Why perp DEX marketing changed in 2025 and 2026
Perp DEXs went from niche to mainstream in one year. The marketing playbook that worked when there were three venues no longer works with a dozen.
- Volume exploded and split. Perp DEX volume passed $1T in a single month for the first time in October 2025, on DefiLlama data. By Q4 2025 The Block counted Hyperliquid at 25%, Lighter at 23% and Aster at 20% of volume, after Hyperliquid held over 60% earlier in the year.
- Points buy volume, not loyalty. Lighter airdropped 25% of its fully diluted value to its first two points seasons when LIT launched in December 2025. Farmers move to the next season, so retention after the snapshot is the number that matters.
- Europe treats perps like CFDs. On 24 February 2026 ESMA said perpetual futures will likely fall under EU CFD rules, including leverage limits, risk warnings and a ban on incentives, and warned against mass marketing.
- The UK ban on retail crypto derivatives stays. When the FCA opened crypto ETNs to retail in October 2025, it confirmed its ban on retail access to crypto derivatives remains. UK audiences are out of scope for perp promotion.
Exchange marketing that ties creators to deposits and volume is our core trading work. The method is on our KOLs for crypto exchange trading volume page.
Points farmers or traders: what each creator format brings
The same budget can buy very different users depending on the creator and the format.
| Format | Attracts | Strength | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points and airdrop threads | Farmers | Fast volume during a season | Leave after the snapshot |
| Live trading streams | Active discretionary traders | Shows the venue working under pressure | Streamers who imply easy profits |
| YouTube walkthroughs | Traders comparing venues | Long shelf life in search | Slow to produce |
| Trading competition hosts | Competitive traders | Spikes in active traders | Prize hunters with no repeat |
| Quant and tool accounts | API and bot traders | High volume per user | Small audience |
Live trading streams work especially well for perps. Our crypto exchange marketing agency page explains how we run them for centralized venues too.
How we run a perp DEX campaign
- Terms and market check. We read your terms and geoblocking, and only target countries you allow. The UK, the US and restricted regions stay out unless your legal team says otherwise.
- Trader creator casting. Trader KOLs, streamers and educators are checked for real audiences, past exchange sponsors and how they talk about risk.
- Honest briefs. Creators show fees, liquidation rules and the order book. No profit claims, no screenshots of single winning trades, and leverage always comes with a risk line.
- Waves around your calendar. Launch, points season, new markets and token events each get their own creator wave.
- Retention review. We compare traders who stay after rewards end by creator and rebook only the creators whose traders keep trading.
Builders on Hyperliquid have their own playbook. See our Hyperliquid marketing agency page.
Talk to us
Pick a 30-minute slot, or DM us on Telegram.
Losing traders after rewards end? Book a call and bring your retention numbers.
Campaigns from $2,000, with 10% off your first. We reply within one working day.
What you get
- A trader creator map KOLs, streamers and educators by trader type, language and allowed country.
- Risk-checked briefs Approved claims, risk wording and disclosure for every format.
- A wave calendar Creator work placed around launches, seasons and new markets.
- Referral and code setup One code per creator, tied to your referral system.
- Retention reporting Deposits, active traders, volume and 30-day retention per creator.
We report from your referral and trading data, not from views. Volume alone can be wash traded, so we show active traders and how many are still trading after 30 days.
Prop trading audiences overlap with perp traders. Our prop firm marketing agency page shows how we reach them.
Why 3betmedia
Trading audiences have been our core since 2018. SignalPlus gained 6,632 new users against a 4,000 target with trading KOLs, Binance 4,245 new users and more than $510M in volume, and MEXC 8,522 new users and more than $300M in volume.
We decline briefs that ask creators to promise profits or hide liquidation risk, and we do not target countries your terms block. DeFi protocols beyond perps go through our DeFi marketing agency plan.
Results from campaigns our team has run
Crypto trading tools · trading KOLs and creators
SignalPlus
6,632 new users against a 4,000 target
Read the SignalPlus caseCrypto exchange · KOLs on X, YouTube and TikTok
Binance
4,245 new users and more than $510M in trading volume, double the target
Read the Binance caseCrypto exchange · KOLs on X and YouTube
MEXC
8,522 new users and more than $300M in trading volume
Read the MEXC case
3betmedia launched in 2026; most of these campaigns ran before the name existed. See all 19 cases.
Frequently asked questions
What does a perp DEX marketing agency do?
It brings traders to a decentralized perpetual futures exchange and keeps them there. 3betmedia uses trader KOLs, live streams, YouTube walkthroughs and clips, tracked to deposits, active traders and retention.
Do points programs replace marketing?
No. Points bring fast volume, but much of it leaves after the snapshot. Creators who explain the venue bring traders who stay, so we plan both together.
Which countries can you target for perp DEX promotion?
Only countries your terms allow. We exclude the UK because the FCA bans retail crypto derivatives, and we follow your geoblocking for the US and other regions.
Do creators trade live on your exchange?
They can, with clear disclosure and a risk line. We ask them to show losses and liquidation rules as well as wins.
Can you help with a token or airdrop launch for a perp DEX?
Yes. Token events get their own creator wave, and we focus on users who stay after the airdrop. Our crypto airdrop marketing agency page explains the approach.