Fees
Trade with 0 maker and 0 taker fees on Standard accounts.
Lighter’s default Standard account is fee-free across markets. Premium accounts are opt-in for traders who want the lowest latency and are subject to maker and taker fees.
Stay on Standard for zero fees, or opt into Premium if execution speed is your edge.
Trading fees at a glance
Two account types, one default that is fee-free.
Default
Standard Account
Maker fee
0
Taker fee
0
Retail and latency-insensitive trading
Opt-in
Premium Account
Maker fee
0.002% (0.2 bps)
Taker fee
0.02% (2 bps)
HFT and lowest-latency execution
Why two account types?
Zero-fee trading for Standard. Lower latency for Premium.
Standard accounts trade with zero maker and taker fees. Premium accounts fund ultra-low-latency infrastructure for professional use cases. Premium is built for traders who care about execution speed and are comfortable paying a small maker and taker fee for that edge.
Other costs to understand (not trading fees)
Funding payments
Perpetual futures use a funding mechanism to keep price close to spot. Funding flows between longs and shorts depending on market conditions.
Spread & slippage
Orderbooks have bid/ask spreads and larger market orders can move price. Use limit orders, post-only, and size control to manage it.
Network costs
Deposits or withdrawals on Ethereum can include normal network gas costs.
Liquidations
If margin drops below requirements, positions can be liquidated based on defined rules and thresholds.
How to choose the right account
Match the account to your strategy.
Choose Standard if you
- want 0 maker and 0 taker fees
- trade manually or do not need the lowest latency
- are learning perpetuals or trading smaller sizes
Choose Premium if you
- run a strategy that benefits from faster execution
- market make, arbitrage, or trade frequently
- want the lowest maker and cancel latency available
Fees FAQ
Clarity for every account type.
Do Standard accounts pay maker or taker fees?
No. Standard accounts currently have 0 maker and 0 taker fees across markets.
Do Premium accounts pay fees?
Yes. Premium accounts are subject to maker and taker fees.
Is funding a fee charged by Lighter?
Funding transfers value between market participants depending on price versus index; it is not a platform fee.
Are there any hidden fees?
Trading fees depend on account type. Other costs like funding, spread or slippage, and network gas can still apply.