TLDR
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dYdX acquires Pocket Protector to boost social trading and product execution.
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Pocket Protector team joins dYdX, bringing tech, talent, and Telegram tools.
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dYdX pivots to social-led growth with Pocket Protector’s group trading model.
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dYdX boosts roadmap speed by merging with Pocket Protector’s key talent.
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With market share slipping, dYdX bets big on social trading integration.
dYdX Trading Inc. has completed its first external acquisition by acquiring Pocket Protector, a Telegram-based social trading platform. The move marks a significant step in dYdX’s efforts to enhance its core products with social trading features. The deal closed within weeks of discussions beginning in March 2025.
1/ Some news today: we’re excited to share that we’ve been acquired by @dYdX ! The Pocket Protector you know and love isn’t going anywhere, and we’re excited to be building better and faster for you.
— Pocket Protector (@pp_trading) July 18, 2025
The acquisition brings Pocket Protector’s leadership and engineering team into dYdX, aligning with the company’s growth-focused strategy. Eddie Zhang joined as president, while Kaiser Kinbote became head of growth. Their four-person engineering team will merge with dYdX’s core product and development teams.
dYdX aims to accelerate product development and execution by integrating Pocket Protector’s trading tools and technology. The Telegram-native app, which reached 50,000 users and $1B in annualized volume, will no longer launch its iOS app. Its most successful features will be embedded into the existing dYdX platform.
Pocket Protector Brings Talent and Social Infrastructure
Pocket Protector launched in 2024 and quickly gained traction with its group-chat trading features and strong user engagement. The platform allowed users to trade directly in Telegram groups and follow top traders in real time. dYdX plans to integrate this model to strengthen community-driven trading experiences.
Eddie Zhang previously led product efforts at Messenger (Meta) and co-founded the social app Fam. His track record in social and consumer growth makes him a key figure in dYdX’s product roadmap. Kinbote contributes a decade of experience in crypto-native product growth, community design, and tokenomics.
The acquisition adds technical depth and speed to dYdX’s execution capabilities. The Pocket Protector team will now contribute to roadmap execution and rapid product iteration. Their integration is already underway, starting with Telegram bot functionality and scaling into broader platform features.
dYdX Targets Scalable Growth Amid Market Shifts
dYdX has focused on decentralized perpetuals and facilitated over $1.5 trillion in volume. Despite early dominance, the platform has lost market share to new competitors like Hyperliquid and GMX. With trading volume down to $4.7B in June, dYdX is now pivoting toward scalable and social-led products.
This acquisition supports dYdX’s transition from a 0→1 startup to a growth-focused product company. It follows a broader internal restructure, including layoffs and team consolidation under a new international subsidiary. The company recently internalized its marketing and business development teams, emphasizing operational efficiency.
dYdX has started hiring for multiple roles, including research, infrastructure, and frontend engineering. The aim is to scale faster and offer competitive trading experiences. With Pocket Protector’s technology and leadership, dYdX is positioning itself for long-term product expansion and execution.
