12 Best Crypto Futures Trading Platforms 2024

Futures are a popular way to trade cryptocurrencies, especially if you seek leverage. Traders can also go long or short when trading futures, meaning profits can be made from rising and falling prices.

This guide ranks the best crypto futures trading platforms for 2024. I also explain how futures trading works, which instruments are available, and what best practices to follow.

Reviewing the Top Crypto Futures Trading Sites

I’ll now review the top Bitcoin futures trading platforms. I discuss everything from maximum leverage and supported markets to fees, payments, and security. Read on to make an informed decision.

1. PrimeXBT – The Overall Best Place to Trade Crypto Futures

I found that PrimeXBT is the overall best option when trading crypto futures. It’s a great option for trading futures with high leverage limits and one of the best crypto leverage trading platforms with a minimum margin requirement of just 0.5%. This means a $100,000 futures position would require an upfront balance of $500. However, do note that lower leverage will be offered when trading smaller-cap futures, such as Decentraland, Axie Infinity, and EOS.

Nevertheless, PrimeXBT specializes in perpetual futures and trading commissions are super competitive. Market takers pay just 0.02% per slide. Cheaper commissions of 0.01% are offered to market makers. I also like that PrimeXBT has a minimum deposit requirement of just $1. Moreover, PrimeXBT doesn’t charge deposit fees.

Payment methods include cryptocurrencies, debit/credit cards, Perfect Money, and P2P deposits via Paxful. In addition to futures, PrimeXBT also supports contracts-for-differences (CFDs). These support traditional financial markets like forex, indices, and commodities. PrimeXBT also offers copy trading tools for a passive investing experience that is best suited for beginner traders. Users can even create accounts with no KYC requirements.

Visit PrimeXBT

2. Margex – High-Liquidity Crypto Futures Exchange with 100x Leverage

Another top crypto futures exchange is Margex. With up to 100x leverage, the platform specializes in crypto derivatives and focuses on its user-centric approach to trading. Notably, the site has no KYC requirements, so users can seamlessly start trading futures contracts with just an email and password.

Additionally, Margex leverages its deep liquidity pools and cutting-edge trading infrastructure to provide an average trading speed of less than 8 milliseconds. The platform has the capacity to accept up to 100,000 trades per second, a key feature to prevent slippage in volatile and high-volume market conditions.

As a relatively new platform founded in 2019, Margex’s security standards remain limited as the site has yet to be regulated by tier-one institutions. However, measures like 100% cold storage, two-factor authentication (2FA), and real-time fraud detection safeguard users’ crypto holdings. New crypto futures traders can utilize Margex’s copy trading feature to open positions without the need for deeper market analysis. 

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3. MEXC – Leading Crypto Futures Exchange with up to 100x leverage

MEXC specializes in crypto perpetual futures, and thousands of markets are supported. This includes some of the best meme coins, such as Pepe, Sundog, Dogecoin, Bonk, and Shiba Inu. The maximum leverage when trading large caps is 200x.

Smaller-cap markets come with lower leverage levels of between 20x and 100x. Most MEXC futures are settled in USDT, and long and short trading are supported. It’s also possible to trade inverse futures, with the position settled in the underlying crypto. Crucially, MEXC offers rock-bottom trading fees. Market takers pay just 0.02% per slide.

No commissions are charged when placing limit orders. MEXC is also a great option for trading anonymously. No personal information or ID verification documents are needed, although withdrawal limits will apply. MEXC also offers advanced trading tools, such as technical indicators. Other markets include spot, copy, and P2P trading. MEXC has also ended up as #1 on our list of best Coinbase alternatives.

Feel free to check out our in-depth MEXC Review to learn more about this top-ranking crypto exchange.

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4. BloFin – Secure Crypto Futures Platform with User-Friendly Interface

BloFin is another leading crypto futures exchange offering a comprehensive derivatives trading experience for over 400 crypto pairs. The platform focuses on becoming a dependable trading system and trustworthy exchange. With up to 150x leverage and Blofin’s diverse crypto asset selection, users have many options and trading opportunities with this exchange.

Another key feature of BloFin is its industry-level security and asset management. The platform holds a 1:1 reserve of all user crypto holdings, providing full transparency of funds. Additionally, asset custody is held by Fireblocks to maintain top-tier protection of assets. All these benefits can be enjoyed with the BloFin app, available for iOS and Android.

