Hydro Protocol
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
Hydro Protocol firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hydro Protocol
- Legal name
- Hydro Protocol
- Website
- https://hydroprotocol.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hydro Protocol industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Decentralized Exchange Infrastructure
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized Exchanges (DEX) & AMMs (FSAPADAB)
Keywords
Where Hydro Protocol is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Hydro Protocol business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Relayer Trading Fees: Hydro Relayers collect fees as a percentage of the tokens being traded. The fee structure is completely flexible - relayers set their own maker and taker fee rates. No third-party tokens required for fees. Fee rates are validated by the relayer when orders are submitted.
- Hydro Protocol Economic Incentives (HOT Tokens): Optional incentive system where relayers that participate in Hydro Economics are automatically awarded HOT tokens proportional to the number of trades they make. Relayers can opt-in or opt-out at any time. Provides additional revenue stream for active relayers.
- HOT Token Fee Discounts: Traders holding HOT token receive fee discounts when trading. This creates secondary demand for HOT tokens, benefiting relayers who participate in the incentive system.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | No token holding requirements or weird token fees - complete freedom for Relayers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hydro Protocol product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hydro Protocol is an open-source framework for building high-performance decentralized exchanges (DEXs). It provides audited smart contracts (HybridExchange, Approval/Depository Proxies, MultiSigWallet, Swap Handler) and a Docker-deployable SDK with matching engine, API/WebSocket servers, and a web frontend so developers can launch a complete customizable exchange via a single command. Reference products DDEX and Hydro Swap demonstrate the framework in production.
Product overview
Hydro Protocol is an open-source DeFi framework for building high-performance decentralized exchanges. The product portfolio consists of Hydro Smart Contracts (the core protocol layer), the Hydro SDK (developer toolkit for launching exchanges), and branded relayer products including DDEX and Hydro Swap. Hydro Smart Contracts handle on-chain settlement via HybridExchange and Proxy contracts, while Hydro SDK provides the complete stack (matching engine, API server, WebSocket server, frontend) to create Hydro Relayers. DDEX is the reference implementation relayer, and Hydro Swap provides lightweight atomic swap functionality for widgets and integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DDEX: A decentralized exchange built on Hydro Protocol.
- Hydro Swap
- Hydro Relayer
Products and services
- Hydro SDK Open-source, Docker-based developer toolkit that enables developers to launch a complete, fully functional decentralized exchange (Hydro Relayer) in a single command. Includes a pre-built matching engine, WebSocket server, API backend, and web frontend template with MetaMask, Ledger, and browser wallet support. Targeted at DeFi developers and exchanges.
- Hydro Smart Contracts Open-source smart contracts for ERC20 token exchange functionality. Includes HybridExchange (order matching and cancellation), Allowance/Approval Proxy (settlement), Depository Proxy (direct ETH support), MultiSigWallet (whitelist and governance), and Swap Handler Contract (atomic token swaps). Targeted at developers building decentralized exchanges and DeFi marketplaces.
- DDEX DDEX is a decentralized exchange and relayer built on Hydro Protocol, serving as the reference implementation and live trading platform for the Hydro ecosystem. Targeted at traders seeking decentralized ERC20 token exchange.
- Hydro Swap Hydro Swap is a lightweight swap product built on the Hydro Protocol Swap Handler Contract, designed for atomic token exchange without requiring an offline matching engine. Usable as a trading widget or by other DeFi protocols needing on-chain liquidity. Targeted at DeFi projects and traders seeking simple token swaps.
- Hydro Relayer A decentralized exchange built on the Hydro Protocol framework that relays trader orders to Hydro Smart Contracts for settlement. Relayers provide a marketplace for token trading, collect orders off-chain, perform price-time priority matching, and settle trades on-chain. Targeted at developers and exchanges operating decentralized trading venues.
Quantifiable outcome
- Create an exchange in minutes with single docker command
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hydro Protocol
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hydro Protocol technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature10 records
Hydro Protocol partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hydro Protocol competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 0x Protocol: 0x is an open-source DEX infrastructure protocol that enables developers to build relayers for ERC20 token exchange. It is the most direct comparable to Hydro as both provide middleware infrastructure (smart contracts + SDK) for launching decentralized exchanges, with similar PLG and developer-led distribution models.
