Event Timeline
About Arcus
Arcus is a smart contract protocol for self custodial peer to peer trading of stock tokens, cryptoassets and perpetual futures. It is built by the team behind dYdX, in partnership with Robinhood Crypto, and runs exclusively on Robinhood Chain. That combination is the reason to pay attention. dYdX ran one of the defining airdrops of 2021, distributing to traders on historical volume, and the people who designed that distribution are the people building this.
The waiting is over on two fronts. Arcus Points went live on 1 October 2026, opening Season 1 and closing out a Season 0 that ran through the private beta from 1 July to 30 September. Season 1 points are distributed weekly, every Wednesday at 3PM EST. Season 0 totals are being withheld until near the end of the programme, so early participants know they earned something without knowing how much.
A token is confirmed, though undated. dYdX has stated that an allocation of any future Arcus token is reserved for the dYdX community, prioritising existing traders, stakers and validators over new arrivals. What has not been stated anywhere is whether Arcus Points themselves convert into that token. Points are live, a token is coming, and the link between the two is left unsaid.
Project Fundamentals
How to Get The Arcus Airdrop
Get an invite code
Manual whitelisting has ended and perpetuals access is now invitation based. Codes come from existing traders, never expire, cannot be transferred or sold, and are consumed once redeemed.
Trade, but mind how you trade
Arcus states that point allocations weigh how you trade rather than volume alone. Raw turnover is not the whole metric, which is a departure from the dYdX distribution this team ran in 2021.
Chase the three boosts
Stock token and other real world asset trading earns boosted points, as does trading outside regular US market hours, and spot trades routed through Robinhood Wallet. Arcus reserves the right to change these categories.
Make markets or leave collateral
Two routes that are not directional trading at all. Providing tight, deep and consistent quotes earns points, and so does retaining deposits on the platform rather than cycling funds in and out.
Refer, and earn more codes
Referred traders generate referral fee rewards and bonus points for you, and their volume counts toward your own $1M thresholds, so each $1M of qualifying volume mints another invite code with no upper limit.
Why This Airdrop Matters
- The pedigree is the thesis. The dYdX airdrop paid its lowest tier around $4,400 and its top users far more. The same team is building this venue.
- A token is confirmed and part of it is spoken for. dYdX has said an allocation of any future Arcus token is reserved for its community, prioritising existing traders, stakers and validators.
- Points reward more than directional trading. Market making and simply retaining deposits both earn, so there are routes that do not require taking a view on price.
- Volume costs money to fake. Trading against a priced book pays the spread on every round trip, so farming this is not free the way a deposit is.
- It is chain exclusive. Arcus runs only on Robinhood Chain, so usage here is not diluted across a dozen deployments.
Important Note
- You cannot simply sign up any more. Perpetuals access is invite only as of 1 October 2026. Without a code from an existing trader there is no way in, and codes cannot be bought or transferred.
- Points are not confirmed to convert into the token. Arcus has published the points mechanics and dYdX has confirmed a future token, but nothing states that points become tokens. Treat the connection as assumed, not promised.
- Season 0 totals are hidden. Private beta points from 1 July to 30 September will only be revealed towards the end of the programme, so there is no way to value that period yet.
- Gaming is explicitly penalised. Wash trading, self matching and rapid deposit, trade and withdraw cycling all carry diminished or zeroed allocations, and Arcus can slash points from offending accounts and reallocate them.
- Boost categories can change. The RWA, off hours and Robinhood Wallet boosts are current, and Arcus has reserved the right to adjust them at any point.
Arcus Official Links
Official channels, documentation and community for this airdrop:
