Arcex

Our Mission

Perp trading shouldn't be intimidating. Arcex is engineered to give everyday users the confidence to master perpetual futures. By prioritizing a seamless user interface and the lowest fees in the industry, we are making sophisticated trading strategies simple, accessible, and affordable for the first time.

Our Team

With decades of experience in crypto and banking sectors, the Arcex team is uniquely positioned to bring a new experience for all levels of traders. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, user experience, and our true love for the game of crypto.

NOTE: Only send USDC on the Arbitrum Network!

Step 1

• On the portfolio screen, click "Deposit"
• Click "Copy Address"

Step 2

• Send USDC on the Arbitrum Network to your deposit address

NOTE: You must have spot USDC to transfer to your perps account!

Transfer from Spot to Perps

1. On the portfolio screen, click "Transfer" and then "Spot → Perps"
2. Enter the amount you wish to transfer and click "Transfer to Perps"
   Ensure you are aware of the risks of perpetual futures before transferring to your perps account

CAUTION! If you open a perps position, any USDC in your perps account is at risk of liquidation!

Transfer from Perps to Spot

1. On the portfolio screen, click "Transfer" and then "Perps → Spot"
2. Enter the desired transfer amount and click "Transfer"

Arcex pays all Arbitrum network fees for you!

Withdraw to an external exchange/wallet

1. On the portfolio screen, click "Withdraw"
2. Select the asset you wish to withdraw
3. Enter the desired amount
4. Enter the address of the exchange or wallet
5. Confirm all details and click "Confirm Withdrawal"

Ready to make your first trade?

CAUTION! Be aware of the risks associated with perpetual futures (perps) trading!

Step 1: Choose your trading pair

First, you'll need to decide which asset you want to trade. At the top of the trading screen, you can browse and select from our available perpetual futures markets, such as BTC-PERP or ETH-PERP.

Step 2: Decide to Go Long or Short

This is the core of your trade. Based on your market analysis, you'll choose one of two directions:

• Go Long (Buy): If you believe the price of the asset will go up
• Go Short (Sell): If you believe the price of the asset will go down

Step 3: Select your leverage

At Arcex, we offer a wide range of leverage options, from 1x all the way up to 100x (for experienced traders).

As we discussed in our guide on Understanding Leverage, this will amplify your position size. For beginners, we strongly recommend starting with a lower leverage, such as 2x or 3x, to manage your risk effectively.

Step 4: Choose your order type

For your first trade, we recommend using a Market Order. This is the simplest order type, as it will execute your trade immediately at the best available price in the market. You can learn more about other order types in our Order Types guide.

Now, decide how much you want to trade. Enter the amount in terms of USDC. The platform will show you the total notional value of your position based on the amount and leverage you've selected.

Final Step: Review and Confirm

Finally, a confirmation window will appear, summarizing all the details of your trade: the trading pair, direction (long or short), leverage, amount, estimated liquidation price, etc. Take a moment to review everything carefully.

If you're happy with the details, click "Confirm Trade" to execute your order.

Congratulations, you've just placed your first trade on Arcex!

Perpetual futures trading, or "perps," might sound complicated, but the core idea is simple: it's a way to trade on the future price of a cryptocurrency without ever having to own the cryptocurrency itself.

Think of it as placing a bet on whether the price of a digital asset, like Bitcoin, will go up or down. If you believe the price will rise, you can open a long position. If you think it will fall, you can open a short position. This allows you to potentially profit from the market no matter which direction it's moving.

What makes perpetual futures different?

Unlike traditional futures contracts that have a set expiration date, perpetual futures, as the name suggests, never expire. This means you can hold your position for as long as you want, whether it's for a few minutes or a few months, giving you much more flexibility.

Another key feature is leverage. Leverage allows you to control a larger position with a smaller amount of capital.

For example, with 10x leverage, you could control a $10,000 position with just $1,000 of your own funds. This can amplify your potential profits, but it's important to remember that it also amplifies your potential losses.

Leverage is one of the most powerful features of perpetual futures trading, but it's also one of the most misunderstood. In simple terms, leverage allows you to control a large position with a small amount of money.

