Aster

Perpetual and spot DEX with 50.1M reported users and a native 50ms Layer 1

DEX No KYC Founded 2024
Visit asterdex.com
Our score
Good
Chains BNB ChainEthereumArbitrumSolana+1
Swap fee Spot maker 0.005%; spot taker 0.04%
Type Perpetuals
Perpetual futures Yes
Governance token ASTER

What is Aster?

Aster is a non-custodial decentralized exchange for spot assets, perpetuals, stocks, forex, commodities and prediction markets. It reports 483 assets, $1.46B in TVL, $2.61B in open interest, 50.1M users and $5.08T in total trading volume. The project was created through the 2024 merger of Astherus and APX Finance.

Who is behind Aster

Aster’s CEO is identified publicly as Leonard. Aster launched its ASTER token on September 17, 2025, with an initial circulating supply of approximately 1.656 billion ASTER. Its stated token allocation includes airdrops, ecosystem and community, treasury, and team categories, along with liquidity and listing.

How the exchange works

Trading is wallet-based, so users retain custody of deposited assets rather than opening an account with a centralized exchange. Aster supports BNB Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Solana and its own Aster Chain. The platform offers Simple and Pro modes, perpetual contracts, hidden orders and grid trading. Its native Layer 1 claims 50ms block times, up to 100,000 TPS, zero gas and ZK-encrypted orders with fresh stealth addresses. Aster also has a mobile application and supports direct BTC deposits and withdrawals through the Bitcoin network.

Fees and trading costs

Spot maker fees are 0.005%, while spot taker fees are 0.04%. Spot and perpetual VIP tiers use rolling 14-day volume, assessed at the end of each day in UTC. RWA perpetual pairs have a 1.25 bps taker fee effective September 7, 2026.

Availability and track record

Aster describes its exchange as permissionless and supports trading across four external networks plus Aster Chain. The formal rebrand was announced in April 2025. ASTER launched in September 2025, and Aster added a prediction market and developer platform called Aster Code.

Risks and limitations

Perpetuals can create rapid losses, especially where high leverage is available. Privacy features and validator-signed settlements add protocol dependencies, while ASTER rewards and buybacks connect some activity to token incentives.

Founders

LeonardCEO
Best for:High-risk perpetual tradersMultichain spot tradersPrivacy-focused on-chain tradersRWA market traders

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 0.005% spot maker fee
  • Supports five named chains, including its native Aster Chain
  • Offers spot, perpetual and prediction markets
  • Reported $2.61B in open interest
  • Direct Bitcoin network deposits and withdrawals

Cons

  • Up to 1001x leverage creates substantial liquidation risk
  • Trading depends on smart contracts, validators and oracles
  • ASTER rewards create token-incentive dependence

Our review

3.9/5
Good

Aster combines multichain perpetual trading with reported trading activity, but high leverage and contract, oracle and validator dependencies increase the risk for cautious traders.

Liquidity & pricing4.5
Fees4.0
Security3.0
Ease of use4.0
Chain coverage4.5

Aster is a non-custodial DEX for perpetuals, spot markets, stocks, forex, commodities and prediction markets. The platform reports 483 assets, $1.46B in TVL, $2.61B in open interest and $5.08T in total trading volume. The figures are company-reported.

Aster offers Simple and Pro modes, limit-style trading tools, hidden orders and perpetual contracts with leverage up to 1001x in some markets. RWA perpetuals have a 1.25 bps taker fee, while spot fees are 0.005% for makers and 0.04% for takers. VIP tiers use rolling 14-day spot and perpetual volume.

The site says one account can trade across four external networks, while Aster Chain adds stated 50 ms block times, zero gas and privacy features such as ZK-encrypted orders and fresh stealth addresses. Native Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals were added in October 2026.

Aster came from the 2024 merger of Astherus and APX Finance and is run by CEO Leonard. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao publicly backed the project in September 2025, and the team reports large volumes and user numbers. Aster also directs 99% of platform fees toward regular ASTER buybacks, according to its October 2026 announcement. The product remains a protocol rather than a custodian, but trading depends on smart contracts, oracles and validators.

Listings are researched and drafted with AI assistance from public sources, then checked for accuracy and readability. Spot an error? Tell us. Editorial policy.
Sources (3)

Specs

KYC required ⓘ No · unverified
Type Perpetuals · unverified
Chains BNB Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Solana, Other
Swap fee Spot maker 0.005%; spot taker 0.04% · unverified
Limit orders Yes · unverified
Cross-chain swaps Yes · unverified
Governance token ASTER · unverified
Perpetual futures Yes · unverified
Max leverage (x) 1,001 · unverified
Mobile app Yes · unverified
Points or rewards program Yes · unverified

Not disclosed by the provider: Audited, Open source, Routes across other DEXs, MEV protection.

Data from the provider's website and public sources. Fees and availability change; confirm on the official site before you sign up.

Key features

Perpetual markets

Trades perpetual contracts across crypto and other markets, with leverage reaching up to 1001x in Simple Mode.

