Perp DEX airdrop farming in 2024 is an arms race for early adopters. If you want to maximize your edge, you need to know which platforms are heating up, how their points programs work, and where your trading activity will actually pay off. This year’s landscape is more competitive and tactical than ever: projects are rewarding active users with points, rebates, and future token allocations. Get in early, farm smart, and you could be sitting on a windfall when these airdrops hit.
The 2024 Perp DEX Airdrop Opportunity: Why Early-Stage Matters
The best perpetual DEXs for airdrops aren’t just about high volume or TVL – they’re about timing. Early-stage platforms are hungry for liquidity and user engagement. They incentivize this with aggressive points programs and community rewards that often translate into substantial airdrops down the line. In 2024, the top seven names on every serious farmer’s radar are:
Top 7 Perp DEXs for Airdrop Farming in 2024
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Hyperliquid: A rapidly growing perpetual DEX and L1 chain, Hyperliquid is known for its robust ecosystem and active points program. Early users can farm points by trading, providing liquidity, and engaging with new dApps, positioning themselves for potential high-value airdrops.
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Aevo: Aevo offers decentralized derivatives trading with a focus on speed and capital efficiency. Its points and rewards campaigns attract active traders seeking early airdrop opportunities. Aevo’s integration with major L2s ensures low fees and fast execution.
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Lighter: Lighter is an emerging perpetual DEX gaining traction for its innovative trading incentives and airdrop speculation. Its early-stage status and active points system make it a prime target for airdrop farmers looking for outsized rewards.
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Drift Protocol: Built on Solana, Drift Protocol features a hybrid orderbook/AMM model and deep liquidity. The protocol’s ongoing points campaigns and strong community engagement offer compelling airdrop farming potential for active traders on Solana.
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Avantis: Operating on the Base network, Avantis enables high-leverage perpetual and synthetic asset trading. Since launching in September 2025, it has allocated over 520 million AVNT tokens for community incentives, making it a top choice for airdrop hunters.
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Level Finance: Level Finance stands out for its multi-chain presence and innovative risk management features. The platform’s consistent points programs and active user base offer steady airdrop farming opportunities for both new and experienced traders.
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dYdX v4: The latest iteration of dYdX operates as a fully decentralized protocol, emphasizing transparency and self-custody. dYdX v4 continues to reward active traders with points and incentives, keeping it at the forefront of airdrop farming strategies.
Each of these projects has unique mechanics – some reward pure trading volume while others boost holders or liquidity providers. The key is understanding what counts toward their upcoming drops so you can deploy capital efficiently.
Platform Breakdown: What Sets These Perp DEXs Apart?
Hyperliquid is leading the pack with its native L1 infrastructure and robust ecosystem incentives. Their points program has attracted both whales and retail traders looking to rack up $HYPE ahead of any token event. Aevo, meanwhile, offers deep liquidity across major pairs and has teased multiple rounds of rewards for active traders.
Lighter stands out as an early-stage contender with lower competition for points – ideal for smaller traders who want to maximize ROI before the crowd arrives. Drift Protocol brings Solana-native speed to the table and supports both spot and perpetual trading as part of its campaign.
Avantis (on Base) is gaining steam thanks to its synthetic assets market and up-to-500x leverage; its community allocation includes over 500 million AVNT earmarked for early users via rebates and staking bonuses. Level Finance, already known for innovative DeFi risk management tools on BNB Chain/Arbitrum/zkSync Era/Linea/Base/Avalanche/Cronos/Polygon zkEVM/Mantle/Blast/Manta Pacific/Moonbeam/Solana/Solana SVM/Aptos/Sui/Sei/Cosmos/Ethereum/Litecoin/Dogecoin/Cardano/Polkadot/TRON/Fantom/Hedera Hashgraph/Kava/NEAR Protocol/Celo/Evmos/Osmosis/Coreum/XRP Ledger/Stellar/Near Aurora has also rolled out a hybrid points model combining trading activity with staking incentives.
dYdX v4, now fully decentralized on Cosmos SDK/Tendermint stack after migrating from Ethereum Layer 2 StarkEx rollup tech stack (v3), remains one of the most reputable platforms – their long-term commitment to community rewards means every trade could count toward future distributions.
