| FEATURE | DYDX | LIGHTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.05% | 0% |
| Maker Fee | -0.011% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 20x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 232 | 100 |
| Spot Trading | No | 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, and Surge program offering 50% fee rebates for active traders
- + 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
- − Maximum leverage capped at 20x — significantly lower than competitors like Hyperliquid (40x) or GMX (50x+) on major pairs
- − Restricted in the US, UK, and Canada — three of the largest crypto markets — plus multiple sanctioned jurisdictions
- − USDC-only collateral with no multi-collateral support — traders cannot use BTC, ETH, or other assets as margin
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 dYdX or Lighter better?
dYdX has a higher rating (4.3 vs 4.2). Lighter offers lower fees (0% vs 0.05%). Choose dYdX for its features, and Lighter for lower fees.
What are the fees on dYdX vs Lighter?
dYdX charges 0.05% taker / -0.011% maker. Lighter charges 0% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.