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Moonlander Review 2026: Cronos zkEVM Perp DEX Explained

Moonlander is a perpetuals DEX on Cronos zkEVM that pairs leveraged trading of crypto and RWA markets with a staking pool. About $7.9M TVL, no audits listed, and a short track record call for caution.

By the DappsAtlas editorial team · Updated Nov 4, 2026

DappsAtlas score

5.8/10

Mixed

Visit Moonlander

Our verdict on Moonlander

5.8/10

Moonlander suits experienced traders who want a perp DEX on Cronos zkEVM and are comfortable with leverage and smaller platforms. Its strengths are a focused product, crypto and RWA markets, and a staking pool in the same app. The main caveats are that no audits are listed, fees are not published publicly, TVL dropped 28.1% in a week, and the track record only goes back to January 2025. Start small and read the documentation first.

Score breakdown

How Moonlander scores

Security: 4.5/10
Ease of use: 7.0/10
Fees: n/a
Features: n/a

Scores run from 0 to 10 and are based only on facts we could verify. Where information was missing we mark the score n/a rather than guess.

What is Moonlander?

Moonlander is a decentralized perpetual trading platform on the Cronos zkEVM chain. It offers on-chain perpetuals and a staking pool, and its homepage calls it a social perp DEX for trading crypto and RWA with leverage.

DefiLlama categorizes it as Derivatives and lists Cronos and Cronos zkEVM as its chains. It shows about $7.87M in TVL, down 28.1% over seven days, and the project has been tracked since January 2025. The MLP token is listed, and no audits are shown.

The interface has Trade, Earn, Activity, Portfolio and About sections. The trading panel includes collateral selection, a leverage slider, size, liquidation price and fees, with markets such as LINEA/USD. Live figures were not available in its homepage, so this review relies on the project description and DefiLlama data.

How Moonlander works

Moonlander is a perpetual futures exchange. A perpetual is a derivative that tracks an asset price without an expiry date. Traders post collateral, choose leverage and a position size, and go long if they expect the price to rise or short if they expect it to fall.

Trades settle on-chain on Cronos zkEVM, a zk-based layer 2. A funding rate, shown per hour on the interface, is exchanged between long and short traders to keep perpetual prices close to the spot price. Positions that lose too much of their collateral are liquidated.

The Earn section includes a staking pool. The project does not detail how it works, but in perp DEX designs such pools often provide liquidity that takes the other side of trades and earn fees in return, which also exposes stakers to trader profits and losses.

6 features

Key features

On-chain perpetuals

Users trade perpetual futures on-chain, going long or short with leverage from a connected wallet.

Cronos zkEVM execution

The platform runs on Cronos zkEVM, which the project says gives higher speed and lower fees through zk technology.

Staking pool

A staking pool lets users earn from the platform alongside trading. Details of the yield source are not public.

Crypto and RWA markets

The homepage says users can trade crypto and RWA markets, with LINEA/USD shown as an example pair.

Social trading angle

The homepage describes a social perp DEX with community-powered alpha. Specific social features are not detailed.

Portfolio tracking

Tabs for Trade, Earn, Activity and Portfolio let users track collateral, unrealized PnL, positions and open orders.

Pros and cons

What we like

Focused perpetuals product with long and short trading and a staking pool in one app.
Runs on Cronos zkEVM, which the project says gives faster execution and lower fees.
Covers both crypto and RWA markets, according to the homepage.
Self-custody trading: users connect their own wallet rather than depositing with a centralized exchange.
Clear interface with portfolio, activity and order tabs.

Watch out for

No audits are listed on DefiLlama, so smart-contract assurance is not documented publicly.
TVL fell 28.1% over seven days, which may signal capital leaving or market-driven swings.
Leverage trading can liquidate positions quickly, and the maximum leverage is not shown publicly.
Fee levels and funding-rate mechanics are not published in the material reviewed.
Relies on a niche ecosystem (Cronos and Cronos zkEVM) with less liquidity than the largest perp DEXs.
Listed only since January 2025, so the track record is short.

Moonlander fees

Fee levels are not published publicly reviewed. The trade panel on the homepage has a Fees line and a Funding Rate per Hour display, but no values are shown until a market and wallet are connected.

The project says its zk layer-2 setup offers lower transaction fees. Perp DEXs typically charge trading or position fees plus hourly funding between longs and shorts, so check the trade panel and documentation before opening a position.

Is Moonlander safe?

DefiLlama lists no audits for Moonlander, and the project does not mention bug bounties, insurance or past incidents. Smart-contract risk, oracle risk and liquidation risk should be treated as real. Staking pool participants may also bear losses if traders profit.

Trading is self-custodial through a connected wallet, but funds sit in smart contracts while positions are open. Regulatory status of derivatives trading varies by country, so check what applies where you live. Leveraged products can lose your full collateral quickly.

6 steps

How to get started with Moonlander

1
Visit the official Moonlander site and confirm the URL before connecting a wallet.
2
Connect a compatible wallet and make sure it is set to Cronos zkEVM.
3
Fund the wallet with the collateral asset supported on the platform.
4
Pick a market on the Trade tab and review the fees, funding rate and liquidation price shown.
5
Choose a small size and modest leverage, then open a long or short.
6
Monitor positions under the Position and Portfolio tabs and manage risk with limit orders.

Open Moonlander

Who Moonlander is for

Moonlander is for derivatives traders already using Cronos or comfortable bridging to Cronos zkEVM, who want on-chain perps and an optional staking pool. It is not suited to beginners or anyone unwilling to risk liquidation.

Moonlander FAQs

What is Moonlander?

Moonlander is a decentralized perpetual trading platform on Cronos zkEVM. It offers on-chain perpetual futures and a staking pool, and its homepage describes it as a social perp DEX for crypto and RWA.

Which blockchains does Moonlander use?

DefiLlama lists Cronos and Cronos zkEVM as its chains. The project description focuses on the Cronos zkEVM layer 2.

Does Moonlander have a token?

DefiLlama lists a token with the ticker MLP. The project does not explain its exact function, so check the official documentation for how it is used.

Is Moonlander audited?

DefiLlama lists no audits for Moonlander. That does not prove the contracts are unsafe, but it means no audit is documented publicly reviewed. Check the project's own documentation for audit reports.

How do I trade on Moonlander?

The homepage shows a trading interface where you connect a wallet, pick a market such as LINEA/USD, choose collateral, set leverage and size, and go long or short. Specific leverage limits and fees appear only after connecting and are not public.

Is leveraged trading on Moonlander risky?

Leveraged perpetual trading is high risk, and positions can be liquidated if the market moves against you. Only trade with money you can afford to lose and check the rules for derivatives in your jurisdiction.

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