What Is Perpetual Protocol (PERP) and How Does It Work?
Perpetual Protocol (PERP) is a
decentralized derivatives protocol designed for
trading perpetual futures contracts on-chain. Unlike spot markets, perpetual contracts let you go long or short on crypto assets without an expiry date, making them popular for hedging and leveraged trading. The protocol is built to offer non-custodial trading, meaning you keep control of your funds while interacting directly with smart contracts.
At its core, Perpetual Protocol pioneered the virtual automated market maker (vAMM) model. Instead of relying on traditional order books or real liquidity pools, the vAMM uses a mathematical pricing curve to simulate liquidity and determine trade prices. Traders deposit collateral, typically
stablecoins, into the protocol, open leveraged positions, and the system manages margin, funding payments, and liquidations entirely on-chain.
The PERP token plays a central role in the ecosystem. It is used for governance, allowing holders to vote on protocol upgrades, risk parameters, and fee structures. PERP has also been used for staking and incentive programs tied to protocol activity, aligning token holders with the long-term growth and sustainability of decentralized perpetual futures trading.
When Did Perpetual Protocol Launch?
Perpetual Protocol (PERP) traces its roots back to 2019 when a team of startup founders and blockchain engineers in Taiwan began building what would become one of the most innovative decentralized derivatives platforms in crypto. Initially conceptualized as “Strike,” the project pivoted to focus on perpetual futures and rebranded as Perpetual Protocol in 2020.
It was co-founded by Yenwen Feng and Shao-Kang Lee, who brought experience from previous crypto ventures and were supported early on by leading investors and incubators in the DeFi space. The mainnet for Perpetual Protocol launched on the xDai network in December 2020, marking its formal entry into decentralized perpetual trading.
Perpetual Protocol Roadmap Highlights
• Dec 2020 — Perp v1 Launch: Mainnet launch on xDai network, quickly achieving strong trading volume and adoption.
• Nov 2021 — Perp v2 (Curie) on Optimism: Upgraded version deployed on
Optimism, an
Ethereum Layer-2 solution, for better capital efficiency and deeper liquidity.
• May 2024 — Nekodex Launch: First mobile trading app for seamless cross-chain trading without wallet management.
• 2025 — NekoVault (Planned/Launch): Expansion of ecosystem with custody-free infrastructure features.
What Is the PERP Token Used for?
The PERP token is the native utility and governance token of Perpetual Protocol. It is primarily used for governance, allowing holders to vote on protocol upgrades, risk parameters, fee structures, and ecosystem funding proposals. PERP has also historically been used in staking and incentive programs, aligning token holders with the long-term growth and sustainability of the decentralized perpetual futures ecosystem.
You can trade PERP tokens on the
BingX spot market by depositing funds, navigating to the
PERP/USDT trading pair, and placing a
market or limit order. BingX provides real-time price charts, deep liquidity, and an intuitive trading interface, making it easy to buy or sell PERP efficiently.
What Is Perpetual Protocol Tokenomics?
Perpetual Protocol (PERP) tokenomics are built around a vote-escrow (vePERP) model designed to align long-term holders with protocol growth and real revenue. PERP has a fixed maximum supply of 150 million tokens and is primarily used for governance and rewards. By locking PERP into vePERP, holders gain voting power over protocol decisions and access to incentive programs such as Lazy River 2.0, which distributes a share of protocol trading fees in USDC as real yield. The longer PERP is locked, the greater the voting influence and reward potential, encouraging long-term participation rather than short-term speculation.