Measured cost of a market buy
| Order | EdgeX | Aster |
|---|---|---|
| BTC $10,000 | 4.52 bps ($4.52)Rank 15 of 38 | 4.11 bps ($4.11)Rank 11 of 38✓ |
| BTC $100,000 | 4.52 bps ($45.21)Rank 12 of 37 | 4.37 bps ($43.68)Rank 9 of 37✓ |
| BTC $1,000,000 | 4.74 bps ($473.75)Rank 5 of 33 | 4.60 bps ($460.08)Rank 4 of 33✓ |
| ETH $10,000 | 5.15 bps ($5.15)Rank 19 of 39 | 4.08 bps ($4.08)Rank 10 of 39✓ |
| ETH $100,000 | 5.17 bps ($51.74)Rank 13 of 38 | 4.31 bps ($43.06)Rank 8 of 38✓ |
| ETH $1,000,000 | 5.35 bps ($534.53)Rank 6 of 33 | 4.81 bps ($480.66)Rank 5 of 33✓ |
On published fee pages, Aster is slightly cheaper. edgeX documents user-key custody, while Aster validators sign each withdrawal.
The measured rows show which book cost less at each size.
Fees, funding and market data
| Item | EdgeX | Aster |
|---|---|---|
| Taker fee, base tier | 0.045% | 0.040%✓ |
| Maker fee, base tier | 0.040% | 0%✓ |
| Maximum leverage | 100x on BTC and ETH, up to a $1M BTC position | 200x on BTC up to a $400 position; 150x up to $300,000 |
| Chain and settlement | Own rollup on the Arbitrum stack, anchored to Ethereum | Own layer 1 (Aster Chain); bridges from BNB Chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Solana, SUI |
| Custody of funds | User-key smart contracts; operator-free withdrawal claimed, steps not described | Aster validators sign deposits and withdrawals; no forced withdrawal described |
| Audit scope in docs | V1 and StarkEx code | Deposit vault, earn and token products |
| BTC funding rate | Not collected | 0.0087% per 8hOctober 16, 2026, 07:52 UTC |
| ETH funding rate | Not collected | 0.0063% per 8hOctober 16, 2026, 07:52 UTC |
| BTC perp open interest | Not collected | Not collected |
| ETH perp open interest | Not collected | Not collected |
| Reported 24h volume | $1.02bOct 16, 2026, DefiLlama edgeX V2 row | $2.65bOct 16, 2026 |
- EdgeX
- fees, leverage, settlement, custody
- Aster
- fees, leverage, settlement and custody
Each fee, leverage, settlement and custody value comes from the official page named here. PerpFinder read every page on Sep 23, 2026.
What each venue publishes about fees
Aster lists 0% maker and 0.04% taker for general crypto pairs on its fee page. The edgeX VIP fee API listed 0.040% maker and 0.045% taker at level 0 on September 23, 2026. At these base rates, Aster is cheaper for makers and 0.5 basis points cheaper for takers.
Custody and exit
edgeX users deposit into smart contracts, and each move of funds needs the user key. edgeX says that users can withdraw without the operator during an outage, on its self-custody page, but the V2 page does not describe the steps. Aster validators sign each withdrawal, and only Aster runs validators in Phase 1.
Audit coverage
The edgeX audit page names RigSec, SlowMist and PeckShield. The RigSec and SlowMist reports cover edgeX V1 contracts, and the PeckShield report covers StarkEx code. No listed report covers the edgeX V2 contracts. The Aster audit page links seven reports from Salus Security, PeckShield and Halborn.
They cover a deposit vault, an earn contract, and the asBNB, asCAKE, USDF and asUSDF products. No listed report names the Aster Chain clearinghouse.
Funding
The edgeX API settles funding every 4 hours, but its docs page still says every hour. Aster uses an 8-hour interval by default. We collect Aster funding in our sweep. We do not collect edgeX funding yet.
Leverage
The edgeX V2 market data API lists 100x for BTC and ETH. The Aster bracket data lists 200x for BTCUSDT up to a $400 position and 150x up to $300,000. Check the contract in the app.
EdgeX and Aster book depth
The EdgeX BTC book held a $1,000,000 buy better. The order paid 0.24 bps above the fee on EdgeX and 0.60 bps on Aster. The ETH result at $1,000,000 was 0.81 bps on Aster and 0.85 bps on EdgeX. The book cost rose by 0.22 bps on EdgeX and by 0.49 bps on Aster when the BTC order grew from $10,000 to $1,000,000.
Who can open an account
Both venues bar persons in the United States and Canada. Only Aster also bars the United Kingdom.
| Jurisdiction | EdgeX | Aster |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Not available | Not available |
| United Kingdom | Not named | Not available |
| EU and EEA | Not named | Not named |
| Canada | Not available | Not available |
| Identity documents | Not stated | Not stated |
The edgeX Terms of Use do not mention identity verification or KYC requirements. Aster terms permit identity checks for compliance but do not state whether they are mandatory.
A country that the terms do not name is not a permission. Check your local law before you open an account.
Which one fits which trader
A trader who wants a documented exit path can look at edgeX, but must note that no audit covers its V2 contracts yet. A trader who pays the taker fee on small orders can look at Aster first, and then check the measured rows.
EdgeX vs Aster FAQ
Which charges lower fees, edgeX or Aster?
Aster lists 0.04% taker and 0% maker for general crypto pairs.
The edgeX VIP fee API listed 0.045% taker and 0.040% maker at level 0 on September 23, 2026.
Can I withdraw from edgeX if the operator is down?
The edgeX self-custody page says that users can withdraw without the operator during an outage.
The V2 page does not describe the steps or the time that this takes.
What do the Aster audits cover?
The Aster audit page links seven reports.
They cover a deposit vault, an earn contract, asBNB, asCAKE, USDF and asUSDF. No listed report names the Aster Chain clearinghouse.