Best Crypto Futures Trading Platforms

If we're talking about the best crypto futures trading platforms in the market, Binance is often the first name that comes to mind. It's the largest cryptocurrency exchange platform in the world, offering a wealth of features beyond just standard buying and selling digital assets.

Among those features, of course, is futures trading. As one of the platform's flagship products, Binance Futures offers various contract types to suit the different strategies and risk levels of any trader worldwide. The most prominent among these are:

• COIN-Margined (COIN-M): These contracts are settled and collateralized based on actual cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin or Ethereum). They’re ideal if you’re a long-term hodler looking to accumulate more of that specific coin.
• USD-Margined (USD-M): These contracts are settled in stablecoins like USDT or USDC. They're your go-to choice if you're a short-term trader who prefers simple calculations and easy conversion.

On top of futures, Binance also offers options contracts. The difference is that you're not locked into buying or selling at a set date and price. With options, you always have the right to make a move if the market shifts in your favor. This flexibility can come in handy if you're looking to manage risk or simply want more leeway in your strategy.

Like many of the best futures trading platforms crypto traders rely on, Binance offers attractive fees through a scalable, tiered system that rewards higher trading volumes.

The maker-taker fees for both COIN-M and USD-M futures start at 0.0200%/0.0500%. These rates can get cheaper as your monthly trade volume and your BNB holdings increase.

Speaking of Binance Coin, if you choose to pay with BNB, you can get an additional 10% discount on USDT-M, ETH/BTC, and USDC-M futures fees. However, this offer doesn't apply to the COIN-M contract.

When it comes to reliability and security, Binance is among the most trusted options. It uses top-notch security measures, complies with all regulatory standards, and implements strict KYC verification to protect its users.

All in all, it is one of the best crypto futures trading platforms out there. If you’re after a combination of reliability, competitive rates, and top-tier performance, Binance is definitely one of the top picks.

Kraken is another name that often comes up when talking about the best crypto futures trading platforms. As one of the most established exchanges in the world, it has built a solid reputation among crypto fans for its high reliability, robust security, and strict regulatory compliance.

The platform also seems to have just about everything a trader could ask for. From basic services like buying and selling crypto to an advanced derivatives market, both beginners and pros alike should feel at home.

As of writing this top crypto futures exchanges guide, Kraken provides access to over 200 perpetual contracts. Some popular assets you can trade include:

• Bitcoin
• Ethereum
• Tether
• Solana
• Dogecoin
• Cardano
• and more!

Kraken gives you ample flexibility when it comes to risk management. If you're more risk-averse, you can opt for an isolated margin to play it safe and limit your risk to a single trade. But if you're a seasoned pro, you might want to choose cross margin option for riskier trades with better flexibility.

Now, if you want to spice things up, Kraken offers up to 50x leverage, allowing you to open bigger positions than what’s in your wallet. Keep in mind, though, that while leverage can multiply profits, it also increases potential losses. So, use it wisely!

Fee-wise, Kraken has one of the most competitive structures in the industry. Its maker-taker fees for futures trading range from 0.02% to 0.05%, with rates dropping as low as -0.006% for makers and 0.01% for takers if you’re a high-volume trader.

You won't have to worry much about price slippage and volatility. Kraken's deep liquidity keeps trades on track at the price you expect, with spreads as tight as 1 pip. As the largest exchange by euro trading volume and a top player in Bitcoin liquidity, the platform ensures your trades always stay quick and smooth.

What's more, Kraken also provides an impressive set of advanced tools. You can access in-depth trading analytics, historical performance tracking, and a consolidated portfolio view to help you make informed decisions. The platform also has a clean and intuitive interface, which makes it easy to navigate, manage accounts, and execute trades.

Topping that with a wide array of funding options and extensive coin support, Kraken stands out among the top cryptocurrency trading platforms, especially if you're looking for a reliable altcoins and Bitcoin futures exchange.

If we’re talking about the best crypto futures exchange, it’s hard not to mention Bybit. Since its launch in 2018, it has quickly become a popular choice for cryptocurrency enthusiasts thanks to its reliability, accessibility, and innovative features.

