| FEATURE | ASTER | NADO |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.04% | 0.035% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0.01% |
| Max Leverage | 1001x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 590 | 77 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.2 | 3.6 |
Aster vs Nado: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $7.00 on Nado and $8.00 on Aster at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $1.00 per round trip.
For limit orders, Aster charges makers nothing, while Nado charges makers 0.01%.
Aster allows up to 1001x leverage against 50x on Nado. The headline figure usually applies to a few markets only, so check the limit on the pair you trade.
Aster lists 590 perpetual markets, Nado lists 77.
Aster is the more liquid venue, with $668M in 24-hour volume against $128M on Nado (about 5.2 times more). Deeper books mean less slippage on large orders.
Neither exchange requires KYC: both are used by connecting a wallet.
Margin is posted in USDT, USDC, USD1, BTC +5 more on Aster and in USDT0, USDC, wETH, kBTC +2 more on Nado.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| Aster | Nado | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $8.00 | $7.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $2.00 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.025% | 0.015% |
| BTC max leverage | 1001x | 50x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $668M | $128M |
| TVL | $793M | $53M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDT, USDC, USD1, BTC +5 more | USDT0, USDC, wETH, kBTC +2 more |
| Deposit networks | BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Ethereum +1 more | Ink |
| Minimum order | $1 | $100 |
| Order types | 8 | 8 |
| Options | — | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Testnet or demo | Yes | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | No | No |
| Insurance fund | Yes | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | No |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 11 | 10 |
| Founded | 2024 | 2025 |
Choose Aster if
- You place limit orders: 0% maker fee against 0.01% on Nado.
- You want higher leverage: up to 1001x against 50x.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 590 perpetual pairs against 77.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $668M in 24-hour volume against $128M.
- You trade from a phone: Aster has a mobile app.
- You want a sign-up discount: 3% off fees through a referral link.
Choose Nado if
- You mostly use market orders: 0.035% taker fee against 0.04% on Aster.
Aster
PROS
- + Up to 1001x leverage on BTC/USD in 1001x mode (250x on ETH, 75x on other crypto, 200x on forex), the highest advertised leverage among the perp DEXes compared on this site
- + 0% maker fee on all perpetual markets since February 2, 2026, a 0.04% base taker fee on crypto perpetuals, and a 5% discount when fees are paid in ASTER
- + 590 perpetual markets, including US and Hong Kong stock perpetuals with up to 50x leverage and a flat 0.0125% taker fee
CONS
- − 1001x leverage on BTC/USD is extremely risky: a price move of roughly 0.1% against the position liquidates it, and profit on 1001x trades is capped at about 300%
- − Prohibited in 11 named jurisdictions including the US, UK, and Canada, and the Terms & Conditions forbid circumventing location restrictions
- − Founding team is pseudonymous, with limited public disclosure of the cap table and of who holds smart-contract upgrade keys
Nado
PROS
- + Base fees of 0.035% taker and 0.01% maker on perpetual and spot markets, falling to 0.015% taker and a 0.008% maker rebate at VIP 6 (1 billion dollars of 30-day volume)
- + One margin account covers perpetuals, spot, and lending: USDT0, USDC, wETH, kBTC, XAUT0, and tokenized xStocks such as SPYx and QQQx count as collateral, and deposits earn money market interest
- + 77 tradable perpetual markets in the Nado API (October 4, 2026), including US stock and ETF perpetuals such as NVDA, TSLA, SPY, and QQQ, three FX pairs, gold, silver, and WTI oil
CONS
- − The docs and the DeFiLlama listing show no published smart contract audit; the HackenProof bug bounty covers the web app only and pays 50 to 10,000 dollars per finding
- − View-only in the United States and Canada, and blocked in Panama, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Ukraine under the Terms of Use dated August 26, 2026 and the Restricted Territories page
- − Deposits work only on Ink, so funds from Ethereum, Arbitrum, or an exchange must first be bridged or withdrawn to Ink, and each USDT0 withdrawal costs 1 USDT0
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aster or Nado better?
Aster has a higher rating (4.2 vs 3.6). Nado offers lower fees (0.035% vs 0.04%). Choose Aster for higher leverage, and Nado for lower fees.
What are the fees on Aster vs Nado?
Aster charges 0.04% taker / 0% maker. Nado charges 0.035% taker / 0.01% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Aster or Nado?
Aster offers up to 1001x, and Nado offers up to 50x. Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do Aster and Nado require KYC?
Aster does not require KYC. Nado does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Aster lists 11; Nado lists 10), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Aster or Nado safer?
Aster has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is non-custodial. Nado has no published audit on record here and runs an insurance fund, and custody is non-custodial. Neither audits nor insurance funds remove smart contract risk, so size deposits accordingly.
Which has more trading volume, Aster or Nado?
Aster recorded $668M in 24-hour volume and Nado recorded $128M, as of 2026-10-04. Aster lists 590 perpetual markets and Nado lists 77.