Lighter Raises $68M at $1.5B Valuation to Take on Decentralized Derivatives Rivals: Report
Crypto derivatives startup Lighter secured $68 million at a $1.5 billion valuation to expand its institutional offerings.Summary
Crypto derivatives startup Lighter, a zk-rollup perpetual-futures exchange built on Ethereum, has successfully closed a $68 million funding round, achieving a $1.5 billion valuation. The round was backed by prominent investors including Founders Fund, Haun Ventures, Ribbit Capital, and Robinhood Markets. Lighter, which offers zero fees for retail users, plans to use the funds to expand its institutional trading suite, enhance low-latency infrastructure, and prepare for its full public launch. The platform currently boasts significant activity, with a 30-day perpetual trading volume of $279.5 billion and a Total Value Locked (TVL) of $1.15 billion. Lighter intends to challenge competitors like Hyperliquid and Aster by rolling out derivatives on more chains and introducing monetization models for institutional counterparties, while keeping retail order-flow fee-free.
(Source：CoinDesk)