Think of it like a down payment on a house. You might put down a small percentage of the total value to secure the property. In trading, leverage works similarly. If you use 10x leverage, you are essentially putting down 10% of the total position size, and Arcex provides the rest.

How Leverage Works in Practice

Let's say you have $1,000 in your account and you want to open a position in Bitcoin. Without leverage, you could only control $1,000 worth of Bitcoin.

However, with 10x leverage, your $1,000 can now control a $10,000 position. This means that for every 1% the price of Bitcoin moves, your position's value changes by $100 (1% of $10,000), not just $10 (1% of $1,000).

As you can see, leverage can significantly amplify your potential profits. However, it's crucial to remember that it also amplifies your potential losses at the same rate.

A Word of Caution for Beginners

While the idea of multiplying your gains is exciting, leverage is a double-edged sword. Higher leverage means higher risk. A small price movement against your position can lead to significant losses and even liquidation (the automatic closing of your position).

With 100x leverage, even a 1% price move against you can wipe out your entire margin for that position (and in-turn, your account). This is an extremely high-risk strategy suitable only for the most experienced traders.

At Arcex, we offer a wide range of leverage options, from 1x up to 100x. We strongly recommend that beginners start with lower leverage (like 2x or 3x) until they are comfortable with the risks and dynamics of perpetual futures trading. Our goal is to empower you, and that starts with responsible trading.

Arcex utilizes cross margin on most assets.

What is cross-margin?

At Arcex, we use a cross-margin system to make managing your account as simple and efficient as possible. Instead of juggling margin for each individual trade, your entire account balance works together to support all of your open positions.

Think of it like this: instead of having separate small savings accounts for each of your monthly bills, you have one large checking account that all your bills are paid from. This gives you more flexibility and security.

One Balance to Rule Them All

With cross-margin, all the USDC in your account is pooled together to act as a single, shared safety net for all your trades. This has a few key advantages:

Simplicity: You don't need to worry about allocating a specific amount of margin to each new position you open.

Flexibility: Profits from one of your winning positions can automatically be used to cover the losses of another, helping you avoid liquidation on that losing position.

Efficiency: You can often open larger positions than you could with an isolated margin system, as the risk is spread across your entire portfolio.

A Practical Example

Let's say you have $2,000 in your account and you open two positions:

1. A long position on Bitcoin (BTC)
2. A short position on Ethereum (ETH)

Suddenly, the price of Bitcoin drops, and your BTC position is now at an unrealized loss of -$500. At the same time, the price of Ethereum also drops, and your ETH position has an unrealized profit of +$500.

As you can see, the cross-margin system provides a more holistic view of your account's health, giving your positions more breathing room and protecting them from being prematurely liquidated.

Important Reminder

While cross-margin is powerful, it's important to remember that since your entire balance is shared, a single, very large losing position can put your whole account at risk. That's why it's always crucial to manage your risk, use leverage wisely, and keep a close eye on your overall portfolio.

Market Order

A Market Order is the simplest and most straightforward order type. When you place a market order, your trade is executed immediately at the best available price in the market.

When to use it: When you want to enter or exit a position quickly and you're not concerned about getting a specific price. This is perfect for beginners.

Example: You see Bitcoin starting to surge and you want to open a long position right away. You place a market order to buy immediately.

Limit Order

A Limit Order allows you to set a specific price at which you want your order to be filled. Your order will only execute if the market reaches your specified price (or better).

When to use it: When you have a target entry or exit price in mind and you're willing to wait for the market to reach that level.

Example: Bitcoin is currently trading at $45,000, but you believe it will dip to $44,000 before going higher. You place a limit order to buy at $44,000. Your order will only execute if the price drops to that level.

If you're new to perpetual futures trading, you might have noticed something called the funding rate within your Arcex app. While it might seem confusing at first, the funding rate is simple!

The Basics: What is Funding Rate?

The funding rate is a small periodic payment that is exchanged between traders holding long positions and traders holding short positions. This payment happens automatically every 8 hours on Arcex.

The purpose of the funding rate is to keep the price of the perpetual futures contract closely aligned with the actual spot price of the underlying asset (like Bitcoin or Ethereum). Without this mechanism, the perpetual futures price could drift far away from the real market price.

