The most awkward thing about Aster isn’t the product, but the demand structure. As long as Binance remains stable, it will always be Plan B, not the first choice. On the other hand, Hype isn’t 'better' for U.S. users—it’s the only option. Binance US is neutered, Coinbase is a bank, if you want to trade contracts or play sentiment games, Hype is all that’s left. One is a substitute logic, the other is a structural necessity. Investment value isn’t on the same level.