| FEATURE | AVANTIS | LIGHTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.0004% | 0% |
| Maker Fee | 0.0001% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 500x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 80 | 100 |
| Spot Trading | No | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 3.5 | 4.2 |
Avantis
PROS
- + Zero-Fee Perpetuals: pay no opening, closing, or borrowing fees on losing trades — only profit-share (as low as 2.5%) on wins
- + Maker fee of just 1 bps (0.01%) — among the cheapest in perp DEX space
- + Trade 80+ markets including crypto, forex, commodities, and indices from a single platform
CONS
- − Single-chain deployment on Base only — traders on other networks must bridge assets
- − Oracle-based execution means dependency on Chainlink feed reliability during extreme volatility
- − Only USDC accepted as collateral — must convert other stables first
Lighter
PROS
- + Zero trading fees for standard accounts — all retail makers and takers trade free; premium accounts pay only 0.004% maker / 0.028% taker with up to 30% discount via LIT staking (maker fees as low as 0.0028%, taker as low as 0.0196% at max tier)
- + ZK-proof verified trading: every order match, liquidation, and settlement is cryptographically proven via custom ZK circuits — no other perp DEX offers this level of on-chain verifiability
- + Massive trading volume: $232B in 30-day volume before TGE and ~$3.75-4.58B daily volume as of January 2026, making it one of the deepest liquidity pools for perp trading
CONS
- − Restricted in US, Canada, UK, China, Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and Syria — a broader exclusion list than most perp DEXs including the UK
- − TVL of ~$1-2B is significantly lower than Hyperliquid's $4B+ as of early 2026 — lower liquidity depth may mean worse fills for large orders
- − Only USDC and ETH accepted as collateral — no multi-collateral support like GMX; limited flexibility for users with other assets
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avantis or Lighter better?
Lighter has a higher rating (4.2 vs 3.5). Lighter offers lower fees (0% vs 0.0004%). Choose Avantis for higher leverage, and Lighter for lower fees.
What are the fees on Avantis vs Lighter?
Avantis charges 0.0004% taker / 0.0001% maker. Lighter charges 0% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.