LIT surges 10% after Lighter secures $920M deal with Circle

Decentralised perpetual trading platform Lighter's native token LIT had an approximate 10% increase during the early hours of the US trading day.

Lighter Secures $920 Million USDC Revenue-Sharing Agreement with Circle – A Victory for DeFi Traders
LIT, the utility token for the Lighter ecosystem, surged by over 10% on the announcement, trading at $1.46.

The agreement encompasses over $920 million in USDC deposits on Lighter’s platform, signifying a notable achievement for the emerging DeFi exchange.

Under the collaboration, the interest revenue derived from Circle's USDC reserves will be distributed between Circle and Lighter.

LIT surges 10% after Lighter secures a $920M deal with Circle.

This corresponds with Circle's extensive revenue-sharing framework, which it has already executed with prominent exchanges like Coinbase and Bybit.

[ ZOOMER ]

LIGHTER STRIKES DEAL WITH CIRCLE TO SHARE REVENUE GENERATED ON THE $920M OF USDC DEPOSITED ON THE PLATFORM

— zoomer (@zoomerfied) February 12, 2026

The agreement provides Lighter with a rapid and capital-efficient means to enhance its yield engine, finance user incentives, and bolster platform functionalities, including supporting rate rebates and rewards programs.

In contrast to several competitors, Lighter has chosen to utilise USDC instead of introducing an own stablecoin.

Hyperliquid launched its native stablecoin USDH in late 2025 following a competitive governance auction. The action redirected billions in deposits and returns away from Circle and other stablecoin issuers.

This strategy enabled Hyperliquid to generate internal revenue and mitigate centralisation issues, while it necessitated substantial finance and infrastructure expenditure.

Lighter's methodology, in contrast, enables the platform to directly use Circle's existing reserves while simultaneously reaping the advantages of shared yield.

This may speed adoption by utilizing Circle's USDC ecosystem, allowing Lighter to scale more effectively while providing value to traders and token holders.

The agreement signifies a mutually beneficial situation:

• Circle enhances advantages by securing a substantial amount of USDC on an expanding DeFi platform, promoting adoption and circulation.

• Lighter secures a consistent revenue source, thereby improving platform sustainability, attracting additional liquidity, and augmenting user engagement.

Going forward, attention will focus on on-chain USDC transactions to Lighter contracts, as this may indicate preliminary effects of the agreement on liquidity and token sentiment.

Lighter has been gaining traction in the DeFi perpetuals market, with growing trading volumes, loyalty points programs, and community engagement.