Lighter Secures $68M to Expand Its Decentralized Trading Platform

Lighter, a rising star in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, has recently secured $68 million in new crypto funding, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. 

This fresh investment highlights renewed confidence in blockchain projects that offer real-world crypto trading solutions.

Lighter Crypto Funding Structure and Company Vision

Lighter’s latest round was led by Founders Fund, co-founded by Peter Thiel, and Ribbit Capital, with contributions from Haun Ventures and Robinhood. The $68 million raise includes a mix of equity and token warrants, giving investors access to a cryptocurrency that is yet to be launched. 

The project’s founder, Vladimir Novakovsk emphasized that Lighter’s mission is to build an infrastructure layer that ensures everything in finance happens fairly and transparently.

The platform has grown quickly since its pivot from Lunchclub, an AI-driven social networking startup co-founded by Novakovski. Lunchclub raised $30 million during the pandemic but could not sustain growth in 2022. 

Novakovski retained most employees, rebranded the company as Lighter, and raised an earlier $21 million round in 2024. With the latest investment, Lighter has raised nearly $90 million in total. 

Lighter Offers 24/7 Crypto Trading, Plans Bitcoin Spot Market

Unlike traditional exchanges, Lighter operates as both a decentralized exchange (DEX) and its own blockchain network. Currently, the platform focuses on perpetual futures, a type of crypto derivative that allows trading 24/7 without expiration. 

Reportedly, Novakovski revealed plans to introduce spot trading for major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC) on the platform. This expansion is expected to broaden the platform’s appeal within the crypto ecosystem, making it a more versatile hub for traders across the crypto ecosystem.

Lighter’s fundraising comes at a time when institutional investors are increasingly backing crypto projects with real infrastructure and use cases. Ripple recently raised over $500 million, pushing the company’s valuation to around $40 billion. This shows that investors are increasingly backing platforms that combine innovation with real market utility.

Lighter Gains Rapid Growth Amid Intensifying Competition

The platform’s growth has been impressive. According to L2BEAT, Lighter’s blockchain ranks among the top Layer-2 networks in total value locked (TVL). Most recently, Lighter played a major role in helping Ethereum achieve its highest-ever transactions per second (TPS). 

Despite competition from rivals like Hyperliquid and Aster in the perpetual DEX market, Lighter has established itself as a strong player. The  fast-growing decentralized trading platform currently handles around 4,000 TPS, far surpassing the Base Chain’s 100–200 TPS range.

Novakovski noted that the company is profitable and confident in its position within the decentralized trading space. With new funding secured, Lighter is set to expand its product offerings, including spot trading, and further develop its blockchain ecosystem.