| FEATURE | PARADEX | ASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Type | HYBRID | DEX |
| Taker Fee | 0% | 0.04% |
| Maker Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Max Leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Perp Pairs | 63 | 590 |
| Spot Trading | Yes | Yes |
| KYC Required | No | No |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.2 |
Paradex vs Aster: key differences
Opening and closing a $10,000 position with market orders costs $0 on Paradex 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 Paradex. The headline figure usually applies to a few markets only, so check the limit on the pair you trade.
Aster lists 590 perpetual markets, Paradex lists 63.
Aster is the more liquid venue, with $668M in 24-hour volume against $6M on Paradex (about 111 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 on Paradex 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
| Paradex | Aster | |
|---|---|---|
| Taker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $8.00 |
| Maker round trip on $10,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Best-tier taker fee | 0% | 0.025% |
| BTC max leverage | 50x | 1001x |
| Margin modes | cross, isolated, portfolio | cross, isolated |
| 24h volume | $6M | $668M |
| TVL | $32M | $793M |
| Custody | hybrid | non-custodial |
| Collateral | USDC | USDT, USDC, USD1, BTC +5 more |
| Deposit networks | Ethereum, Starknet, Arbitrum +19 more | BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Ethereum +1 more |
| Minimum order | $10 | $1 |
| Order types | 11 | 8 |
| Options | Yes | — |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Testnet or demo | Yes | Yes |
| Vaults or copy trading | Yes | No |
| Insurance fund | Yes | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Restricted jurisdictions | 19 | 11 |
| Founded | 2023 | 2024 |
Choose Paradex if
- You mostly use market orders: 0% taker fee against 0.04% on Aster.
- You trade options as well as perpetuals.
Choose Aster if
- You want higher leverage: up to 1001x against 50x.
- You trade smaller or newer markets: 590 perpetual pairs against 63.
- You trade size and need liquidity: $668M in 24-hour volume against $6M.
- You want to post margin in more than one asset.
- You want a sign-up discount: 3% off fees through a referral link.
Paradex
PROS
- + Zero trading fees for retail orders (0% maker and 0% taker) on all 63 perpetual futures markets, on dated options, and on spot
- + Private trading: positions, orders, entries, exits, and PnL are encrypted and hidden from other traders, which limits liquidation sniping and front-running
- + 63 perpetual markets beyond crypto, including GOOGL, META, MSFT, and MSTR, the US100 and US500 indices, gold, silver, copper, and crude oil, plus about 6,700 options contracts on 11 underlyings
CONS
- − USDC is the only collateral asset. Spot balances in other tokens count toward account value but cannot be used as margin for perpetuals
- − Not available to US and Canadian persons, residents of US territories, or people in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Sevastopol
- − Pro orders sent through the standard API are not free: 0.003% maker since July 3, 2026 and 0.045% taker at the base tier, with a 0.0175% floor after all discounts
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 Paradex or Aster better?
Paradex has a higher rating (4.5 vs 4.2). Paradex offers lower fees (0% vs 0.04%). Choose Paradex for lower fees, and Aster for higher leverage.
What are the fees on Paradex vs Aster?
Paradex charges 0% taker / 0% maker. Aster charges 0.04% taker / 0% maker for perpetuals.
Which has higher leverage, Paradex or Aster?
Paradex 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 Paradex and Aster require KYC?
Paradex does not require KYC. Aster does not require KYC. Both restrict some jurisdictions (Paradex lists 19; Aster lists 11), so check the terms of service for your country before depositing.
Is Paradex or Aster safer?
Paradex has been audited and runs an insurance fund, and custody is hybrid. 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, Paradex or Aster?
Paradex recorded $6M in 24-hour volume and Aster recorded $668M, as of 2026-10-04. Paradex lists 63 perpetual markets and Aster lists 590.