Lighter DEX launches LIT token with 25% airdrop

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• Lighter has launched its native cryptocurrency, the LIT token, to integrate traditional markets with decentralized finance (DeFi).
• The LIT token supply is split evenly between the ecosystem and team/investors, with a portion airdropped to early participants.
• LIT tokens are used for trading execution, data verification, and staking, with fees paid in LIT to ensure reliable market data.

Perpetuals-focused Ethereum-based Layer 2 decentralized exchange (DEX) Lighter has announced the debut of its native cryptocurrency, the Lighter Infrastructure Token (LIT), to align traders, builders, and backers as it looks to blend traditional markets with DeFi.

The LIT token supply is divided evenly: 50% to the ecosystem, 50% to the team and investors. An immediate airdrop rewards early participants with free money by instantly converting their 12.5 million points (earned in 2025) into LIT tokens. This represents 25% of the project's total fully diluted value – the maximum possible tokens if everything is issued.

The rest funds future rewards, partnerships, and expansion. Team (26%) and investors (24%) face a one-year lockup followed by three-year linear vesting, Ligther said in a post on X.

The token is issued directly by Lighter's operating firm, which is a U.S.-registered C-Corporation.

"The future of finance lies at the nexus of the traditional financial system and DeFi, and infrastructure that is efficient, secure, and verifiable will be important in both directions – adding real-world assets to DeFi and adding verifiability and composability to TradFi," Lighter said on X.

"Therefore, our framework for utility of the LIT token is to consider how value is exchanged across the financial system and to build infrastructure in ways that value is accrued to efficiency, transparency, and innovation," it added.

Lighter-based perpetuals have averaged a volume of $2.7 billion over the past seven days, the third largest behind Hyperliquid and Aster, according to a Dune-based data tracker.

Hyperliquid's HYPE token currently trades at a market valuation of $6.26 billion, making it the 29th-largest digital asset in the world.

More than just governance token

LIT does more than just let holders vote on decisions or earn rewards. It powers Lighter's trading systems as a key token.

Lighter offers trading execution and data verification services in different levels, with higher levels requiring staking more LIT tokens. Staking means locking up your tokens to access these features. These requirements grow as the network becomes more decentralized, meaning it's run by many users instead of just one company.

Users and data providers also pay fees in LIT to get market info and confirm prices. Staking helps ensure this data is reliable for safe trading and managing risks.

Revenue tracking and buyback policies

The X post explained that money earned by Lighter from its trading platform and future products will be fully trackable on the blockchain, so anyone can see it publicly and verify it.

The team might use the revenue to prop up ecosystem growth or buy back LIT tokens. Buybacks mean purchasing tokens to reduce supply, which can help increase their value.

These choices won't follow a strict schedule and will depend on overall market trends and the company's long-term plans.

2025 was defined by a stark divergence: structural progress collided with stagnant price action. Institutional milestones were reached and TVL increased across most major ecosystems, yet the majority of large-cap Layer-1 tokens finished the year with negative or flat returns.

This report analyzes the structural decoupling between network usage and token performance. We examine 10 major blockchain ecosystems, exploring protocol versus application revenues, key ecosystem narratives, mechanics driving institutional adoption, and the trends to watch as we head into 2026.

• Lighter's LIT token has not yet begun open trading, but its premarket valuation is already sparking debate, with estimates ranging from $2 billion to over $3 billion.
• The fully diluted valuation (FDV) of LIT is a contentious topic, as it reflects potential market value based on maximum token supply, which can be misleading without considering liquidity.
• Premarket trading suggests a valuation above $3 billion, but prediction markets show uncertainty, with traders on Polymarket giving even odds for LIT exceeding this figure.

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