Lighter, a perpetual decentralized exchange (DEX) backed by Peter Thiel, has significantly increased its buyback program for its native LIT token. This, coupled with a recent integration with Telegram, has resulted in a 40% surge in the token’s price.

Aggressive Buyback Program

On April 8th, Lighter announced the purchase and locking of an additional 10 million LIT tokens, representing 4% of the current 250 million token circulating supply. This marks a considerable increase from the previous month’s buyback, which encompassed 3% of the circulating supply.

Tokenomics and Future Supply

Currently, the DEX is repurchasing approximately 1% of the circulating supply each month, or 2.4 million LIT tokens. At this rate, Lighter could potentially lock the entire current circulating supply within ten months. The LIT token has a total supply cap of 1 billion, with only 250 million initially released. The first token unlocks are scheduled for December 2026.

Telegram Integration Drives User Growth

The price of LIT has rebounded significantly since the end of March, gaining over 40% from a low of $0.74 to surpass $1.13. This momentum was further fueled by a recent integration with Telegram, allowing users to trade crypto and non-crypto assets with leverage up to 50x directly within the messaging platform.

Increased User Registrations

Data from Lightalytics revealed approximately 40,000 new user registrations following the Telegram update. This integration significantly expands Lighter’s reach and provides a seamless trading experience.

Platform Traction and Revenue Surge

While Open Interest (OI) saw a modest increase of around $40 million (from $675 million to $717 million), the DEX’s daily revenue experienced a substantial surge, jumping from $35,000 to over $100,000 in the last seven days. The majority of this revenue is being allocated to further buybacks.

Potential Resistance

Despite the positive developments, one trader cautioned that the rally has encountered resistance at the 200-EMA (Exponential Moving Average). Bulls will need to turn this level into support to continue advancing.

Lighter’s long-term success depends on sustaining user engagement, trading volume, and efficient tokenomics. Continued buybacks, platform integrations, and user growth are key to maintaining its trajectory within the competitive DEX landscape.