Aster rolls out Shield Mode for private high-leverage trades

Aster has introduced a new trading feature aimed at traders who want speed and leverage without exposing their positions to the market.

Aster has launched Shield Mode, a feature focused on private, high-leverage perpetual trading.

The update was announced on Dec. 15 in a post on X by Aster (ASTER), which described Shield Mode as a protected execution layer built into its perpetual futures platform.

Shield Mode introduces private execution for leveraged perps

Shield Mode is a protected trading option built directly into Aster Perpetual, designed for high-leverage perpetual contracts without relying on a public order book.

BTC and ETH pairs with leverage of up to 1001x are supported at launch. Orders made in Shield Mode do not show up on public books, in contrast to regular perp trading. 

Because positions are kept off-market, there is less chance of other participants engaging in front-running and reactive trading.Trades execute instantly through a one-tap long or short interface, with Aster ensuring zero slippage on supported pairs.

The new mode is also gasless. There are no gas costs and no opening or closing fees during the launch period, which runs until Dec. 31. Aster noted that volume generated in Shield Mode will not count toward its ongoing airdrop program while fees remain waived.

By using isolated margin, Shield Mode enables traders to limit risk on specific positions instead of disclosing their entire account balance. Because position management and execution are handled by a single interface, switching chains or trading environments is not necessary. 

Fees, roadmap, and broader platform context

Aster plans to introduce a flexible fee schedule for Shield Mode once the promotional period ends.There are currently two models described: a PnL-based model where traders only pay fees when a position is profitable, and a commission-based option with a fixed percentage per trade.

Shield Mode builds on earlier features such as hidden orders and serves as a step toward deeper privacy tooling tied to the upcoming Aster Chain. 

The launch comes during an active period for the platform. While Genesis airdrop claims are still ongoing, Aster just finished a major token unlock that affected price action. Despite this, the protocol runs a daily buyback program and has managed to stay close to the top of perpetual DEX volume charts.