Aster is scrapping all trading fees on its stock perpetual contracts, attracting crypto users seeking exposure to US equities, Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple without traditional brokerage restrictions. 

In a post from the DEX’s official X account on Wednesday, Aster confirmed stock perpetuals on its platform now carry “0% taker, 0% maker” fees, removing the cost barrier for active traders.

The exchange also updated its Aster Harvest program Stage 4 rules that give stock perp takers zero fees but no points, while makers receive zero fees with points for participation.

Backed by YZi Labs and touted by former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, the exchange has spent the past year building up to the name “the next-generation decentralized perpetual venue” against competitor Hyperliquid.

Aster Pro simplifies tokenized stock trading by cutting costs

In mid-July, Aster added stock perpetuals in its listings to help crypto traders place leveraged bets on US stocks without giving up custody or submitting personal information. The contracts reference technology heavyweights Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla, with more blue-chip names to come.

These products make the decentralized exchange one of the few global derivatives platforms with equity-based perpetual futures. Users can open long or short positions through Aster’s on-chain system without interacting with brokers, clearing firms, or custodians. 

Aster’s stock contracts are an alternative to traditional brokerage accounts, which only operate during US market hours. The exchange says users can open positions at any time with leverage of up to 50 times, although liquidity will be thin because markets don’t move much when sessions close. 

“Aster is about breaking down barriers, whether that’s asset types, market hours, or outdated trading infrastructures. With decentralized stock perpetual contracts, we’re opening the doors for crypto traders to access the biggest US equities with the privacy and speed they deserve,” said Leonard, the company’s chief executive.

During the stock perpetual market’s debut, Aster said the pricing architecture behind the contracts is similar to the system used for its existing crypto perpetuals. The exchange sources data from the Pyth Network, which aggregates price information from publishers to generate real-time feeds to prevent manipulation and keep prices consistent during volatile sessions.

Next week, the platform is preparing to host a community AMA to discuss its L1 testnet titled “Zero fees. Private trading. The road to mainnet.” According to an announcement shared by Aster’s team, the AMA will take place next Monday at 10:00 UTC on Discord, where CTO Oliver will answer questions submitted before Thursday night.

US stock futures react positively ahead of FOMC rate cut decision 

Stock perpetuals’ trading cost reduction on Aster comes on the backdrop of cautious optimism in US equity markets in preparation for the predicted third Fed rate cut in 2025. US futures went up slightly on Wednesday morning, with benchmark indexes up about 0.1% as traders off an uptick on bond yields, expectations for monetary policy changes, and a move in oil prices.

The 10-year US Treasury yield climbed above 4.2%, making borrowing more expensive for businesses and consumers. Higher yields will certainly affect technology companies included in Aster’s stock perpetual lineup.

In Tuesday’s regular session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.38% and the S&P 500 dipped 0.09%. The Nasdaq Composite added 0.13%, supported by gains in Tesla, Broadcom, and Alphabet, while financial institution JPMorgan dropped after projecting 2026 expenses near $105 billion, weighing on the Dow.

The muted action upholds the wait-and-see sentiment from investors ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Reserve announcement. Traders are pricing a nearly 90% chance of a third straight quarter-point rate cut, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

“This is a hard call, but I do think it’s more likely they will cut than not… It wouldn’t surprise me if this is a hawkish cut,” said Alan Blinder, former vice chair of the Fed and economics professor at Princeton.

Some Federal Open Market Committee members believe monetary easing is needed to support a slowing labor market, while others are worried that further easing will add to the already stubborn inflation rates. Markets will examine the committee’s statement at 2 PM ET and listen closely to Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference for future decisions on interest rates.

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