Lighter Introduces On-Chain Perpetuals Linked to Major Korean Stocks

TheNewsCryptoPublished on 2026-02-12Last updated on 2026-02-12

Abstract

Lighter, an on-chain perpetual futures exchange, has become the first decentralized platform to offer perpetual derivatives tied to major South Korean stocks. Traders can now speculate on companies like Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, and the Korean Composite index with up to 10x leverage, without holding the actual shares. This move bridges traditional finance and DeFi by enabling crypto-style perpetual trading of equity assets. The development follows South Korea’s recent regulatory shift allowing corporations to invest in crypto, fostering a more supportive environment for such products. Despite a global crypto slowdown, South Korea remains a significant market, accounting for nearly 10% of global spot trading volume.

Lighter, an on-chain perpetual futures exchange, has expanded its offerings by linking major South Korean stocks to its platform, marking an important step in the convergence of traditional finance and decentralized markets.

The announcement was shared through X post on February 11, and mentions, “We are excited to be the first DEX to offer Korean equity perps!” The platform now enables perpetual derivatives tied to some of South Korea’s largest publicly traded companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, and the Korean Composite index, with up to 10x leverage on the platform

Korean Stocks Move Into the DeFi Ecosystem

Among South Korea’s most influential firms, the mentioned companies, such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Hyundai, have strong links to worldwide semiconductor, automotive, and technology supply chains.

The current Lighter’s move allows traders to open a position worth 10 times their actual capital and speculate on price movements without directly holding the underlying shares.

Even though the underlying assets are traditional stocks, they are offered in the form of a crypto-style perpetual derivative that allows users to trade Korean corporate giants and the market index just as they would trade cryptos.

This announcement comes after the decision of South Korea’s FSC to remove the 2017 restriction on crypto-corporate investment and update the guidelines to allow corporations to invest in crypto assets. Which is different, though it is creating a more supportive environment for decentralized products such as stock perpetuals.

In addition, this morning, CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju shared a post and said South Korea remains an active crypto market. Despite a broader crypto slowdown, South Korea’s exchanges still account for about 9.54% of global spot trading volume.

Altogether, the development with access to Korean stocks through DEX strengthened its role at the intersection of traditional finance and decentralized markets.

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