Bybit was initially focused exclusively on derivatives trading, which helped it build a solid foothold in the market. As the platform grew, it added a wider range of crypto services while maintaining its commitment to providing a top-notch futures trading experience.

So, what can you expect from Bybit futures? Well, you’ve got plenty of options! For starters, you can trade perpetual contracts on over 450 different cryptocurrencies that can be settled in USDT, USDC, or even using the actual coin itself.

If you prefer something more structured, Bybit also provides contracts that expire weekly, monthly, or quarterly with the flexibility to settle in either stablecoin like USDT or the coin of your choice.

Another noteworthy feature is its flexible margin modes. If you prefer to keep your risk limited to a single trade, you can go with an isolated margin. But if you’re more experienced and want to maximize your collateral across multiple trades, cross-margin should be a better choice.

In addition, if you're looking to maximize returns, you can crank up the leverage to as high as 125x. On the other hand, remember that more leverage will mean more risk. Therefore, keep an eye on your trades to avoid unexpected losses.

When it comes to fees, Bybit uses a tiered structure. For perpetual and futures contracts, the rates start at 0.055% but can drop down to 0% if you reach the highest level.

If you run into any issues? Bybit's 24/7 customer support has your back. Plus, the platform takes security seriously with features like two-factor authentication, cold storage for funds, and regular security checks to keep your holdings safe.

With all these solid features and benefits, Bybit undoubtedly shines as one of the best crypto futures trading platforms worth exploring.

If you're living in the States and wondering, “Where can I trade crypto futures in the US reliably?” Coinbase is definitely one of the top options to consider.

The platform is well-regarded for being secure, trustworthy, and accessible to newcomers. It's primarily known for spot trading, cryptocurrency wallets, and staking. However, the exchange also offers futures contracts for those looking to diversify their portfolios.

Now, Coinbase doesn’t have the biggest lineup of futures contracts compared to some of its competitors. As of writing, they’ve got about 11 products, including Nano Bitcoin, Nano Ether, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Polkadot, and Shiba Inu.

Sure, the list of contracts isn't the longest, but it’s more than enough to get started for those mainly interested in big-name coins. So, if it's the Bitcoin futures exchange you're looking for, this platform will do just fine.

Coinbase uses a tiered fee structure that starts at 0.60%. While that’s a bit more expensive than some other best crypto futures trading platforms, those rates can drop significantly with higher transaction volumes. Plus, Coinbase occasionally offers promotional discounts to make the fees go even lower.

Another thing I also like about Coinbase is its focus on security. It employs top-notch encryption protocol, automatic two-factor authentication, and hardware security keys if you’re extra cautious.

And if you’re super serious about safety, the Coinbase vault features a multi-approval withdrawal option that you can utilize. This way, you can trade futures contracts with peace of mind, knowing your digital assets are well protected.

The exchange is also known for its strict legal compliance. As a US-based platform, it follows rigorous regulatory standards and requires you to complete a KYC process even just to create a free account. While this step might feel like a hassle, it’s an important measure for protecting users and ensuring a secure trading environment.

So, while Coinbase might not have the widest selection of futures contracts or the lowest fees, it definitely shines in terms of security, ease of use, and legal conformity. It's certainly the first name that comes to mind if you ask me, "Where can I trade crypto futures in the US safely?".

Founded in 2017, KuCoin started as a simple cryptocurrency exchange but has grown into a full-fledged trading platform with a wide variety of products.

KuCoin boasts an impressive lineup of 323 tradable futures products. With options like USDT-margined, USDC-margined, and coin-margined contracts, you have the flexibility on how your gains are settled.

In addition, KuCoin provides futures grid bots to help you maximize profits in a volatile market. These bots can automate your long and short positions at regular intervals within a set price range. It’s a handy tool to utilize if you want to benefit from fluctuations without having to keep an eye on the market all the time.

The platform also lets you take advantage of its cross-margin mode. This configuration allows you to maximize your account funds by using your entire futures account balance as the margin for all open positions.

For instance, USDT-margined contracts share the same margin pool, while coin-margined contracts are backed by their respective cryptocurrencies. This setup is ideal if you want to manage multiple trades, as it eliminates the hassle of constantly shifting funds or adjusting individual positions.

