DEXs Capture 23% Market Share as CEXs Lose 28% Volume

Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) achieved a record high market share during the second quarter of 2025, capturing 23% of the crypto spot trading volume. This surge came as centralized exchanges (CEXs) experienced a significant decline in trading volume. According to CoinGecko data, the total spot trading volume across major centralized exchanges fell nearly 28% to $3.9 trillion. In contrast, decentralized exchange volume surged more than 25% quarter-over-quarter to $876.3 billion.

PancakeSwap emerged as the leading DEX, processing $392 billion in trades, which accounted for nearly half of all decentralized exchange activity. This represented a more than five-fold increase from the previous quarter. The platform's growth was largely driven by Binance's launch of Binance Alpha in May, which routed trades through PancakeSwap's infrastructure. This strategic partnership helped propel BNB Smart Chain above established networks including Ethereum, Solana, and Base as the most-utilized blockchain during the quarter.

The record-breaking DEX-to-CEX volume ratio of 0.23 indicated a growing demand for on-chain trading mechanisms over traditional centralized alternatives. This shift demonstrated how strategic partnerships between centralized and decentralized platforms can reshape trading patterns across the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Industry observers noted this figure as evidence of increasing investor preference for on-chain trading mechanisms over traditional centralized alternatives.

Despite maintaining its position as the leading centralized exchange, Binance experienced a substantial drop in quarterly trading volume, falling to $1.47 trillion from more than $2 trillion in the previous quarter. Other major centralized exchanges also reported significant declines. Crypto.com recorded a 61% plunge in trading volume, while Coinbase similarly reported lower quarterly figures. These decreases occurred across multiple major platforms, suggesting broader market trends rather than isolated incidents.

The volume declines at centralized exchanges coincided with increased regulatory scrutiny and evolving user preferences toward self-custody solutions. Market participants increasingly favored platforms that offered direct blockchain interaction without intermediary custody requirements. The shift toward decentralized exchanges occurred against a backdrop of increasing regulatory pressures on centralized platforms. Users demonstrated growing preference for non-custodial trading solutions that provided greater control over their digital assets.

Decentralized perpetual futures trading achieved record-breaking volume levels during the second quarter, processing $898 billion in transactions. This figure represented substantial growth in the derivatives segment of decentralized finance. Hyperliquid dominated the decentralized perpetuals market with a commanding 73% market share. The platform's performance highlighted the growing sophistication of on-chain derivatives trading infrastructure and institutional adoption of decentralized financial instruments. The surge in perpetuals trading volume demonstrated that decentralized exchanges were expanding beyond simple spot trading into more complex financial products. This evolution suggested increasing maturity in the decentralized finance ecosystem.

Market volatility during the quarter did not diminish the appeal of decentralized trading platforms. Instead, many traders appeared to view DEX platforms as offering more transparent and resilient trading infrastructure during uncertain market conditions. The trend toward decentralization reflected broader changes in how cryptocurrency users approached digital asset management and trading. Self-custody solutions gained traction as investors sought greater autonomy over their holdings.

The second quarter of 2025 marked a pivotal moment in cryptocurrency trading infrastructure as decentralized exchanges achieved record market share while centralized platforms experienced significant volume declines. This shift, led by PancakeSwap's explosive growth and supported by record-breaking derivatives trading, signals a fundamental change in how investors approach digital asset trading. The trend toward decentralized, on-chain trading appears to be gaining permanent traction within the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem.