| FEATURE | LIGHTER | ASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0% | 0.04% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Perp Pairs | 211 | 590 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
Lighter vs Aster: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $0 on Lighter and $8.00 on Aster at base-tier taker fees, a difference of $8.00 per round trip.
Aster allows up to 1001x leverage against 50x on Lighter. The headline figure usually applies to a few markets only, so check the limit on the pair you trade.
Aster lists 590 perpetual markets, Lighter lists 211.
Aster is the more liquid venue, with $668M in 24-hour volume against $511M on Lighter. Deeper books mean less slippage on large orders.
Neither exchange requires KYC: both are used by connecting a wallet.
Margin is posted in USDC, ETH, XAUT on Lighter and in USDT, USDC, USD1, BTC +5 more on Aster.
Figures as of 2026-10-04, from each exchange's documentation, CoinGecko and DeFiLlama.
Costs, liquidity and safety in detail
| Lighter | Aster | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $8.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.0196% | 0.025% |
| BTC max leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $511M | $668M |
| TVL | $768M | $793M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDC, ETH, XAUT | USDT, USDC, USD1, BTC +5 more |
| Deposit networks | Ethereum, Arbitrum One, Base +3 more | BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Ethereum +1 more |
| Minimum order | $10 | $1 |
| Order types | 9 | 8 |
| Options | No | — |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | No | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | No | No |
| Insurance fund | Yes | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 11 | 11 |
| Founded | 2022 | 2024 |
Choose Lighter if
- You mostly use market orders: 0% taker fee against 0.04% on Aster.
Choose Aster if
- You want higher leverage: up to 1001x against 50x.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 590 perpetual pairs against 211.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $668M in 24-hour volume against $511M.
- You want a sign-up discount: 3% off fees through a referral link.
Lighter
PROS
- + Zero maker and taker fees for standard accounts on perpetual and spot markets; premium accounts pay 0.004% maker and 0.028% taker, falling to 0.0028% and 0.0196% with 500,000 LIT staked (30% discount)
- + Every order match, liquidation, and settlement is proven with ZK circuits on Lighter's own Ethereum rollup, and nine audit reports for the contracts and circuits are published in the docs
- + 211 active perpetual markets and 10 spot pairs (October 2026), with up to 50x leverage on BTC, ETH, EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, SPY, and US500
CONS
- − Restricted in the US, Canada, the UK, China, North Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and Syria under the Terms of Service dated December 29, 2025, a list that includes the UK and Canada
- − Standard accounts trade free but with 300ms taker and cancel latency; the 140ms taker latency requires a premium account that pays 0.028% taker
- − Margin collateral beyond USDC is limited to ETH and XAUT at a 70% loan-to-value ratio, with per-user caps of 2,000 ETH and 500 XAUT
Aster
PROS
- + Up to 1001x leverage on BTC/USD in 1001x mode (250x on ETH, 75x on other crypto, 200x on forex), the highest advertised leverage among the perp DEXes compared on this site
- + 0% maker fee on all perpetual markets since February 2, 2026, a 0.04% base taker fee on crypto perpetuals, and a 5% discount when fees are paid in ASTER
- + 590 perpetual markets, including US and Hong Kong stock perpetuals with up to 50x leverage and a flat 0.0125% taker fee
CONS
- − 1001x leverage on BTC/USD is extremely risky: a price move of roughly 0.1% against the position liquidates it, and profit on 1001x trades is capped at about 300%
- − Prohibited in 11 named jurisdictions including the US, UK, and Canada, and the Terms & Conditions forbid circumventing location restrictions
- − Founding team is pseudonymous, with limited public disclosure of the cap table and of who holds smart-contract upgrade keys
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lighter or Aster better?
Both exchanges are rated 4.2. Lighter offers lower fees (0% vs 0.04%). Choose Lighter for lower fees, and Aster for higher leverage.
What are the fees on Lighter vs Aster?
Lighter charges 0% taker / 0% maker. Aster charges 0.04% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Lighter or Aster?
Lighter offers up to 50x, and Aster offers up to 1001x. Maximum leverage applies to selected markets and falls as position size grows on both exchanges.
Do Lighter and Aster require KYC?
Lighter does not require KYC. Aster does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Lighter lists 11; Aster lists 11), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Lighter or Aster safer?
Lighter has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is non-custodial. Aster has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is non-custodial. Neither audits nor insurance funds remove smart contract risk, so size deposits accordingly.
Which has more trading volume, Lighter or Aster?
Lighter recorded $511M in 24-hour volume and Aster recorded $668M, as of 2026-10-04. Lighter lists 211 perpetual markets and Aster lists 590.