How to Create a GMX Account and Connect a Wallet on Arbitrum
Risk warning. Trading perpetual futures and other leveraged crypto-asset products is high risk. A large share of retail traders lose money, so never trade with money you cannot afford to lose entirely. Disclaimer
Like Hyperliquid, GMX has no sign-up form. You connect a self-custody wallet on Arbitrum, and that wallet is your account, no KYC, no email, no waiting.
This is the first guide in TradeOnDEX’s GMX how-to series within Perpetual Futures.
Disclosure: TradeOnDEX may earn a commission from links to GMX on this page, at no extra cost to you. Full details at the end of this article.
What connecting a wallet actually gets you
GMX runs primarily on Arbitrum, with additional deployments on other chains covered later in this series. Connecting a wallet doesn’t move any funds or commit you to anything, it’s a signature proving wallet ownership, the same low-risk first step covered in the equivalent Hyperliquid guide.
This means for you, concretely: you can explore GMX’s interface, look at markets and pools, without depositing a cent, the same way you can browse Hyperliquid before funding an account.
How to connect your wallet, step by step
- Install a self-custody wallet if you don’t already have one (MetaMask is the most widely supported).
- Add the Arbitrum One network, either built into recent wallet versions or added via chainlist.org.
- Get a small amount of ETH on Arbitrum for gas. Arbitrum gas is typically well under $0.10 per transaction; $5-10 is enough for dozens of trades.
- Go to gmx.io directly, typed yourself or from your own bookmark, not a link from a search ad or social post.
- Click Connect Wallet and select your wallet, then approve the connection.
GMX’s multi-chain account model
GMX supports trading across multiple networks (Arbitrum, Ethereum, Base, BNB Chain, and others), with a shared account model that lets you deposit from several supported chains into the same trading account. Which specific assets you can deposit depends on the network you’re depositing from, for example, ETH, USDT, and LINK are commonly supported on Ethereum mainnet.
This flexibility is genuinely useful if your funds are already spread across chains, but it also means double-checking which network and asset combination you’re actually using before depositing, rather than assuming every asset works from every chain.
Risk: what applies here, same as any self-custody wallet
Seed phrase custody is the foundational risk, identical to every self-custody DEX. Whoever holds your seed phrase controls your wallet completely, store it offline, never type it into a website, and never share it, regardless of how official a request looks.
Fake GMX sites are a documented, active risk, not a hypothetical one. As covered in more detail later in this series, phishing clones of GMX’s interface exist. Always navigate to gmx.io by typing it yourself or using your own bookmark.
Multi-chain support adds a small but real chance of using the wrong network or asset. Since GMX’s account model spans several chains, confirm the specific network and token combination before depositing, rather than assuming a token that works on one supported chain works identically on all of them.
Connecting a wallet is low-risk, but every step after it deserves the same scrutiny. The connection itself is just a signature; the real risk decisions come with each subsequent deposit, trade, and approval. Treat each one on its own merits.
GMX vs. a centralized exchange sign-up
| Centralized exchange | GMX (self-custody) | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | Often 1-3 days (KYC review) | Minutes |
| Who holds your funds | The exchange | You, via your wallet |
| Identity required | Usually yes | No |
| Recovery if you lose access | Exchange support | Nobody, seed phrase is the only backup |
See it for yourself
Connect a wallet and browse GMX’s markets and pools before depositing anything, the same low-commitment first step recommended throughout this series. You can explore the app directly at gmx.io.
Frequently asked questions
Does GMX require KYC to trade?
No, connecting a self-custody wallet is the only requirement; no identity verification is needed. Some jurisdictions restrict access to leveraged derivatives regardless of a platform’s own policy, so check your local rules.
Which wallets work with GMX?
Any standard Ethereum-compatible wallet that supports the networks GMX operates on (Arbitrum, and others depending on the specific deployment), MetaMask is the most commonly used.
Do I need funds before connecting my wallet?
No, connecting is a free signature that proves ownership; depositing is a separate, later step.
Can I use the same GMX account across multiple chains?
Yes, GMX’s account model supports deposits from several networks into a shared trading account, though available assets vary by network.
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. GMX’s own affiliate/referral terms are still being confirmed for this site, so the link above is a direct, untracked link, not an affiliate link. This article is educational and is not financial advice. See our disclaimer for the full risk warning.
Risk warning
Trading crypto assets, and leveraged products based on them such as perpetual futures ("perps"), is high risk. A large share of retail traders lose money on these products. Leverage magnifies gains and losses alike and can push your loss beyond the amount you put in. Positions can be closed automatically (liquidation) before you get a chance to react, and some of the platforms we cover offer no negative balance protection.
Never trade with money you cannot afford to lose entirely. TradeOnDEX gives no investment advice, no personal recommendation, and no guarantee of any outcome. Every decision you make is your own decision and your own responsibility.