In addition to the seamless crypto futures trading experience, BloFin offers crypto trading bots and copy trading. The exchange’s signal trading bot is an automated tool that simplifies derivatives trading by allowing users to code trade executions when certain conditions are detected. Moreover, BloFin’s copy trading feature enables users to follow the positions of the most elite traders.

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5. OKX – A Great Option for Trading Bitcoin Delivery Futures   

OKX is the best option for trading crypto delivery futures. These replicate traditional futures markets and are settled in US dollars. Multiple expiry dates are available, ensuring flexible trading conditions. For instance, the March 2025 Bitcoin futures market comes with a strike price of just over $59,900. Traders can go long or short and apply leverage of up to 20x.

Delivery futures are also available for Ethereum and XRP. In addition, OKX also offers perpetual futures. Not only are hundreds of perpetual markets supported but the maximum leverage increases to 100x. This covers some of the best altcoins including Solana, Aave, Pepe, Toncoin, Maker, and SushiSwap.

OKX is also a good option for trading crypto options. It offers deep options chains for Bitcoin and Ethereum, alongside advanced analysis tools. In terms of fees, both delivery and perpetual futures can be traded at 0.02% when placing limit orders. Market orders are more expensive at 0.05%.

Be sure to check out our dedicated OKX Review if you want a deeper understanding of this crypto exchange.

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6. Bybit – Supports Hundreds of Perpetual Futures and Advanced Trading Tools   

The next crypto futures trading platform to consider is Bybit; a tier-one exchange with over 45 million registered users. Bybit supports hundreds of perpetual futures markets and the maximum leverage is 125x. This includes some of the best cryptocurrencies to buy, such as Bitcoin, Polygon, Solana, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Cardano, and Uniswap.

Perpetual futures can be settled in USDT or USDC. Inverse contracts, settled in the underlying crypto, are also available. Bybit even offers delivery futures with weekly, monthly, and quarterly settlement dates, not to mention fully-fledged options chains for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

Bybit also stands out for its advanced trading feature. It comes with TradingView integration, hundreds of technical indicators, and customizable drawing tools. Bybit also offers copy trading and automated futures bots. It takes seconds to get started – Bybit is a KYC-free trading platform. Bybit can be accessed on web browsers and an iOS/Android app.

Visit Bybit

7. Binance – Trade Crypto Futures Passively via Copy Trading and Bots   

Binance is also one of the best crypto futures trading platforms. It supports hundreds of perpetual futures markets, covering everything from Ethereum, Pepe, and Bitcoin to Solana, Cardano, and Litecoin. Binance recently increased the maximum leverage limit to 125x. That said, limits will be reduced when trading less liquid markets.

Nonetheless, Binance is a great option for trading futures passively. First, there’s the copy trading feature. You can replicate the positions of an experienced trader like-for-like. Second, Binance also offers futures trading bots. Multiple strategies are available, including algorithmic and arbitrage trading. You can also niche down into long, short, or sideways bots.

In addition to perpetuals, Binance also offers delivery futures. Only Bitcoin and Ethereum are supported. You can also trade options; markets cover Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, XRP, and Dogecoin. Binance charges commissions of 0.02% when placing limit orders. Market orders are charged 0.05%.

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8. KuCoin – Top Futures Platform for Trading High-Risk Meme Coins   

KuCoin is a solid option if you’re looking to speculate on meme coins via perpetual futures. Settled in USDT, KuCoin futures cover some of the best Solana meme coins, including dogwifhat, Bonk, Myro, BOOK OF MEME, and Slerf. Other popular meme coins include Pepe, FLOKI, Dogecoin, Brett, Popcat, and DOGS.

All supported futures markets can be traded with leverage. The maximum limit is 100x but this will be reduced for small-cap meme coins. KuCoin’s trading suite will appeal to experienced pros. It offers customizable charts with drawing tools like the Fibonacci retracement levels. A wide selection of technical indicators are supported too.

KuCoin also offers deep order books and volume indicators. Moving on to fees, KuCoin charges 0.02% and 0.06% for market makers and takers, respectively. Commissions are reduced when hitting minimum volume requirements or holding KCS tokens. In addition to futures, KuCoin also offers spot trading, leveraged tokens, instant conversions, and automated bots.