Who gets paid?

The direction of the funding payment depends on market sentiment:

When the funding rate is positive: Traders holding long positions pay traders holding short positions. This typically happens when the market is bullish and the perpetual futures price is trading above the spot price.

When the funding rate is negative: Traders holding short positions pay traders holding long positions. This typically happens when the market is bearish and the perpetual futures price is trading below the spot price.

How Much is the Funding Rate?

The funding rate is usually a very small percentage, often just a fraction of a percent. On Arcex, the funding rate is calculated based on the difference between the perpetual futures price and the underlying spot price, along with a small interest rate component.

Example: If the funding rate is 0.01% and you have a $10,000 position, you would either pay or receive $1 during that funding period. As you can see, it's typically a small amount, but it can add up over time if you hold positions for extended periods.

On Arcex, funding payments are settled every 8 hours.

You only pay or receive funding if you have an open position at the exact moment the funding period occurs. If you close your position before the funding time, you won't be affected by that period's funding rate.

Why Does Funding Rate Matter?

Understanding the funding rate is important for a few reasons:

1. Cost of Holding Positions: If you're planning to hold a position for a long time, you'll want to keep an eye on the funding rate. Consistently paying funding can eat into your profits, while consistently receiving funding can add to your gains.
2. Market Sentiment Indicator: The funding rate can give you a sense of market sentiment. A high positive funding rate suggests that most traders are bullish (going long), while a high negative funding rate suggests bearish sentiment (going short).
3. Strategy Considerations: Some advanced traders use funding rates as part of their strategy, taking positions that allow them to collect funding payments over time.

How to View Funding Rate on Arcex

You can view the current and historical funding rates for each trading pair directly on the Arcex trading interface. This information is updated in real-time, so you always know what to expect.

Trading perpetual futures can be exciting and profitable, but it's important to understand the risks involved, especially the concept of liquidation. At Arcex, we want you to trade with confidence, and that starts with understanding how to manage your risk and protect your account.

What is liquidation?

Liquidation occurs when your position is automatically closed by the platform because your losses have approached the amount of collateral (margin) you have in your account. In other words, if the market moves too far against your position, the system will close it to prevent you from losing more money than you have.

Think of liquidation as a safety mechanism. It protects both you and the platform from going into negative balance. However, getting liquidated means you lose the collateral you had allocated to that position, so it's something you definitely want to avoid.

Your Safety Indicator: The Distance to Liquidation Bar

Instead of forcing you to calculate complex margin ratios, we've made it simple to see your risk level at a glance with the Distance to Liquidation bar.

Think of this bar as your account's safety gauge. It shows you exactly how close you are to being liquidated. The percentage number on the right hand side of the bar is the asset's distance from your liquidation.

• When the bar is on the far left: You are in a very safe position with plenty of room for the market to move.
• As the bar moves to the right: Your risk is increasing. The market is moving against you, and your position is getting closer to being liquidated.
• When the bar reaches the far right: Your position is in immediate danger of being liquidated. You should take action to manage your risk.

How to Avoid Liquidation

The good news is that liquidation is entirely avoidable if you manage your risk properly. Here are some key strategies to keep your account as safe as possible:

1. Use lower leverage — The higher your leverage, the faster your Distance to Liquidation bar will move to the right with small price changes. If you're using 100x leverage, even a 1% move against your position could put you at risk. Starting with lower leverage (like 2x or 3x) gives your positions much more room to breathe.
2. Don't use your whole account — It might be tempting to use all of your available funds to maximize your position size, but this is risky. Always keep a buffer in your account. If you only use a portion of your balance for trading, you'll have extra collateral to absorb losses, which will keep your liquidation bar further to the left.
3. Watch Your Distance to Liquidation Bar — Keep a close eye on this bar for all your open positions. If you see it starting to move to the right, it's a warning sign. This is your cue to consider one of the other risk management strategies, like reducing your position size or adding more collateral to your account.
4. Set Stop-Loss Orders — A stop-loss order is an order that automatically closes your position if the price reaches a certain level. This allows you to limit your losses and exit a trade before your liquidation bar gets too far to the right. While stop-losses won't prevent liquidation entirely, they give you more control over your risk.
5. Understand Your Liquidation Price — For each position you open, Arcex will still show you the estimated liquidation price or the price at which your position will be automatically closed. Make sure you're aware of this number and that it's far enough away from the current market price to give you a reasonable margin of safety.

