From $1.5B valuation to ETP listing: Lighter expands institutional token access

DeFi protocol Lighter has secured regulated institutional exposure for its LIT token following the launch of a Bitwise staking ETP on Germany's Deutsche Börse Xetra.

In this interview, Vladimir Novakovski, Founder and CEO at Lighter, outlines the Bitwise listing, the next products on Lighter's roadmap, and what Robinhood's choice of Bitstamp for US perpetuals means for the exchange.

Valued at $1.5 billion following a $68 million funding round led by Founders Fund and Ribbit Capital, Lighter is expanding into options, spot, and its own EVM layer, backed by strong protocol mechanics that burned 15.5 million LIT and funded $653,000 in market buybacks in September.