| FEATURE | LIGHTER | EXTENDED |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0% | 0.025% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 100x |
| Perp Pairs | 100 | 100 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | No |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.1 |
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 ~$1.1B daily perp volume as of mid-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
- − Multi-asset margin is still early — only USDC and ETH are accepted as collateral, with broader asset support rolling out gradually; less flexible than GMX for users holding other tokens
Extended
PROS
- + 100+ perpetual markets including cryptocurrencies and TradFi assets (gold, oil, EUR/USD, S&P 500, Nasdaq) — rare among perp DEXes
- + Zero maker fees and just 0.025% taker fees, with maker rebates up to 0.013% based on 30-day market share
- + Up to 100x leverage on major crypto pairs including BTC and ETH, among the highest on Starknet
CONS
- − Restricted in the US, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria — VPN usage to bypass violates the Terms of Use
- − TVL (~$144M) and liquidity remain 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lighter or Extended better?
Lighter has a higher rating (4.2 vs 4.1). Lighter offers lower fees (0% vs 0.025%). Choose Lighter for lower fees, and Extended for higher leverage.
What are the fees on Lighter vs Extended?
Lighter charges 0% taker / 0% maker. Extended charges 0.025% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.