| FEATURE | GMX | ASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| Maker Fee | 0.04% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 100x | 1001x |
| Perp Pairs | 87 | 519 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.2 |
GMX
PROS
- + Low dynamic perpetual trading fees starting at 0.04% for balance-improving trades, reduced from 0.05% in January 2025
- + Up to 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, and other major perpetual pairs with isolated margin
- + Multichain deployment across 8 networks including Arbitrum, Avalanche, Ethereum, Base, and Solana
CONS
- − US users are geo-restricted at the frontend level, along with several sanctioned countries
- − No native mobile app — requires third-party wallet dApp browsers for mobile trading
- − Dynamic fee model (0.04%-0.06%) can be less predictable than fixed-fee exchanges
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 GMX or Aster better?
GMX has a higher rating (4.5 vs 4.2). Aster offers lower fees (0.04% vs 0.06%). Choose GMX for its features, and Aster for lower fees.
What are the fees on GMX vs Aster?
GMX charges 0.06% taker / 0.04% maker. Aster charges 0.04% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.