Bitget App
Trade smarter
Buy cryptoMarketsTradeFuturesEarnSquareMore
Lighter CEO on 'democratizing finance' with a zero-fee, ZK perp DEX

Lighter CEO on 'democratizing finance' with a zero-fee, ZK perp DEX

The BlockThe Block2025/11/24 16:00
By:By Jordan Leech

Quick Take Lighter founder and CEO Vladimir Novakovski explains the zero-knowledge L2 infrastructure powering the burgeoning perp DEX, and why he opted for a zero-fee structure for retail users.

Lighter CEO on 'democratizing finance' with a zero-fee, ZK perp DEX image 0

Episode 8 of The Big Brain Podcast, hosted by The Block President Larry Cermak and MegaETH CSO Namik Muduroglu, was recorded with Vladimir Novakovski, the founder and CEO of Lighter.

Listen below, and subscribe to The Big Brain Podcast on YouTube ,  Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please send feedback and revision requests to  [email protected]

In episode 8 of The Big Brain Podcast, Lighter founder Vladimir Novakovski explains why he built a zero-fee, ZK-powered perp DEX as an Ethereum L2, how it stacks up against CEXs and rival perp chains, and what the Lighter team learned from recent market stress ahead of their token launch.

OUTLINE
00:00 – Introduction
04:50 – What Lighter is
06:15 – Why Ethereum L2 and ZK
11:03 – Zero-fee retail model
18:11 – Robinhood relationship & RH Chain
| 20:30 – L1 vs L2 value capture
27:08
– TGE timing and token value
30:29
– DYDX, Hyperliquid and CEX vs DeFi |
35:52 – 10/10 crash and LLP risk
39:50 – Infra upgrades and closing

 
SHOW LINKS:


GUEST LINKS

This episode of the Big Brain Podcast is brought to you by our sponsor, ⁠Canton Network⁠ .

The Block Newsletters
The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit theblock.co/newsletters

Sign up for a trial today: 


0

Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.

PoolX: Earn new token airdrops
Lock your assets and earn 10%+ APR
Lock now!

You may also like

Fed's Leadership Ambiguity and Divergent Policy Views Fuel Market Fluctuations Ahead of December Meeting

- U.S. Federal Reserve faces speculation over Chair Powell's future amid mixed signals and internal divisions on rate cuts. - Market expectations for a December rate cut surged to 84.7% as officials like John Williams shifted toward easing, while dissenters like Stephen Miran face criticism. - Trump's reported plan to nominate Kevin Hassett as next Fed chair risks politicizing monetary policy, with Treasury yields dipping below 4% on speculation. - OPEC+ supply pauses and political pressures complicate the

Bitget-RWA2025/12/01 01:14
Fed's Leadership Ambiguity and Divergent Policy Views Fuel Market Fluctuations Ahead of December Meeting

XRP News Today: Clearer Regulations Propel XRP ETFs to $628M as the Asset Earns Greater Legitimacy

- Canary Capital's XRPC ETF dominates XRP ETF market with $250M inflows, outpacing all competitors combined. - Grayscale's GXRP and Franklin Templeton's XRPZ drove $164M debut inflows, boosting total XRP ETF AUM to $628M. - 2025 SEC ruling cleared XRP's secondary sales as non-securities, enabling institutional adoption and $2.19 price rebound. - XRPC's 0.2% fee waiver and institutional focus fueled $6B+ ETF trading volumes, reversing prior outflows. - Analysts project $6.7B XRP ETF growth within 12 months

Bitget-RWA2025/12/01 00:56
XRP News Today: Clearer Regulations Propel XRP ETFs to $628M as the Asset Earns Greater Legitimacy

Bitcoin Updates: Anxiety Sweeps Crypto Market, Yet ETFs Ignite Optimism for Recovery

- Crypto Fear & Greed Index hits 20, signaling extreme fear as BTC/altcoins face renewed volatility amid Tether's "weak" stablecoin downgrade. - Tether CEO defends USDt stability with $215B Q3 assets, while Bitcoin-focused firms adopt defensive stances against mNAV risks. - Altcoin Season Index at 25/100 shows modest rebound, with Zcash surging 1,000% and Grayscale filing first U.S. Zcash ETF. - Upcoming spot altcoin ETF launches and potential Fed rate cuts (80% priced) spark optimism despite fragile on-ch

Bitget-RWA2025/12/01 00:56
Bitcoin Updates: Anxiety Sweeps Crypto Market, Yet ETFs Ignite Optimism for Recovery

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Transforming Business Efficiency and Entrepreneurial Expansion

- AI-driven tools are becoming essential for SMEs and startups to enhance productivity and operational efficiency amid competitive pressures. - McKinsey reports 71% of organizations now use generative AI in 2025, but SMEs lag behind large enterprises in scaling AI adoption. - AI adoption delivers measurable ROI, with case studies showing 15-140% productivity gains in sectors like legal, sales, and customer service. - Investors are prioritizing AI-enhanced SaaS platforms that address SME pain points, enabli

Bitget-RWA2025/12/01 00:56
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Transforming Business Efficiency and Entrepreneurial Expansion