GTE Raises $15M Series A to Challenge HyperLiquid and AMM Giants with Low-Latency DEX

TL;DR

• GTE secures $15 million Series A funding led by Paradigm, with ambitions to become the fastest decentralized exchange (DEX).
  
• The DEX will utilize a central limit order book (CLOB) model, unlike AMM platforms like Uniswap and PancakeSwap.
  
• GTE aims to achieve latency comparable to centralized exchanges like Binance and Coinbase.
  
• Platform is fully non-custodial, reducing risk of exchange failures like FTX.
  
• Project enters market as HyperLiquid surpasses $1 trillion in 2025 cumulative trading volume.
  

GTE Secures $15 Million to Build Next-Gen High-Speed Decentralized Exchange

In a notable move for decentralized finance, GTE, a new entrant in the DEX space, has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by leading crypto venture firm Paradigm. The announcement was made on X, with GTE stating its intention to deliver the fastest decentralized trading experience, rivaling the success of HyperLiquid and improving upon current AMM models used by Uniswap and PancakeSwap.

The project has set ambitious goals: to offer institutional-grade speed, low latency, and efficient trade execution — all while remaining entirely non-custodial.

Challenging Centralized Titans with Non-Custodial Speed

GTE claims it will deliver latency levels on par with centralized exchanges like Binance and Coinbase — both widely regarded for their deep liquidity and rapid execution.

Centralized vs Decentralized Latency

The key differentiator for GTE lies in its non-custodial architecture, which allows traders to retain ownership of their assets. In the wake of high-profile collapses like FTX, GTE’s security-first stance aims to rebuild trust in trading infrastructure.

GTE’s Core: Central Limit Order Book Over AMM

Where most decentralized exchanges rely on automated market makers (AMMs) and liquidity pools, GTE is going against the grain with a central limit order book (CLOB) model.

This model, long used by traditional and centralized crypto exchanges, matches buyers and sellers in real time and is considered superior for price discovery and institutional trading.

In an interview with The Block, GTE co-founder Enzo Coglitore emphasized that the CLOB system is key to the platform’s ability to deliver “execution speed that traders expect” — a shortcoming that even early high-frequency platforms like FTX struggled with.

Targeting HyperLiquid’s Trillion-Dollar Benchmark

GTE’s ambitions come at a time when HyperLiquid — the most prominent derivatives DEX of the current cycle — recently crossed $1 trillion in cumulative trading volume, according to DefiLlama.

That benchmark underscores growing demand for high-performance decentralized trading venues. Unlike HyperLiquid, which emphasizes derivatives, GTE’s focus is on spot trading, aiming to bring speed, transparency, and security into that corner of the market.

GTE’s liquidity strategy is also expected to benefit from low-latency arbitrage and cross-exchange integrations, something typically more difficult in AMM-based systems.

Paradigm’s Backing Signals Institutional Confidence

The lead investor, Paradigm, is known for backing top-tier DeFi infrastructure including dYdX, Uniswap, and Compound. Its support gives credibility to GTE’s claims and bolsters confidence among institutional traders.

Though GTE has not disclosed its full investor list, insiders suggest participation from several trading-focused venture funds, underscoring strong interest in DEXs that can match centralized latency without compromising custody.

From FTX Lessons to Future Resilience

Even FTX, once hailed as the best exchange “built by traders for traders,” suffered from latency bugs and API issues — problems that cost users millions during high-volatility periods. GTE is actively designing its infrastructure to mitigate these pain points, with a focus on:

• Optimized smart contract architecture
  
• Scalable matching engine
  
• Gas-efficient execution
  

And unlike FTX, GTE will never take custody of user funds, shielding users from counterparty risk.

Outlook: Will GTE Deliver?

With a funding round backed by one of crypto’s largest VCs, a unique approach to order routing, and security at the forefront, GTE is positioning itself to become a serious alternative in the high-speed DEX market.

Still, the proof will lie in performance. The platform’s mainnet release date has yet to be announced, and volume, latency, and order book depth will ultimately decide whether GTE can compete with the likes of Binance, Coinbase, and HyperLiquid.

For now, the crypto community awaits more from a startup that has raised expectations — and capital — to reimagine the decentralized exchange model.