“Every day brings a new edge to find. ” – Elena Durham
Tactical Strategies: How to Maximize Your Perp DEX Airdrop Rewards
If you’re serious about perp DEX airdrop farming in 2024, don’t just chase volume blindly. Here’s how top farmers are getting ahead:
- Diversify Your Activity: Spread trades across multiple platforms (especially those listed above) rather than maxing out on just one.
- Target Low-OI Pairs: Many point systems reward activity on less-traded pairs disproportionately. Find these overlooked gems.
- Leverage Referral Programs: Stack bonus points by onboarding friends or using referral codes where available.
- Add Liquidity or Stake: Platforms like Level Finance reward not just trading but also LPs and stakers, double dip where possible!
- Avoid Wash Trading Risks: Most protocols penalize obvious wash trades; keep it organic to avoid disqualification from drops.
- Read our detailed guide for step-by-step strategies tailored to each platform here.
The next section will dive deeper into each platform’s specific requirements and current program details so you can start executing today instead of waiting on the sidelines.
Platform Requirements and Points Programs: What You Need to Know
Let’s break down how to farm points and maximize airdrop eligibility on each of the top seven perp DEXs for 2024. These details matter, miss a step and you could leave serious rewards on the table.
- Hyperliquid: Points are accrued through active trading, with bonus multipliers for higher volumes and early participation. The $HYPE ecosystem frequently updates its leaderboard, so even smaller traders can compete by focusing on less-crowded markets or off-peak hours.
- Aevo: Trading volume is king here, but Aevo also runs time-limited campaigns that reward specific actions like completing quests or using new features. Stay alert for pop-up events that boost your point haul.
- Lighter: This early-stage DEX has a lower barrier to entry and often rewards users who provide initial liquidity or trade on new pairs. Jump in early, as retroactive drops are likely to favor the first wave of participants.
- Drift Protocol: Drift’s points system tracks both spot and perp trades, with extra incentives for those who provide liquidity or engage with governance. Their Solana-native speed means you can execute rapid-fire strategies with minimal fees.
- Avantis: To maximize AVNT rewards, focus on trading synthetic assets and staking AVNT in their incentive programs. Avantis is transparent about allocation: over 500 million tokens are set aside for active users, so consistent engagement pays off.
- Level Finance: Level’s hybrid model means you earn both from trading and by staking LVL tokens or providing liquidity. Check their dashboard regularly for updates on multipliers tied to specific chains or market launches.
- dYdX v4: The new Cosmos-based version rewards traders based on volume, open interest, and participation in governance votes. dYdX has a history of large-scale retroactive drops, every trade counts toward future eligibility.
Staying Ahead: Tips for 2024 Perp DEX Airdrop Farmers
The most successful airdrop farmers are relentless about tracking updates and adapting quickly. Here’s how you can stay one step ahead in this fast-moving environment:
- Monitor Official Channels: Join Discords and Telegrams for each DEX, announcements often drop there first.
- Track Points Dashboards Weekly: Don’t wait until the last minute; real-time adjustments let you optimize your activity as requirements change.
- Pounce on Beta Features: Platforms love rewarding users who test new products (think cross-margining or novel order types). Being an early tester could mean bonus points or exclusive NFT badges that later convert into tokens.
- Explore our up-to-date strategies guide for more advanced tactics.
This year’s competitive edge comes from agility, the best farmers aren’t just grinding volume but reading between the lines of every points announcement and campaign update. If you’re not moving fast enough, someone else will eat your share of the pie.
Your Next Move: Start Farming Now
The window for easy wins is closing as more traders wake up to these opportunities. Every trade today could be worth multiples tomorrow if you’re farming smart across Hyperliquid, Aevo, Lighter, Drift Protocol, Avantis, Level Finance, and dYdX v4. Don’t just watch from the sidelines, get active across several platforms to maximize your odds of landing high-value airdrops before point programs change or dry up.
If you want even more tactical breakdowns platform-by-platform, including which pairs have the highest point multipliers right now, check out our exclusive deep dive here.
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