Trading fees are an essential part of any digital asset trading experience. Whether you're engaging in spot trading, futures contracts, or options, understanding how fees are calculated—and how to minimize them—can significantly impact your overall profitability. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about trading fees, from the difference between maker and taker fees to how they’re calculated across various trading products.
What Are Maker and Taker Fees?
In cryptocurrency trading, every order is classified as either a maker or a taker, and each carries a different fee structure.
Maker Orders (Providing Liquidity)
A maker places a limit order that doesn’t immediately execute. Instead, it waits on the order book to be filled by another trader. By adding depth to the market, makers provide liquidity, which helps stabilize prices and improve trade execution for others.
Because of this positive market impact, exchanges often reward makers with lower fees—or even negative fees (meaning you get paid to place the order).
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Taker Orders (Removing Liquidity)
A taker places an order that executes immediately against existing orders in the order book—such as a market order or an aggressive limit order. Since takers remove liquidity from the market, they typically pay higher fees than makers.
Why the Fee Difference?
Exchanges incentivize users to place maker orders because liquidity is crucial for efficient markets. Without enough buy and sell orders, slippage increases and trading becomes less predictable. The fee differential encourages traders to contribute to market stability rather than just consume it.
How to Check Your Current Fee Rate
Knowing your current fee tier is key to managing trading costs effectively.
On Web Platform
After logging in:
- Navigate to Assets > My Fees
- View your fee tier across different trading types (spot, futures, options) and currency zones (USDT, USDC, etc.)
You can also check real-time fees directly on the trading page:
- Below the Buy/Sell buttons, click on Fee Rate to see your current maker and taker rates for the selected trading pair.
On Mobile App
- Go to User Center > Profile > Fee Tier
- To view fees for a specific pair, tap the top-right icon and open the Fee Details popup
These tools help ensure transparency so you always know what you're paying per trade.
Why Do My Fees Seem High?
It’s common for traders to feel like their fees are high—especially during volatile markets or large trades. However, remember:
Fees are based on the notional value of the trade, not your profit or loss.
For example:
- You open a position with 100 USDT margin at 5x leverage → total position value = 500 USDT
- Your fee is calculated on 500 USDT, not your initial 100 USDT
This applies to both opening and closing trades. To verify:
- Check Historical Orders
- Review trade details to see exact fee breakdowns
- Total trading cost = opening fee + closing fee
Understanding this helps avoid surprises when reviewing performance.
How Are Fee Tiers Determined?
Your fee tier isn't fixed—it improves as you trade more or hold more assets.
Two Main Categories:
- Standard Users: Basic fee structure
Professional Users: Eligible for VIP tiers based on:
- 30-day trading volume (across spot, futures, options, spread strategies)
- Total asset balance
The system automatically assigns you the highest applicable tier across all metrics. For example:
| Metric | Volume | Qualifies For |
|---|---|---|
| Spot Trading | $10M | VIP 2 |
| Futures Trading | $200M | VIP 3 |
| Options Trading | $5M | VIP 1 |
| Spread Strategies | $150M | VIP 2 |
| Asset Balance | $5M | VIP 4 |
➡️ You get VIP 4 rates across all products, giving you the best possible fees.
This unified tier system ensures you benefit from your strongest metric.
How Are Trading Fees Calculated?
Fee formulas vary by product type. Below is a clear breakdown.
Spot & Margin Trading
Formula: Fee = Fee Rate × Quantity Traded
- When buying: Fee deducted from base currency (e.g., BTC)
- When selling: Fee deducted from quote currency (e.g., USDT)
Example:
Buying 1 BTC at $20,000 with taker fee of 0.1% → Fee = 0.001 BTC
Selling 1 BTC at $20,000 with maker fee of 0.08% → Fee = 16 USDT
Some tiers offer negative maker fees, meaning you earn a rebate for placing passive orders.
Futures Contracts
USDT/USDC-Margined Futures
Fee = Fee Rate × (Number of Contracts × Contract Multiplier × Face Value × Price)
Example:
Buy 100 contracts of BTCUSDT (face value 0.01 BTC) at $20,000 with taker fee 0.05%
→ Fee = 0.05% × (100 × 1 × 0.01 × 20,000) = 10 USDT
Coin-Margined Futures
Fee = Fee Rate × (Number of Contracts × Contract Multiplier × Face Value / Price)
Example:
Buy 100 contracts of BTCUSD at $20,000 with taker fee 0.05%
→ Fee = 0.05% × (100 × 1 × 100 / 20,000) = 0.00025 BTC
Note: Delivery contracts charge a flat 0.01% fee, regardless of tier.
Options Trading
Fee = Min(Fee Rate × Notional Value, 12.5% × Premium Paid)
This caps fees relative to option premium, preventing excessive charges on deep OTM trades.
Additional rules:
- Exercise fee: Charged only if option is exercised
- Forced liquidation: Uses current taker rate
- Spread strategies: Up to 50% off standard fees
👉 See how advanced traders reduce costs using spread strategies and rebates.
Is There a Difference Between Open and Close Fees?
No. There is no distinction between opening and closing a position in terms of fee calculation.
Both incur:
- Maker or taker fees based on execution style
- Calculated using the same formula
- Deducted at time of execution
So whether you're entering or exiting a trade, the fee depends solely on how the order executes—not when.
Are Fees Charged on Forced Liquidations?
Yes. When a position is forcefully liquidated, it executes as a taker order.
Therefore:
Liquidation fees = Current taker fee rate
This highlights the importance of risk management—avoiding liquidation protects both capital and reduces unexpected fee losses.
Why Is My PnL Different After Closing?
Many traders notice discrepancies between unrealized PnL (while holding) and realized PnL (after closing). This difference comes from two sources:
- Trading fees (entry + exit)
- Funding fees (for perpetual contracts)
Example:
- Unrealized PnL: +15 USDT
- Opening fee: –4 USDT
- Closing fee: –5 USDT
- Funding paid: –1 USDT
➡️ Realized PnL: +5 USDT
For leveraged spot trades (non-contract), only closing profit is shown—so no discrepancy appears.
Why Do Historical Orders and Positions Show Different Profits?
Again, this stems from what each section includes:
| Section | Includes |
|---|---|
| Historical Orders | Only trade execution profit |
| Historical Positions | Final net gain including fees and funding |
Example:
- Order profit: +0.46 USDT
- Total fees: –0.06 USDT
- Funding: $0
➡️ Position net profit: +0.40 USDT
This design gives a complete financial picture of each trade lifecycle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I get paid to trade?
A: Yes! At certain tiers, maker orders have negative fees, meaning you receive a rebate for providing liquidity.
Q: Do I pay fees even if I lose money?
A: Yes. Fees are based on trade size, not profitability. Even losing trades incur fees.
Q: How often are fee tiers updated?
A: Daily. Your 30-day volume and asset balance are recalculated each day to determine the next day’s fee tier.
Q: Are delivery contract fees negotiable?
A: No. A flat 0.01% is charged regardless of your VIP level.
Q: Do spread strategies count toward volume?
A: Only the leg that generates a fee contributes to your 30-day volume.
Q: Where can I see my total trading costs over time?
A: Use the Transaction History report in your account to export and analyze cumulative fees.
👉 Start optimizing your trading costs today—see how small changes can boost net returns.