| FEATURE | DYDX | ASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.05% | 0.04% |
| Maker Fee | 0.01% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Perp Pairs | 114 | 519 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.2 |
dYdX
PROS
- + Competitive perpetuals taker fee of 0.05% at base tier with maker rebates rewarding liquidity providers, plus zero-fee periods on BTC and SOL markets and a Surge program offering 50% fee rebates
- + Fully decentralized governance — all protocol parameters including fees, market listings, and rewards are controlled by DYDX token holders through onchain voting
- + No KYC required — non-custodial trading via wallet connection with full onchain transparency on the dYdX Cosmos appchain
CONS
- − 50x leverage is available only on BTC and ETH — most altcoin perpetual markets are capped at just 5x-20x, lower than rivals offering high leverage across the board
- − Perpetuals remain restricted in the US, UK, and Canada — US traders can only access the new Solana spot product, not derivatives
- − USDC-only collateral with no multi-collateral support — traders cannot use BTC, ETH, or other assets as perpetual margin
Aster
PROS
- + Industry-leading 1001x leverage on BTC/USD in Simple Mode (250x on ETH, 75x on other crypto, 200x on forex) — the highest publicly advertised leverage of any major perp DEX
- + 0% maker fees across all perpetual markets (since Feb 2, 2026) and just 0.04% taker on USDT perps (0.005% on USD1 perps), plus a 5% discount when paying fees with $ASTER and fee-free stock perpetuals
- + MEV-resistant hidden orders enable whale-size trades without front-running or price impact — unique among major perp DEXes
CONS
- − Maximum 1001x leverage on BTC/USD is extremely risky — a roughly 0.1% adverse move liquidates a 1001x position
- − Restricted in 11+ jurisdictions including the US, UK, and Canada per its Terms & Conditions — and using a VPN to bypass the restrictions violates the terms
- − Founding team is pseudonymous with limited public disclosure of the full cap table and smart-contract upgrade key management
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dYdX or Aster better?
dYdX has a higher rating (4.3 vs 4.2). Aster offers lower fees (0.04% vs 0.05%). Choose dYdX for its features, and Aster for lower fees.
What are the fees on dYdX vs Aster?
dYdX charges 0.05% taker / 0.01% maker. Aster charges 0.04% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.