for scalping BTC perps. Latency under 200ms? You'll crush arb plays. What's next if you're not techy? Skip if you're casual.
| Hyperliquid Quick Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Open Interest | $9.1B (18% market) |
| Fees | 0.025% + zero gas |
| Best Pairs | BTC, ETH, alts |
| Risk | Small team, no audits |
Steps? Connect EVM wallet, deposit USDT (no bridge needed often). Place limit order at bid/ask. Boom. Issue: Thin books on shitcoins. Solve by sticking to top 10 pairs.
Aster's hybrid AMM + orderbook. $3B open interest, 1001x leverage? Yeah, nuts. But that's for degen plays. Fees ~0.05%, yield on collateral keeps your money working. Rising star 'cause slippage's low even at 50x.
Why pick it? Capital efficiency. Your USDC earns while leveraged. I tried 20x ETH short once - funded perfectly. Downside: Past wash trading scandals tanked volume 90%. Clean now, but eyes open.
Pro tip: Use their sim mode first. Avoids real losses while learning.
Lighter's on zkSync Validium. $1.67B OI, 100+ markets, zero fees for retail. Verifiable matching means no front running bullshit. Gas? Pennies, like 0.00001 ETH equiv.
Built for fairness. Synthetics too, low funding costs. In my experience, great for mid size positions without slippage rape. Oct 10 outages? Happened, but fixed fast.
Honestly, if you're paranoid about MEV, this is home. Steps are app simple: Wallet connect, deposit, trade perps via their dashboard. Set alerts for funding flips. Problem? Sustainability if fees stay zero. They reward LPs, so liquidity holds.
Jupiter on Solana. Cross chain, intuitive AF. Low tx costs ~0.000005 SOL. Fast settlements, aggregates liquidity so best prices always.
Beginner? This. I usually flip memecoins here pre pump. 120+ markets now. Issue: Solana outages. Rare in 2026, but bridge during congestion.
Drift's the Solana survivor. $580M OI, 70+ markets, $29M yearly rev. Perps, spot, lending - super app. Low slippage, fees ~0.06%.
Why? Survived FTX crash, Terra. Uses vAMM + DLOB for liquidity. Collateral like SOL, BONK. In my experience, perfect for ecosystem plays. Risk? Tied to Solana L1. If it clogs, you're waiting.
No lists here. Just connect Phantom, deposit, open perp position on say mSOL USD at 10x. P&L updates live, vaults auto compound. Fix issues: Use JIT auction for big fills, avoids impact.
EdgeX from Amber Group ($5B AUM). $863M OI, 170+ markets, 200k orders/sec under 10ms. Feels like Goldman but self custody. Fees 0.03-0.05%.
Best for ex institutionals. Stable in crashes, StarkEx audited. Steps: Wallet connect, deposit multi chain, trade hybrid orderbook. Issue: Regional focus sometimes. Solve: VPN if needed, but US fine.
| Top 7 Quick Compare | Open Interest | Fees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitget Wallet | Top tier | 0.02% | Beginners |
| Hyperliquid | $9.1B | 0.025% zero gas | Speed |
| Aster | $3B | 0.05% | High lev |
| Lighter | $1.67B | Zero retail | Fairness |
| Jupiter Perps | High vol | ~0.000005 SOL | Solana easy |
| Drift | $580M | 0.06% | Ecosystem |
| EdgeX | $863M | 0.03% | Pros |
Now mix 'em. Start Bitget for learning, graduate to Hyperliquid scalps, Solana stuff on Drift/Jupiter. Common pitfalls? Over leverage - stick 5-10x max. Funding rates kill holds over 24h, so day trade. Wallet security? Hardware like Ledger always. Gas spikes? Batch trades or L2s.
One more: Track OI daily. Hyperliquid at $9B? Bullish signal. Aster leverage wars? Volatility goldmine. You've got steps, stats, fixes. Go trade smart, don't FOMO all in. Questions? Hit me.
© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.