FEES & SAVINGS
Zero-Fee Trading, Explained
Lighter charges no trading fee on standard perps and spot. Here is exactly what that means, where costs do apply, and how the premium LIT tiers work.
Lighter Cost Quick Reference
Perp Taker
0%
$0 per $10K trade
Perp Maker
0%
$0 per $10K trade
Spot
0%
Standard accounts
Deposits & withdrawals: Ethereum network cost only · Premium tiers: optional, LIT-based
Referral: points boost with code LIGHTERPEDIA (not a fee discount) · Verify current terms in the Lighter docs and app
What Does Lighter Charge?
Lighter is zero-fee for standard accounts: makers and takers both pay 0% on its order-book perpetuals and spot markets. A $10,000 trade costs nothing in trading fees, whether you add liquidity or take it. The only unavoidable costs are Ethereum network fees on deposits and withdrawals, and funding payments on perpetual positions. These terms can change as Lighter updates its model, so always verify against the official docs and the app before trading.
Cost Summary
- Perpetuals: 0% maker / 0% taker (standard accounts)
- Spot trading: 0% maker / 0% taker (standard accounts)
- Deposits & withdrawals: normal Ethereum network cost
- Premium tiers: optional, tied to the LIT token
- Referral (code LIGHTERPEDIA): a points boost, not a fee discount
Verify before you trade: Lighter ships fast and its model can change. Always confirm the current perp, spot, and premium-tier terms in the official Lighter docs and in the app before sizing a position.
How Lighter Compares to Other Venues
Zero fees put Lighter at the low end of the entire market. Binance futures charge roughly 0.020% maker / 0.050% taker at base tier, Bybit around 0.020% / 0.055%, and OKX around 0.020% / 0.050% — all above Lighter's 0% / 0%. Even among perp DEXes, Lighter's zero-fee model undercuts Hyperliquid and matches or beats Aster's low rates, while adding fully verifiable order matching. The structural advantage is custody plus transparency: Lighter is a non-custodial DEX, so your funds stay in your own wallet, and its fills and liquidations are provable on-chain. For active traders executing dozens of trades daily, paying zero trading fees can save hundreds of dollars monthly versus a centralized venue.
| Exchange | Perp Maker | Perp Taker | Custody | KYC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lighter | 0% | 0% | Self-custody | None |
| Hyperliquid | ~0.015% | ~0.045% | Self-custody | None |
| Aster | 0% | 0.04% | Self-custody | None |
| Binance | 0.020% | 0.050% | Custodial | Required |
Base-tier rates shown and approximate for the other venues. All exchanges update fee schedules and offer volume tiers. Verify current Lighter terms in the docs and app.
What You Actually Pay on Lighter
Because standard trading is free, the only costs to plan for are network and funding related. Deposits and withdrawals settle on Ethereum, so you pay the prevailing network fee at the time of the transaction. Perpetual positions accrue or pay funding on a fixed cycle, which nets against your P&L. Optional premium tiers, tied to the LIT token, can unlock advanced features but are not required to trade zero-fee.
| Action | Cost on Lighter |
|---|---|
| Open/close a perp (maker or taker) | $0 trading fee |
| Spot trade | $0 trading fee |
| Deposit / withdraw | Ethereum network cost |
| Holding a perp position | Funding (varies, can be + or −) |
| Premium account features | Optional, LIT-based |
Figures are illustrative — verify current terms against the official Lighter docs and the app.
The Referral Is Points, Not a Discount
Since there is no standard trading fee, there is nothing for a referral code to discount. Instead, Lighter's referral program is points-based: signing up with code LIGHTERPEDIA gives you a sign-up points boost toward the Season 2 points program, and the referrer earns a scaling share (5% up to 15%) of the points you accrue — paid on top, never deducted from your balance. Points are widely expected to feed a future LIT airdrop, though timing and per-point value are unconfirmed estimates.
Real-World Cost Examples
- $10K perp maker trade: $0 in trading fees
- $10K perp taker trade: $0 in trading fees
- $5K spot fill: $0 in trading fees
- Deposit or withdraw: only the Ethereum network cost at that time
Over a month of active trading, zero fees add up fast — especially for high-frequency traders who would otherwise pay taker fees on every fill. Combined with verifiable order matching and self-custody, Lighter is one of the most cost-efficient venues for perpetual trading. For the full mechanics, see our complete Lighter fees walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lighter is zero-fee for standard accounts on its order-book perpetual futures and spot markets — no maker or taker charge. Premium account tiers tied to the LIT token can add advanced features, and deposits and withdrawals still incur normal Ethereum network costs. Verify current terms in the Lighter docs and app before trading.
Yes. Lighter charges 0% maker and 0% taker on standard perps, while Binance futures charge roughly 0.020% maker / 0.050% taker at base tier. Lighter is also a non-custodial DEX, so you keep custody of your funds the whole time. Always verify current rates, as venues update their schedules.
Lighter monetizes through premium account tiers tied to the LIT token, token buybacks, and ecosystem mechanics rather than per-trade fees on standard accounts. That is why the referral program is points-based, not a fee discount — there is no standard trading fee to discount.
Standard order-book perp and spot trades carry no trading fee. You still pay normal Ethereum network costs when you deposit or withdraw, and funding payments on perpetuals can add to or subtract from your P&L. Premium tiers are optional and tied to the LIT token.
Spot trading on Lighter is zero-fee for standard accounts, the same as its perpetual markets. As always, verify the current schedule in the Lighter docs before trading, since terms can change.
No. Because Lighter is already zero-fee, the referral code does not lower fees. Instead, signing up with code LIGHTERPEDIA gives you a sign-up points boost toward the Lighter points program — a head start on points rather than a fee reduction.
On standard accounts, a $10,000 perpetual trade costs $0 in trading fees on Lighter — both maker and taker are zero. You still pay Ethereum network costs on deposits and withdrawals, and any applicable funding. Verify current terms before trading.
Want the full mechanics — including spot, premium tiers, and network costs?
The complete cost walkthrough goes deep on every part of the model: zero-fee perps and spot, Ethereum network costs, funding, and how the LIT premium tiers and points program fit together. It is one of the most detailed pages on this site.
Read the full fee structure guide →Cost Quick Reference
Standard-account rates
Trade Zero-Fee With a Points Boost
Lighter is already zero-fee to trade. Sign up with code LIGHTERPEDIA to add a sign-up points boost — set at sign-up, it can't be added later.
Sign Up on Lighter