Now, if you're feeling more adventurous and ready to take on more risks, KuCoin provides Futures Plus. This feature is designed to let you maximize potential returns with leverage of up to 300x on popular coins like BTC, ETH, ADA, XRP, BNB, and DOGE. By subscribing to Futures Plus, you can:

• Go Long: The higher the price rises above the break-even point, the greater your returns. However, if prices drop below this point, losses increase accordingly.
• Go Short: The lower the price falls below the break-even, the higher your returns. Conversely, if prices rise, losses increase.

As for fees, KuCoin keeps things pretty competitive. The base rate starts at 0.020% for makers and 0.060% for takers. These can drop significantly as you climb the trading tiers, reaching as low as -0.008% for makers and 0.025% for takers at the highest levels.

All in all, KuCoin is undeniably one of the best crypto futures trading platforms out there. Its versatile contract options combined with robust security and user-friendly interface make it a solid contender that you should definitely check out.

BYDFi is a user-friendly trading platform designed for both beginner and experienced users. It offers various services, including spot trading, perpetual contracts, and copy trading, with support for hundreds of cryptocurrencies.

The platform provides you with all the essential tools to get started, along with some advanced features to explore the limitless potential of crypto trading once you're ready to level up.

BYDFi offers a decent lineup of over 150 trading pairs, with leverage going up to 200x. Sure, it may not have the wildest selection of altcoins, but it still covers popular options like BTC, ETH, and XRP. This is more than enough for most traders who used to trade the big names in crypto.

Talking about the fees, I think it has pretty reasonable rates of 0.06% for both USDT-M & COIN-M perpetual contracts. These are still budget-friendly compared to other platforms in the market.

Additionally, BYDFi scores points for its intuitive and user-friendly interface. The platform layout is clean and easy to navigate, with clearly displayed features that make executing trades very easy, even if you're a first-timer.

What stands out to me is its commitment to regulatory compliance across multiple regions. By following international regulations, BYDFi ensures a safe and compliant trading experience. It should give you peace of mind knowing that everything is aligned with global standards.

And yes, the exchange has regulatory conformity in the United States! So, if you’re asking, “Where can I trade crypto futures in the US?” BYDFi is definitely worth adding to your list of go-to platforms.

MEXC should definitely be on your radar if you're looking for the best crypto futures exchange. It has been around for over five years and has a proven track record of offering a high-performance and secure trading environment.

The platform offers a pretty extensive range of futures pairs to choose from. As of writing, it has more than 300 futures trading contracts, covering popular coins like BTC, ETH, and SOL to more niche tokens such as WLD, CATS, and VISTA.

For those looking to maximize their income and willing to take on a bit of risk, MEXC offers leverage options up to 200x.

Also, if you’ve been wondering what is futures trading crypto platform that offers low fees, MEXC could be one of your top choices. Its maker fees start as low as 0.000%, with taker fees at 0.020%. In addition, there are special discounts on select trading pairs that can bring the rates down to 0% for both makers and takers. That’s quite a sweet deal!

You also don’t need to worry about unstable trading conditions with MEXC. It claims to be an industry leader in market liquidity, with more than 90% of its pairs having considerable market depth. This means you can expect smoother trading even during volatile periods, helping to minimize the risk of sudden liquidations.

In terms of usability, MEXC keeps things simple and straightforward. The platform’s interface is clean and easy to navigate. Even with hundreds of contracts available, it's easy to find and select the ones you want.

On top of that, the exchange adopts industry-standard security protocols. You can benefit from various security measures, including identity verification, two-factor authentication, and anti-phishing codes. What's more, MEXC's servers are independently hosted across several countries to ensure the security and integrity of user data.

Overall, MEXC is an excellent choice for anyone seeking the best crypto futures trading platform with pretty low fees. Definitely worth keeping in mind!

Founded in 2012, Bitfinex remains a well-known name in the cryptocurrency market. It offers a wide range of crypto-related products to users all around the globe, including spot, staking, margin accounts, OTC, and, of course, futures trading.

