The decentralized finance (DeFi) world is abuzz with activity surrounding Lighter (LIT), the native token of the Lighter decentralized exchange (DEX). Fueling the excitement are two key developments: a surge in bets on Polymarket regarding the anticipated LIT airdrop and Hyperliquid's listing of the LIT token for pre-market trading.

Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform, is seeing a flurry of activity as traders place bets on when the Lighter airdrop will occur. The odds strongly suggest December 29th as the most likely date for the airdrop, with over 70% of bets placed on this specific day. This conviction is supported by over $9 million in volume flowing into the bet that Lighter will launch an airdrop before the end of 2025, with over 89% of traders positioned on "YES".

Several factors contribute to the community's focus on December 29th. While there hasn't been an official announcement, Lighter's CEO, Vladimir Novakovski, hinted that Season 2 of the points program would conclude before year-end. This, combined with cryptic social media posts, has led many to believe a late December launch is probable. On-chain data reveals that wallets potentially linked to the Lighter team have invested approximately $125,000 betting on a token generation event (TGE) before December 31st.

Adding to the anticipation, recent on-chain analysis indicated a transfer of 250 million LIT tokens from the contract on December 20th, interpreted as preparations for the upcoming airdrop. If these tokens are distributed linearly across the estimated 12 million points earned by users, each point could yield approximately 20.8 LIT. With pre-market prices hovering between $3 and $5 per LIT, each point could potentially be worth between $58 and $104.

Adding fuel to the fire, Hyperliquid, a competing perpetual exchange, has listed LIT for pre-market trading. This move allows traders to speculate on the token's value before its official launch. Hyperliquid has launched a LIT-USDC perpetual contract with a maximum leverage of up to 3 times. Lighter, a decentralized exchange built on a zero-knowledge rollup on Ethereum Layer 2, launched its public mainnet on October 1, 2025. Since then, it has rapidly gained traction, emerging as a significant competitor in the perpetuals market.

Hyperliquid's listing of LIT is seen as a strategic move to capitalize on the growing interest in Lighter and its native token. By offering pre-market trading, Hyperliquid aims to attract traders and increase activity on its platform. This also underscores the increasing competition among perpetual exchanges. The ongoing rivalry between platforms like Hyperliquid and Lighter is expected to drive innovation and improve user experiences.

These developments highlight the increasing anticipation surrounding the Lighter airdrop and the potential of the LIT token. The surge in Polymarket bets and Hyperliquid's listing indicate strong market interest and growing confidence in Lighter's future. As the year draws to a close, the DeFi community eagerly awaits the official launch of LIT and its potential impact on the decentralized exchange landscape.