| FEATURE | PACIFICA | ASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | DEX | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| Maker Fee | 0.015% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Perp Pairs | 77 | 590 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 3.6 | 4.2 |
Pacifica vs Aster: key differences
Trading costs are level at the base tier: both charge a 0.04% taker fee, so opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $8.00 on either exchange.
For limit orders, Pacifica charges makers 0.015%, while Aster charges makers nothing.
Aster allows up to 1001x leverage against 50x on Pacifica. The headline figure usually applies to a few markets only, so check the limit on the pair you trade.
Aster lists 590 perpetual markets, Pacifica lists 77.
Aster is the more liquid venue, with $668M in 24-hour volume against $297M on Pacifica (about 2.2 times more). Deeper books mean less slippage on large orders.
Neither exchange requires KYC: both are used by connecting a wallet.
Margin is posted in USDC, SOL on Pacifica 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
| Pacifica | Aster | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $8.00 | $8.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $3.00 | $0 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0.028% | 0.025% |
| BTC max leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $297M | $668M |
| TVL | $27M | $793M |
| Custody | non-custodial | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDC, SOL | USDT, USDC, USD1, BTC +5 more |
| Deposit networks | Solana | BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Ethereum +1 more |
| Minimum order | $10 | $1 |
| Order types | 12 | 8 |
| Options | No | — |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | Yes | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | Yes | No |
| Insurance fund | No | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 13 | 11 |
| Founded | 2025 | 2024 |
Choose Pacifica if
- Its feature set fits your workflow better; on the measured data points it does not beat Aster.
Choose Aster if
- You place limit orders: 0% maker fee against 0.015% on Pacifica.
- You want higher leverage: up to 1001x against 50x.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 590 perpetual pairs against 77.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $668M in 24-hour volume against $297M.
- You want a sign-up discount: 3% off fees through a referral link.
Pacifica
PROS
- + Base perpetual fees of 0.015% maker and 0.04% taker, falling to 0% maker above 100 million dollars and 0.028% taker above 500 million dollars of 30-day volume
- + 77 perpetual markets in the API on October 4, 2026, including FX (EURUSD, USDJPY), commodities, US stocks, and SP500, with 50x leverage on BTC, ETH, EURUSD, and USDJPY
- + Wide order type set documented: market, limit, stop market, stop limit, TWAP from 1 minute to 24 hours, scale orders of up to 100 limit orders, OCO, and trailing stop
CONS
- − Restricted in the US, Canada, the UK, China, Russia, Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, Syria, North Korea, and the Philippines under the Terms of Use dated June 11, 2026, and VPN use to bypass the block is prohibited
- − The docs still describe a Closed Beta: account equity for deposits is capped at 500,000 dollars and withdrawals at 500,000 dollars per 24 hours
- − The docs publish one audit report (BlockSec, April 2025) and describe no insurance fund; losses beyond the backstop liquidator are covered by auto-deleveraging of profitable traders
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 Pacifica or Aster better?
Aster has a higher rating (4.2 vs 3.6). Choose Pacifica for its features, and Aster for higher leverage.
What are the fees on Pacifica vs Aster?
Pacifica charges 0.04% taker / 0.015% maker. Aster charges 0.04% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Pacifica or Aster?
Pacifica 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 Pacifica and Aster require KYC?
Pacifica does not require KYC. Aster does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Pacifica lists 13; Aster lists 11), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Pacifica or Aster safer?
Pacifica has been audited and has no insurance fund on record here, 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, Pacifica or Aster?
Pacifica recorded $297M in 24-hour volume and Aster recorded $668M, as of 2026-10-04. Pacifica lists 77 perpetual markets and Aster lists 590.