Bitfinex provides more than 80 perpetual contracts. While it might not have the largest selection compared to other leading crypto futures exchanges, the contracts it does offer are carefully curated for liquidity. This approach makes Bitfinex especially popular among traders seeking less volatile assets, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum contracts.

When it comes to fees, Bitfinex is also quite competitive. Its maker rates start at 0.0200%, and taker ones are at 0.0650%. Plus, if you hold LEO tokens, you can get special discounts that can bring these fees down to 0%.

Now, what I really like about Bitfinex is its commitment to security. Most of the funds are stored offline in secure multi-signature cold wallets, and only around 0.5% of assets are kept in hot wallets for daily use. This protocol ensures that the bulk of your funds are well-protected.

In addition, Bitfinex has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. This is an important factor to consider for anyone seeking the best crypto futures trading platform with top standards in security, availability, and confidentiality.

You can also take advantage of Bitfinex's variety of advanced security measures to enhance the safety of your account. These protocols include two-factor authentication, email encryption, withdrawal protection, and more. Together, these features help you feel safer so you can focus on executing trades and monitoring the market movement.

All in all, while it may not offer the broadest range of future options, Bitfinex prioritizes quality, providing a carefully selected set of contracts that are more predictable and liquid.

If you're hunting for an underrated Bitcoin futures exchange, Phemex might just be the hidden gem you’ve been searching for.

Built with a focus on flexibility and user control, the platform combines a semi-centralized model with elements of DAO governance. It’s accessible to traders in over 200 countries, though, regrettably, it’s restricted in the US, UK, Canada, China, and Hong Kong.

Phemex provides two types of futures contracts: USDT-M and COIN-M options, with leverage reaching up to 100x for those willing to take on the risks for higher rewards. Note that if you’re trading COIN-M contracts, you’re limited to BTC and ETH as margin options.

The platform’s maker-taker fees start at 0.01% and 0.06%. These rates are pretty competitive, even among the best crypto futures trading platforms on the market. For those aiming to cut costs even further, Phemex also has a tier-based VIP structure that offers extra discounts based on your trading volume.

That said, more experienced users will appreciate the advanced tools packed into the interface of the platform. These handy kits are designed for seamless navigation and unlocking your full trading potential.

If you’re just starting out, don’t worry! Phemex has you covered with its mock trading feature. It will allow you to test strategies without putting real cash on the line. It’s a safe way to get comfortable before jumping into live trading.

Now, imagine you’ve made quite a gain from trading futures contracts and want to take it a bit easy. Phemex has you covered with its flexible earning and savings program. This "crypto piggy bank" allows you to park your fortune and earn passive income with interest rates of up to 10%. It’s a really nice setup if you want to grow your holdings with lower risk!

In short, Phemex is a versatile platform that deserves a spot among the best crypto futures trading platforms and is undoubtedly worth a look!

Gate.io might not be the first name that pops into your mind when you think of the best crypto futures trading platform. However, it has quietly earned a reputation as a reliable exchange trusted by millions worldwide.

Beyond its reliable spot and staking features, Gate.io offers a wide variety of derivative products. Its flagship offerings are the USDT-M and BTC-M, which have more than 100 perpetual futures contracts in total. But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

The platform also provides delivery futures options. This type of contract is settled on specific expiration dates, making it appealing to those interested in arbitrage or hedging.

Like many similar platforms on the market, Gate.io also offers cross-collateral features for its futures products.

What is futures trading crypto cross-collateral service, you might ask? Well, it’s a setup that allows you to use alternative assets in your spot account as guarantees for your trades.

On Gate.io, you can borrow up to 100,000 USDT using BTC or Ethereum as collateral with zero interest to leverage your existing assets for futures trading. Just remember to monitor it closely and stay aware of potential liquidation risks!

Now, for those of you who love automating your trading strategies, Gate.io has zero-cost quant trading tools. In just a few steps, you can set up a grid and CTA bots to automate your trading around the clock. It’s quite useful for maximizing profits without keeping an eye on the market all the time.

As for fees, Gate.io offers decent rates similar to those on some other crypto futures exchanges. Taker fees range from 0.015% to 0.05%, while maker fees range from 0.00% to 0.02%. These rates are tied to your VIP level, so the more you trade, the less you pay.