- Loopring: Loopring is an open-source protocol for building orderbook-based DEXs with zk-rollup scaling. It is comparable to Hydro because both offer SDK-based frameworks for launching decentralized exchanges with orderbook matching and on-chain settlement.
- Gnosis Protocol (now CowSwap): Gnosis Protocol provides decentralized exchange infrastructure using batch auctions and MEV-protected order matching. It is comparable as a peer DEX infrastructure protocol offering smart contracts and APIs for relayer-style decentralized trading.
Broad incumbents
- Kyber Network: Kyber Network is an established on-chain liquidity protocol enabling token swaps via smart contracts and relayer/resolver integration. It is a broad incumbent competing in the same DEX infrastructure category as Hydro.
- Uniswap: Uniswap is the dominant AMM-based DEX whose open-source smart contracts and developer tooling have set standards for decentralized exchange infrastructure. It is comparable as a foundational DEX protocol serving DeFi developers, though its AMM model differs from Hydro's orderbook architecture.
- Bancor: Bancor and Balancer are both AMM-based DEX protocols offering open-source smart contracts for token swaps with developer-facing APIs. They are broad incumbents in the same DEX infrastructure space as Hydro, competing for the same DeFi developer audience.
- Balancer: Balancer is an AMM DEX protocol providing flexible liquidity pools and smart-contract-based token exchange. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Hydro for the same DeFi developer tooling mindshare and end-user trading volume.
Emerging players
- dYdX: dYdX is a derivatives-focused decentralized exchange using orderbook architecture and its own application chain. It is an emerging player with partial overlap to Hydro because both leverage orderbook-based DEX architecture for on-chain trading.
- Serum (OpenBook): Serum (now OpenBook) is an orderbook-based DEX protocol originally built on Solana with an SDK for relayer deployment. It is an emerging player directly comparable to Hydro as an open-source DEX framework with relayer tooling.
- 1inch: 1inch is a DEX aggregator routing trades across multiple liquidity sources. It is an emerging player adjacent to Hydro's DEX infrastructure focus, competing for the same on-chain trading audience and developer integrations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hydro Protocol social profiles
Digital presenceHydro Protocol financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hydro Protocol leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Hydro Protocol funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hydro Protocol M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hydro Protocol
What does Hydro Protocol do?
Hydro Protocol is an open-source framework for building high-performance decentralized exchanges (DEXs). It provides audited smart contracts (HybridExchange, Approval/Depository Proxies, MultiSigWallet, Swap Handler) and a Docker-deployable SDK with matching engine, API/WebSocket servers, and a web frontend so developers can launch a complete customizable exchange via a single command. Reference products DDEX and Hydro Swap demonstrate the framework in production.
Is Hydro Protocol a public or private company?
Hydro Protocol is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Hydro Protocol founded?
Hydro Protocol was founded in 2018.
Where is Hydro Protocol based?
Hydro Protocol is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hydro Protocol make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Relayer Trading Fees are the primary driver. The others are hydro Protocol Economic Incentives (HOT Tokens) and HOT Token Fee Discounts.
Who are Hydro Protocol's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 0x Protocol, Loopring and Gnosis Protocol (now CowSwap). Broad incumbents are Kyber Network, Uniswap, Bancor and Balancer. Emerging players are dYdX, Serum (OpenBook) and 1inch.
Does Hydro Protocol have an API?
Yes. Hydro Protocol provides a REST API server that serves as the main source of truth about the current state of the exchange. The API supports both querying for exchange state (orderbook, trade history) and submitting new data (order construction, signature submission, order cancellation). It also provides WebSocket-based real-time endpoints for listening to exchange state changes such as new trades or order settlements. The SDK uses the API for matching engine communication, order submission, and trade tracking. No explicit API documentation URL is provided in the source material; the API is primarily documented within the Hydro SDK. Developer documentation is at github.com/HydroProtocol/hydro-sdk.
What industry is Hydro Protocol in?
Hydro Protocol's product category is Decentralized Exchange Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPADAB, Decentralized Exchanges (DEX) & AMMs. Its SIC code is 6200.