Trading on digital asset platforms involves various cost structures, with trading fees being one of the most critical factors impacting profitability. Whether you're engaging in spot trading, futures contracts, or options, understanding how maker and taker fees work can significantly influence your strategy and returns. This guide breaks down the mechanics of trading fees, explains how they are calculated across different instruments, and offers insights into optimizing your fee tier.
What Are Maker and Taker Fees?
In any order book-based trading system, participants are classified as either makers or takers, depending on their role in providing or removing liquidity.
- A maker places a limit order that does not immediately execute but instead waits in the order book. By doing so, they "make" liquidity for others to trade against.
- A taker places an order—usually a market order—that executes instantly by matching with existing orders in the book. They "take" liquidity from the market.
Because makers contribute to market depth and stability, exchanges typically reward them with lower fees—or even rebates—while takers pay slightly higher rates due to their immediate impact on liquidity.
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How Are Trading Fees Calculated?
Fee structures vary based on the trading instrument, including spot, margin, futures, options, and spreads. Below is a breakdown of how fees are calculated across major product types.
Spot and Margin Trading Fees
For spot and margin trades, the formula is straightforward:
Trading Fee = Commission Rate × Trade Amount (in crypto or fiat)
The fee is charged in the quote currency when buying and in the base currency when selling, depending on the fee rule applied.
Example:
- Current BTC/USDT price: 20,000 USDT
- Trader A (Maker fee: 0.08%, Taker fee: 0.1%) buys 1 BTC at market price → becomes a taker
→ Trading Fee = 0.1% × 1 BTC = 0.001 BTC
→ Receives 0.999 BTC after fees - Sells 1 BTC via limit order → becomes a maker
→ Trading Fee = 0.08% × 20,000 USDT = 16 USDT
→ Receives 19,984 USDT after fees
Some users may receive fee discounts or rebates, especially if they hold platform tokens like OKB or qualify for VIP tiers.
Futures Trading Fees
Fees for perpetual and delivery futures depend on whether the contract uses USDT/USDC or token-margined settlement.
USDT/USDC-Margined Contracts:
Fee = Commission Rate × (Number of Contracts × Multiplier × Contract Size × Execution Price)
All fees are settled in USDT or USDC.
Token-Margined Contracts:
Fee = Commission Rate × (Number of Contracts × Multiplier × Contract Value / Execution Price)
Fees are paid in the underlying cryptocurrency (e.g., BTC).
Additional Fees:
- Forced liquidation fees: Charged at the current taker rate.
- Delivery settlement fee: Fixed at 0.01% for all users.
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Options Trading Fees
Options involve more complex pricing due to premiums and contract specifications.
Trading Fee = Min(Commission × Multiplier × Contract Size × Number of Contracts, 12.5% × Option Premium × ...)
This cap ensures traders aren’t overcharged relative to the option’s intrinsic value.
Additional charges include:
- Exercise fee: Applicable only when exercising (not for expired options)
- Forced liquidation fee: Based on taker rate, capped similarly
Traders using Request-for-Quote (RFQ) multi-leg strategies can enjoy up to 50% off fees.
Spread Trading Fees
Spread trades benefit from reduced costs:
- Fees are 50% lower than standard order book rates.
- Only the leg with the highest notional value is counted toward 30-day trading volume.
How to Check Your Current Fee Tier
You can view your current fee level through multiple pathways:
Log into your account and navigate to:
- User Center > Profile & Settings > Profile > Trading Fee Tier
Visit the trading interface and click:
- More > Fee Rules
- On the trading panel, check the Fees section under the order entry area.
Your historical trade fees are accessible via:
- Web: Order History → Select trade → View Execution Details
- App: Go to Trade > My Trades > Order History
Hover over "Fees" to see detailed calculations.
How to Lower Your Trading Fees
Your fee tier is determined by one of two systems:
- Standard users: Based on OKB holdings
- VIP users: Based on 30-day trading volume and asset balance
The platform automatically assigns you the highest eligible tier across all product lines. For example:
| 30-Day Metric | Level Achieved |
|---|---|
| Spot Volume: $10M | VIP 2 |
| Futures Volume: $200M | VIP 3 |
| Options Volume: $5M | VIP 1 |
| Spreads Volume: $150M | VIP 2 |
| Asset Balance: $5M | VIP 4 |
→ Final Tier: VIP 4, applying to all instruments
Increasing your volume, holding more assets, or accumulating OKB can help you climb the ladder.
Common Questions About Trading Fees
Q1: Are opening and closing fees different for futures contracts?
No. There is no distinction between opening and closing fees. Both are charged based on the executed order size and apply maker/taker rates accordingly.
Q2: Are there fees during forced liquidation?
Yes. Forced liquidations incur fees calculated at your current taker rate.
Q3: Why do my unrealized and realized profits differ?
Unrealized P&L doesn't account for fees. Realized P&L deducts:
- Opening and closing trading fees
- Funding fees (for perpetual contracts)
For example:
- Unrealized profit: +15 USDT
- Opening fee: -4 USDT
- Closing fee: -5 USDT
- Funding cost: -1 USDT
→ Realized profit: +5 USDT
Q4: Why don’t historical orders and positions show the same profit?
In futures and options:
- Historical orders show only closing P&L
- Historical positions include closing P&L, funding, and total trading fees
Thus, position P&L reflects net gains after all deductions.
In margin trading, both records align since only closing P&L is tracked.
Q5: Can I get a rebate instead of paying fees?
Yes. Some high-tier makers receive negative fee rates (rebates). For instance:
- Maker rebate: -0.002%
- Selling 1 BTC at 20,000 USDT earns a 0.4 USDT rebate
Q6: Where can I find detailed fee rules for each pair?
Visit the trading page for any instrument and look for the Fees section in the order panel. You can also access comprehensive rules under More > Fee Rules.