Multichain trading

Supports BNB Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Solana and Aster Chain from one account.

Spot trading

Offers spot markets with 0.005% maker fees and 0.04% taker fees.

Private order features

Uses hidden orders, fresh stealth addresses and ZK-encrypted orders on its native chain.

Aster Chain

Its purpose-built Layer 1 states 50ms block times, zero gas and capacity of up to 100,000 TPS.

RWA markets

Offers perpetual exposure to stocks and other real-world assets, with a 1.25 bps taker fee on RWA pairs.

Mobile access

Aster Mobile provides access to the exchange through iOS and Android applications.

Inside Aster

Prediction market

Aster includes prediction-market trading alongside its other on-chain markets. The official site states that the prediction market is live.

Trade every frontier

This product area covers cryptocurrency, stocks, forex, commodities and prediction markets. Trading is available through Simple or Pro mode.

Aster Chain

Aster Chain is the project's purpose-built Layer 1 for derivatives execution. The site states 50 ms block times, up to 100,000 TPS, zero gas and privacy features including ZK-encrypted orders.

Aster in Your Pocket

Aster Mobile provides access to Aster markets from a phone. The project offers an iOS app and an Android APK.

Aster screenshots

Aster’s homepage shows an on-chain trading headline, navigation, trading button, and platform statistics
Aster’s homepage shows an on-chain trading headline, navigation, trading button, and platform statistics · Oct 20, 2026
Docs: Aster documentation page explaining what Aster is, its privacy features, and Aster Chain
Docs: Aster documentation page explaining what Aster is, its privacy features, and Aster Chain · Oct 20, 2026

What users say about Aster

There is too little specific product feedback to establish shared positives or complaints. The only direct issue is a request for help transferring funds, while several other mentions are promotional or incidental.

Based on 8 Reddit posts and comments from the last 12 months, checked Oct 18, 2026. These are posts by users on other sites, not reviews submitted on CryptoReview.

User reviews

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Funding and investors

1Round
1Investor
  1. Strategic Amount undisclosed
    Source

FAQ

Who founded or runs Aster?

Aster is run by CEO Leonard. The DEX was created through the 2024 merger of Astherus and APX Finance, and Binance founder Changpeng Zhao publicly backed it in September 2025.

What are Aster's trading fees?

Aster charges 0.005% for spot makers and 0.04% for spot takers. RWA perpetual takers pay 1.25 bps, and VIP fees use rolling 14-day spot and perpetual volume.

Is Aster permissionless and does it require KYC?

Aster describes its trading as permissionless and non-custodial. Its public product description supports access across BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Ethereum and Solana.

Is Aster safe to use?

Aster uses non-custodial trading and says its orders are ZK-encrypted, with fresh stealth addresses for trades. Smart-contract, oracle, validator and liquidation risks remain, especially when using high leverage.

Which chains and assets does Aster support?

Aster supports BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Ethereum, Solana and Aster Chain, and its site lists 483 assets. Native Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals were added in October 2026.

Does Aster have a token?

Aster has the ASTER token. The token launched in September 2025, and the project announced that 99% of platform fees fund regular ASTER buybacks.

Latest from Aster on X

Aster 🥷
@Aster_DEX · 299.6K followers
Follow
🎙️ Aster Community AMA with @lista_dao

Curious about $ASTER staking and how lisASTER works?

Join @lista_dao, an Aster Chain validator, and 3 Aster community speakers to talk staking, validators, and more.

💬 Have a question for Lista DAO? Drop it below for a chance to win $50 in ASTER!

🎁 4 winners, $200 total prize pool

🗓 Nov 3, 13:00 UTC

🔔 Set your reminder and tune in!
https://t.co/zg3oVKnH7M
Image attached to the post
521 133 283 17.9K View on X
[ $ASTER Buyback and Burn Update ]

From 2026-10-19 00:00 UTC to 2026-11-02 00:00 UTC, 99% of daily platform fees were used to buy back 2,604,529.88 $ASTER for stakers.

A matching 2,604,529.88 $ASTER has been burned from the team allocation.
https://t.co/8cHedTtDEe

- Cumulative burn under the upgraded tokenomics since 2026-06-17: 34,912,404.82 $ASTER
- Cumulative burn across all programs: 212,693,406.39 $ASTER
- Est. total staking APY as of 2026-11-02: 4.52% with a 26-week lock and 24.29% with the maximum 208-week lock. Variable.
42 56 477 38.3K View on X
Nice pocket. Got room for Aster perps? 👀
29 24 295 28.9K View on X
now that's hands-on marketing https://t.co/R1unSEP6s8
Image attached to the post
47 40 393 32.5K View on X
$XTEN pre-launch perps has landed on Aster with up to 5x leverage. https://t.co/hYXIGyRh25
26 20 184 24.5K View on X

Recent public posts from @Aster_DEX, shown as published. Not reviewed or endorsed by CryptoReview.

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