How to Use the dYdX Mobile App

Unlike some other perpetual DEXs covered in this series, where mobile access means loading the desktop site inside a wallet’s built-in browser, dYdX ships a genuine native app for both iOS and Android, with two distinct trading modes built in, not a single scaled-down interface.

This guide is part of TradeOnDEX’s dYdX how-to series within Perpetual Futures.

Disclosure: TradeOnDEX may earn a commission from links to dYdX on this page, at no extra cost to you. Full details at the end of this article.

Two trading modes built into the app

Default Mode is a reimagined, beginner-friendly interface with simplified order flows, educational prompts, and cleaner visuals, designed to make perpetuals trading approachable for someone newer to DeFi derivatives.

Pro Mode is built for traders who want the full toolkit: granular control, full analytics, and deeper execution tools closer to what the desktop interface offers.

This means for you, concretely: the app isn’t a stripped-down companion to the desktop experience, it’s designed to serve both a beginner and an advanced trader through two genuinely different interfaces within the same app, rather than forcing everyone into one compromise layout.

What the app actually supports

The dYdX mobile app supports gasless, high-leverage trading across more than 190 markets while maintaining full self-custody, your funds and trading remain under the same self-custodial model as the desktop platform, not a custodial mobile-specific arrangement. The Android app received a significant update as recently as May 2026, and access is also available via Telegram in addition to the standalone iOS and Android apps.

How to get started, step by step

1. Download the official dYdX app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android), or access dYdX via its Telegram integration if you prefer that route.
2. Connect your wallet, following the same wallet-authentication process covered in the account setup guide.
3. Choose Default Mode if you’re newer to perpetuals trading, or Pro Mode if you want the fuller toolkit immediately.
4. Trade, monitor positions, and manage orders directly from the app, with the same self-custody model as desktop.

Risk: what’s genuinely different about trading on mobile

A smaller screen makes it easier to misread position size, leverage, or order type before confirming. As covered for other platforms in this series, double-check these fields specifically on mobile, where compressed layouts and thumb-typing increase the odds of a costly input mistake relative to a larger desktop screen.

Default Mode’s simplified flow is designed for approachability, which can obscure detail an experienced trader would want visible. If you’re an experienced trader who downloads the app expecting full detail by default, confirm you’re in Pro Mode rather than assuming Default Mode surfaces everything you’re used to seeing on desktop.

A mobile device is easier to lose, have physically accessed, or have compromised than a desktop you control more directly. Since the app maintains full self-custody, treat device-level security (passcode, biometric lock, auto-lock timing) as part of your trading security, not a separate concern from wallet security itself.

App store availability and features can vary by region. The app is available “in supported regions” per dYdX’s own announcements. Confirm current availability and feature parity for your specific region rather than assuming universal access.

Default Mode vs. Pro Mode, at a glance

See it for yourself

Download the official app and try both modes on a small position first, so you understand which one actually shows you the information you rely on before trading anything significant from your phone. You can download the app via dydx.xyz/ios-download or your device’s app store.

Frequently asked questions

Does dYdX have an official native mobile app?

Yes, unlike some competitor perpetual DEXs that rely on wallet browser access, dYdX offers dedicated native apps for both iOS and Android with full self-custody.

What’s the difference between Default Mode and Pro Mode?

Default Mode is a simplified, beginner-friendly interface with educational prompts; Pro Mode offers the fuller toolkit of granular controls and analytics closer to the desktop experience.

Is trading on the mobile app custodial?

No, the app maintains the same self-custody model as the desktop platform; your funds and trading remain under your own wallet’s control.

Is the app available everywhere?

Availability is described as covering “supported regions”. Confirm current availability for your specific region before assuming universal access.

Affiliate disclosure

TradeOnDEX may earn a commission if you sign up or trade through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. dYdX’s own affiliate/referral terms are still being confirmed for this site, so links here are direct and untracked for now. This article is educational and is not financial advice. See our disclaimer for the full risk warning.