Partial vs. Full Liquidation: A Protective Feature

One of the most important things to understand is that liquidation on Arcex is not an all-or-nothing event. Our system is designed to protect you by liquidating only the minimum amount necessary to bring your account back to a safe level.

This means that in many cases, you will only be partially liquidated. Instead of closing your entire position, the system will only close a small portion of it. This is a key feature that helps preserve your capital and gives you a chance to recover from a losing trade.

Of course, in cases of extreme leverage or very sudden market movements, a full liquidation is still possible. But whenever feasible, the system will always opt for a partial liquidation first.

What Happens During Liquidation?

If your account is liquidated, here's what happens:

1. Your open orders are canceled: Any pending orders you have in the market are automatically canceled.
2. Your positions are closed: Your open positions are transferred to liquidators at a discount, rather than being dumped on the open market. This helps minimize the impact on the market and protects other traders.
3. A liquidation fee is charged: A small fee is deducted from your remaining balance, which is split between the insurance fund and the liquidator.

At Arcex, we use a decentralized liquidation model, which means that positions are transferred to other traders (liquidators) rather than being forcefully sold on the order book. This approach is fairer and helps prevent cascading liquidations that can harm the entire market.

Options trading might sound complex, but the core idea is straightforward: it's a way to trade on the future price of a cryptocurrency with limited risk. At Arcex, we've simplified the process to make this powerful tool accessible to everyone.

Think of buying an option as buying the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a crypto asset at a specific price on a future date. This allows you to speculate on price movements or hedge your existing positions with a relatively small amount of capital.

Calls vs. Puts

There are two basic types of options:

• Calls: A Call option gives you the right to buy an asset at a set price (the "strike price"). You would buy a Call if you believe the price of the asset will go up.
• Puts: A Put option gives you the right to sell an asset at a set price. You would buy a Put if you believe the price of the asset will go down.

This gives you the flexibility to potentially profit whether the market is bullish or bearish.

Why Trade Options on Arcex?

Unlike holding the asset directly, your maximum loss when buying an option is simply the price you paid for it (the "premium"). Your potential profit, however, can be significantly amplified.

For example, instead of buying 1 ETH for $3,000, you could buy a Call option for a fraction of the price. If ETH goes up, your percentage return could be much higher than if you held the token itself. If ETH goes down, you only lose the small premium you paid, not the full loss you would have incurred holding the asset.

To start trading options on Arcex, it helps to understand a few key terms. We've broken them down for you in simple terms.

Strike Price

The strike price is the predetermined price at which you have the right to buy (with a Call) or sell (with a Put) the underlying asset. You choose the strike price when you buy the option.

For example, if you buy an ETH Call option with a $3,500 strike price, you have the right to buy ETH at $3,500 on the expiration date, regardless of its actual market price.

Premium

The premium is the price you pay to purchase an option. This is your maximum potential loss. The premium is determined by a few factors, including the asset's current price, the strike price, the time until expiration, and the overall market volatility.

Expiration

Every option has an expiration date. This is the date on which the option contract becomes void. On Arcex, we use European-style options, which means they can only be exercised on the expiration date. If your option is "in-the-money" at expiration, it will be automatically settled for a profit.

Ready to make your first options trade? We've designed the process to be as simple and intuitive as our perpetuals trading.

Step 1: Deposit into your Options Account

Just like with perpetuals, you'll need to deposit funds into your dedicated Options Account. This keeps your funds for options trading separate and easy to manage.

1. Navigate to your Portfolio screen.
2. Select your Options Account.
3. Click "Deposit" and transfer USDC from your spot wallet.

Step 2: Find an Options Market

Once your account is funded, head over to the Markets tab.

1. Select the Options tab at the top.
2. Choose the asset you want to trade (BTC, ETH, or HYPE).
3. You will see a list of available expiration dates. Select one to view the options chain.

Step 3: Choose Your Option

The options chain displays all the available strike prices for the expiration date you selected. Calls are on one side, and Puts are on the other.

