Lighter Goes On-Chain: Korean Stocks Now Have 10x Perp Drama

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In a move that reads like a prank pulled by a very rich accountant, Lighter has unveiled on-chain perpetual futures linked to South Korea’s stock aristocracy-Samsung, SK Hynix, and Hyundai-so that crypto traders may court the orderly chaos of Korea’s blue chips with the elegance of a mislaid cufflink.

$HYUNDAI, $SAMSUNG, $SKHYNIX and the $KRCOMP (Korean Composite) index.

– Lighter (@Lighter_xyz) February 11, 2026

Through perpetual futures, traders can take long or short positions on these stocks at any time, without the bother of brokers, custody rules, or the tyranny of market hours. The contracts are settled in crypto and endure as long as margin requirements are met, which is a sentence that reads nicely in theory and sounds less pleasant in practice.

The platform’s zero-knowledge design helps reduce trading costs and improve execution. Fees remain modest, while transactions are processed without revealing sensitive user data on-chain, which is the sort of transparency that makes auditors weep with joy and fear in equal measure.

This model resembles crypto perpetuals but applies it to traditional assets. Instead of Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH), users now gain exposure to Korean blue chips and the broader market index, all dressed up and ready to dance in a digital ballroom.

Growing interest in Korean stocks and crypto trading

The appetite for South Korean stocks, particularly those within the semiconductor realm, has grown plumper than a holiday buffet. Global auto sales continue to favour Hyundai, while SK Hynix and Samsung have basked in AI-driven memory-chip demand.

The company’s lead in high-bandwidth memory played a major role in that result. Strong gains have also been delivered by semiconductor-focused funds, with some leveraged products reporting returns of 70% to 80% in recent months, which is to say the market has the taste for drama and the numbers to prove it.

South Korea’s regulators have given the green light to a new wave of 2x leveraged ETFs tied to some of the country’s biggest names, including Samsung and Hyundai. The funds are set to launch in 2026, and officials plan to roll out investor education programs ahead of time to help people better understand the risks that come with leveraged products, which is precisely the sort of prudent caution one expects at a soirée where bellies are full of risk and champagne.

Lighter’s perpetual contracts are easier to access and offer more leverage than traditional financial products. At the same time, they operate outside the country’s regulated securities framework, which may be an important factor for some investors, or at least a charmingly rebellious one.

South Korea remains an active crypto market. CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju recently noted that local exchanges still account for about 9.54% of global spot trading volume, despite a broader slowdown, which is a statistic that gives even the most sedate economist a twitch of excitement.

Lighter is betting that demand for hybrid financial products will continue to grow, marrying equity exposure with crypto-native infrastructure in a manner that pleases risk-takers and irritates risk-averse observers in equal measure.

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2026-02-12 07:58