Vertex Protocol
DEX on Arbitrum. Spot + perpetuals, cross-margin, fast matching.
Overview
Vertex Protocol was a hybrid decentralized exchange that combined a central limit order book (CLOB) with an automated market maker (AMM) to deliver fast, capital-efficient, and transparent trading. The platform offered spot, perpetual, and money market services on a single platform.
Vertex was notable for its cross-margin trading system that allowed sharing collateral across multiple markets, and its order book achieved low-latency matching of 15-30 milliseconds — comparable to centralized exchanges while maintaining non-custodial principles. In 2024, Vertex launched Edge, which consolidated liquidity cross-chain.
Important: In mid-2025, Vertex Protocol initiated a shutdown process. On July 8, 2025, Vertex was acquired by the Ink Foundation and migrated its infrastructure to the Ink Layer-2 ecosystem. All trading operations ended on August 14, 2025.
Key Features
- Hybrid orderbook-AMM: Combined CLOB with AMM for best execution
- Cross-margin trading: Shared collateral across spot, perpetuals, and lending
- 15-30ms matching: CEX-level speed with DEX-level self-custody
- Free maker fees: Makers always traded for free on Vertex
- Vertex Edge: Cross-chain liquidity consolidation (launched 2024)
- Money markets: Integrated lending and borrowing
- Self-custody: Non-custodial trading from connected wallets
Supported Markets
| Market Type | Details | |-------------|---------| | Spot | Token trading with shared margin | | Perpetuals | Crypto perpetuals with leverage | | Money Markets | Lending and borrowing |
Fee Structure
| Type | Maker | Taker | |------|-------|-------| | All markets | 0.00% | 0.02%-0.04% |
Makers always traded for free. Taker fees varied between 0.02% and 0.04% depending on the market.
Security
- Self-custody: Users maintained full control of their assets
- On-chain settlement: All trades settled transparently on-chain
- Audited contracts: Multiple security audits completed
- Non-custodial: No centralized custody of user funds
Status
Vertex Protocol ceased operations in August 2025 following acquisition by the Ink Foundation. The technology is being migrated to the Ink Layer-2 ecosystem.