1. Find the strike price you are interested in.
2. Click on the Call or Put you wish to buy.
3. The trade ticket will appear.

Step 4: Place Your Order

1. In the trade ticket, enter the amount of options you want to buy.
2. Review the premium (the total cost of the trade).
3. Click "Buy" to place your order.

That's it! Your order will be filled, and you can view your open options position in your portfolio. Your maximum loss is the premium you paid, and your position will be automatically settled at expiration.

At Arcex, we believe in full transparency when it comes to fees. Our options trading is powered by Derive, and we pass through their exchange fees directly to you with a small $0.30 + 0.02% notional platform fee per trade.

Maker vs. Taker Fees

Just like with perpetuals, there are two types of exchange fees:

1. Maker Fee: This fee is paid when you place a limit order that doesn't execute immediately, adding liquidity to the order book.
2. Taker Fee: This fee is paid when you place an order that executes immediately against an existing order, removing liquidity from the order book.

Fee Schedule

Derive exchange fees are capped at 12.5% of the value of the option. This cap ensures that exchange fees remain reasonable, especially on low-premium options. The Arcex platform fee ($0.30 + 0.02% of notional) is charged on top of exchange fees.

How It Works in Practice

When you buy an option on Arcex, all fees are automatically included in the trade. You don't need to calculate them separately. The total cost of your trade (premium + fees) is displayed in the trade ticket before you confirm.

No Hidden Costs

Unlike perpetuals, options on Arcex are not cross-margined. Whatever you pay for an option is the maximum you can lose. There are no funding rates, no margin calls, and no surprise liquidations. Your risk is defined the moment you place your trade.

Welcome to the future of sports betting. Arcex brings the same seamless and low-fee experience you love from our crypto trading products to the world of sports. We've partnered with the world's largest blockchain betting exchange to give you access to competitive odds on a huge range of sports.

A Peer-to-Peer Exchange

Unlike traditional sportsbooks that set the odds themselves, Arcex connects you to a peer-to-peer marketplace. This means you are betting against other users, not against the house. The result is a fairer, more transparent market with better odds and deeper liquidity.

The Arcex Advantage: 0% Fees

That's right. When you bet on sports through Arcex, you pay 0% in fees on your winning bets. We believe in maximizing your returns, whether you're trading crypto or betting on your favorite team.

Getting started with sports betting on Arcex is easy. Here are the most common types of bets you can place.

Money Line

This is the most straightforward type of bet. You are simply betting on which team or player will win the game. Odds are displayed for each side. A favorite will have negative odds (e.g., -150), while an underdog will have positive odds (e.g., +130).

Spread

A spread bet is a bet on the margin of victory. The favorite is given a handicap of a certain number of points, which they must win by for a bet on them to pay out. The underdog is given a head start of the same number of points.

For example, if the Lakers are favored by -5.5 points against the Celtics, they must win by 6 or more points to cover the spread. If you bet on the Celtics +5.5, they can either win the game outright or lose by 5 points or less for your bet to win.

Total (Over/Under)

A total bet is a wager on the total combined score of both teams in a game. The exchange will set a line, and you can bet on whether the final score will be over or under that total.

Cashout

For advanced users, Arcex offers a Cashout feature. This allows you to settle your bet before the event has finished, letting you lock in a profit if your bet is winning or cut your losses if it looks like it might lose. The cashout value is based on the live probability of your bet winning.

Placing a sports bet on Arcex is just as easy as making a trade. Here's how to get in the game.

Step 1: Deposit into your Sports Account

First, you'll need to fund your dedicated Sports Account. This keeps your betting funds organized and ready for action.

1. Go to your Portfolio screen.
2. Select your Sports Account.
3. Click "Deposit" and transfer USDC from your spot wallet.

Step 2: Find a Game

With your account funded, it's time to find a market.

1. Go to the Markets tab.
2. Select the Sports tab at the top.
3. Browse the available sports (Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, NFL, etc.) and select a league.
4. Click on a game to see the available betting lines.

