| FEATURE | EXTENDED | LIGHTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.01% | 0% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 100x | 50x |
| Perp Pairs | 50 | 100 |
| Spot Trading | No | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.2 |
Extended
PROS
- + Over 50 perpetual markets including cryptocurrencies and TradFi assets (gold, oil, S&P 500, Nasdaq) — unique among perp DEXes
- + Zero maker fees for LP vault participants, with taker fees starting at ~0.01% for competitive cost efficiency
- + Up to 100x leverage on major crypto pairs, among the highest available on Starknet
CONS
- − Restricted in the US, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria — VPN usage prohibited per Terms of Use
- − TVL and liquidity lower than leading perp DEXes like Hyperliquid, meaning less depth for large positions
- − Starknet L2 has lower adoption than Ethereum L1 or Solana — fewer integrated dApps and wallets
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 Extended or Lighter better?
Lighter has a higher rating (4.2 vs 4.1). Lighter offers lower fees (0% vs 0.01%). Choose Extended for higher leverage, and Lighter for lower fees.
What are the fees on Extended vs Lighter?
Extended charges 0.01% taker / 0% maker. Lighter charges 0% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.