Lighter launched on-chain permanent futures in South Korea’s biggest stocks, giving crypto traders direct access to Samsung, SK Hynix, and Hyundai.
Summary
- Lighter launched the endless future of Samsung, SK Hynix, Hyundai, and the Korean index.
- Contracts offer up to 10x scaling and are fully on-chain.
- This move extends DeFi trading into traditional stock markets.
Lighter has launched an on-chain permanent futures linked to South Korea’s major stocks, becoming the first decentralized exchange to offer crypto-based derivatives tied to companies such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Hyundai.
The release was announced by Lighter on Feb. 11, ensuring that traders now have access to perpetual contracts of Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, and the Korean Composite index with a ratio of up to 10x.
First on-chain perps for Korean blue chips
The recent launch of Lighter marks a step forward in integrating traditional finance with decentralized commerce. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Hyundai are among the most influential South Korean firms, with strong links to global semiconductor, automotive and technology supply chains.
With infinite futures, traders can take long or short positions in these stocks at any time, without dealing with brokers, inventory rules, or market hours. Contracts are settled in crypto and remain open as long as margin requirements are met.
An intuitive platform design helps reduce transaction costs and improve performance. Fees are kept low, while transactions are processed without exposing sensitive user data to the chain.
This model is similar to crypto perpetuals but applies it to traditional assets. Instead of Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH), users now get exposure to blue-chip Korean companies and the broader market index.
Growing interest in Korean stocks and crypto trading
Interest in South Korean stocks, particularly those in the semiconductor sector, has grown. Global auto sales continue to benefit Hyundai, while SK Hynix and Samsung benefited from growing demand for AI-related memory chips.
The company’s leadership in high-bandwidth memory played a big role in that result. Strong gains were also delivered by semiconductor-focused funds, with some profitable products reporting returns of 70% to 80% in recent months.
South Korean regulators have given the green light to a new wave of 2x leveraged ETFs linked to some of the country’s biggest names, including Samsung and Hyundai. The funds will be launched in 2026, and officials plan to introduce early investor education programs to help people better understand the risks that come with the products being used.
Lighter perpetual contracts are more accessible and offer more power than traditional financial products. At the same time, they operate outside of the country’s regulated securities framework, which may be important to some investors.
At the same time, South Korea remains an active crypto market. CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju recently said that local exchanges still account for about 9.54% of global spot trading volume, despite the broader decline.
The easy bet is that the demand for hybrid financial products will continue to grow, combining equity exposure with crypto-native infrastructure.