Step 3: Place Your Bet

1. Choose the bet you want to make (Money Line, Spread, or Total).
2. Click on the odds to bring up the bet slip.
3. Enter the amount you want to wager.
4. Review your potential payout.
5. Click "Place Bet".

Your bet is now live! You can track its progress in your portfolio. With 0% fees on winning bets, you keep more of your profits when you win on Arcex.

Arcex gives you access to a wide range of sports and leagues from around the world. Whether you're into football, soccer, tennis, or esports, we've got you covered.

Supported Sports

Available Bet Types per Game

For each game, you can typically find the following markets:

• Money Line — Bet on who wins.
• Spread — Bet on the margin of victory.
• Total (Over/Under) — Bet on the combined score.
• Game Lines — Additional markets like first half, first quarter, and more (varies by sport).

Live Markets

Markets are available before and during games. Odds update in real-time based on the peer-to-peer order book, so you always have access to the most competitive prices.

At Arcex, we believe that our community is our greatest asset. Our referral program is designed to reward you for helping us grow, creating a true partnership where our success is your success.

Revenue Share. For Life.

When you refer a new user to Arcex, you will earn 25% of all the trading fees they generate. This isn't a temporary promotion; it's a lifetime partnership. For as long as your referred users trade on Arcex, you will continue to earn.

Why 25% on Arcex is Better than 50% elsewhere

Our rewards are different because our platform is different. Most trading platforms have high internal costs that eat into the fees you pay. This means they can only afford to offer a small percentage back to referrers.

Arcex was built for efficiency. Our ultra-low operational cost basis (0-1 bps) means that for every dollar in fees generated, almost the entire amount is available to be shared. This allows us to offer a generous 25% referral share while other platforms can only offer a true 10-15%.

Let's see how this translates into real earnings for you. Here's a comparison based on $1,000,000 in trading volume from your referrals:

How it works

1. Share Your Code: Find your unique referral code in your Arcex app.
2. Invite Traders: Share your code with your network, friends, and community.
3. Earn: You will automatically receive 25% of the trading fees from every trade your referred users make.

It's that simple! We handle the tracking and the payouts; you focus on growing the community.

The Pip Pool

Beyond direct referrals, we are committed to rewarding our most active and loyal users through the Pip Pool, a treasury funded directly from trading activity on the platform.

How to earn Pips

Earning PIPs is straightforward: you earn them by trading.

Every time you trade perpetual futures on Arcex, a portion of the fees you pay is contributed to the Pip Pool. This means that the more you trade, the more you contribute to the pool, and the more you stand to earn in future rewards. Your trading activity directly fuels the rewards ecosystem.

There will be more ways to earn Pips revealed in the near future!

How it's funded

For every trade on Arcex, after the 25% referral share is paid out, 20% of the remaining fees are sent directly to the PIP Pool. This creates a constantly growing pool that can be used to reward users, put out boosts, increase multipliers, etc.

This is made possible by our ultra-low operational cost basis. Because our internal costs are so low, we can afford to dedicate a significant portion of our revenue to community rewards.

What comes next?

The PIP Pool is the foundation of the Arcex rewards ecosystem. It represents our commitment to building a platform where value flows back to the users who create it.

Stay tuned for exciting announcements as we begin to roll out the future of Arcex rewards. This is just the beginning.

At Arcex, we believe in transparency and rewarding our users. Our fee structure is designed to be simple, competitive, and to offer lower costs as your trading volume increases. We are committed to providing some of the lowest fees in the industry.

Maker vs. Taker Fees

Before we look at the tiers, it's important to understand the two types of fees:

1. Maker Fee: This fee is paid when you add liquidity to the order book by placing a limit order that doesn't execute immediately. You are "making" the market.
2. Taker Fee: This fee is paid when you remove liquidity from the order book by placing an order (like a market order) that executes immediately. You are "taking" from the market.

Our fee structure is designed to reward makers with lower fees.

Trading Fee Tiers (Separate from Rewards Tiers)

Your fee tier is based on your total trading volume over the past 30 days. The more you trade, the less you pay in fees.

bps stands for "basis points," which is a common way to represent percentages in finance. 1 bp = 0.01%.

Your fee tier is automatically calculated and updated in realtime, so you'll always receive the best possible rate based on your trading activity.

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.