Project Highlight: Perplex

What is Perplex?

Perplex is a fully on-chain decentralized perpetual trading platform built on AO and Arweave combining the speed of centralized exchanges (CEXs) with the transparency and flexibility of decentralized infrastructure.

By leveraging Arweave for permanent storage and AO for decentralized processing, Perplex creates a trustless trading environment where users remain in control of their assets

What does Perplex do?

Perplex lets users trade perpetual contracts – a type of contract that doesn’t expire. Traders can use up to 20x leverage, which means they can open larger positions with less upfront capital.

Its main features include:

• Multi-Collateral Trading Instead of relying on just one asset, Perplex enables users to trade using different forms of collateral – such as ETH, USDC, DAI and more – giving traders more flexibility in how they manage funds.

• On-Chain Matching and Settlement Every trade is handled directly on the blockchain. This ensures full transparency, because all activity is permanently recorded on Arweave and can’t be altered.

• High Performance Most decentralized exchanges are slower than their centralized counterparts. With transaction speed as low as 100 milliseconds, Perplex is able to compete with traditional trading platforms.

• Wallet-Based Access There is no need for creating an account or custodial service, users simply connect their crypto wallet (like Wander) and can simply begin trading, keeping full ownership of their assets

How does it work?

Perplex is powered by the Permanent Stack, which includes:

• AO Execution Layer: AO powers the real-time processing of trades. Unlike blockchains that push every action into a single shared state, AO separates processes and lets them communicate through messages. This makes trading faster and more scalable without losing decentralization.

• Arweave Storage: All trade history and records are stored permanently on Arweave. With data that can’t be modified or removed, the blockchain guarantees a reliable reflection of all transactions

• AR.IO Gateway: To make sure users around the world can access Perplex reliably, the platform operates its own AR.IO gateway. This reduces delays, keeps the system online, and ensures no single party can block access.

• Arweave Name System (ArNS): Perplex integrates ArNS, replacing complex character strings with simple names and a decentralized interface. This makes the platform more user-friendly and resistant to shutdowns.

With all these layers working together, Perplex achieves true decentralization at every level: storage, execution, and access.

What’s next for Perplex?

Perplex’s 2025 roadmap highlights its plans to expand beyond perpetuals into a fully integrated decentralized exchange ecosystem.

Q2 2025

• Launch of Perpetual Contracts

• Points Program for community rewards

• Swap feature rollout

Q3 2025

• Autonomous Vaults for automated strategies and liquidity management

• Developer SDKs in Python, Go, and TypeScript

• Multi-hop swaps for more advanced trading options

Q4 2025

• Multi-account support

• Isolated margin for risk management

• Launch of Spot Trading

• Permissionless pool listings, letting the community add liquidity markets directly

Why is it important?

Perplex shows that decentralized finance can be practical, secure, and user-friendly. By combining permanent storage, fast execution, and fully decentralized infrastructure, it keeps users in control while providing a reliable trading experience.