Visit KuCoin

9. Gate.io – Trade Weekly and Quarterly Futures on Bitcoin and Popular Altcoins   

Gate.io is a popular crypto exchange that doubles up as a futures trading platform. It offers delivery futures with weekly and quarterly settlement dates. Bitcoin and popular altcoins are supported, including EOS, Solana, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and XRP. The maximum leverage available is 100x and both long and short positions are supported.

Gate.io also offers perpetual futures markets, settled in USDT or BTC. A much wider selection of cryptocurrencies is available, including trending meme coins like Bonk, dogwifhat, and GameStop. Gate.io is also worth considering for copy trading. There are hundreds of experienced futures traders to choose from and everything is completely automated.

You can also trade futures via bots; strategies can be filtered by the return on investment, cumulative profits, and other important metrics. Gate.io fees align with the market average; makers and takers pay 0.02% and 0.05%, respectively. Discounts are available when trading larger amounts.

Check out our detailed Gate.io Review to learn more.

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How Does Crypto Futures Trading Work?

Crypto futures won’t be suitable for all trading styles. I’ll now take a much closer look at how this trading scene works. Read on to evaluate whether futures trading is right for you.

Derivative Trading Products

Futures are derivative trading products. In simple terms, this means they replicate market prices, rather than providing ownership of the crypto assets. For example, suppose you buy BTC/USD futures. You’ll make a profit if the BTC/USD price increases. But you won’t own the underlying BTC.

In addition, it’s important to learn the different types of crypto futures that can be traded. This is typically a choice between perceptual and delivery futures.

Perpetual Futures

The vast majority of crypto traders opt for perpetual futures. While similar to delivery futures, perpetuals come without an expiry date. In theory, this means you can hold perpetual futures positions indefinitely. However, as I cover later, this wouldn’t be a smart move, considering the fees involved.

Nonetheless, perpetual futures mimic the spot price of the respective asset. For example, suppose ETH/USD trades at $2,346. An ETH/USD perpetual contract should also be priced at $2,346. This enables traders to speculate on ETH/USD without taking ownership, while still profiting from its price movements.

Crucially, perpetuals offer a much wider range of markets when compared to delivery futures. This is because they’re easier for trading platforms to deploy and settle. For example, MEXC offers thousands of perpetual markets, but only BTC and ETH when trading delivery futures.

Delivery Futures

Delivery futures also have a place in the crypto derivative space. Especially if you’re looking to deploy longer-term strategies, such as swing trading. In a nutshell, delivery futures always come with an expiry date. This can be anywhere from a week up to three months. Some platforms even offer annual contracts, although these are less common.

Unlike perpetuals, delivery futures have a ‘strike price’. This rises and falls in real time based on demand and supply. The objective is to predict whether the futures contract will expire above or below the strike price.

Let’s cover a quick example, considering delivery futures are complex financial instruments:

• Suppose a trader wants to speculate on BTC/USD
• They’re quoted a $56,000 strike price on a quarterly contract
• You believe that BTC/USD will be worth considerably more than $56,000 in three months
• Therefore, you purchase long contracts on BTC/USD futures
• We’ll say each contract is worth $5,000 and you buy two ($10,000 total trade)
• The BTC/USD price is $76,000 when the contracts expire (about 35.7% above the strike price)
• You invested $10,000, so your total profit is $3,570

Of course, if BTC/USD closed below the strike price on expiry, you would have made a loss. For instance, suppose the BTC/USD price declined by 10%. You risked $10,000, so you’d be left with $9,000 ($1,000 loss).

Going Long and Short

Both perpetual and delivery futures support long and short trading.

In simple terms:

• Going long means you believe the futures price will increase. You’d need to place a buy order.
• Going short means you believe the futures price will decline. You’d need to place a sell order.

While long positions are supported in the spot trading markets, this isn’t the case with short-selling. This is one of the core benefits of crypto futures trading.

For example:

• Let’s say the crypto markets have been bullish for several months
• You believe the markets are about to peak, so want to short XRP
• You place a $1,000 sell order on XRP/USD perpetual futures
• A few days later, XRP/USD has declined by 20%
• You cash out the trade, making a $200 profit (20% of $1,000)

Margin Requirements and Leverage

Another core benefit of futures trading is margin and leverage. Put simply, this means you can trade cryptocurrencies with significantly more than you have available. I mentioned earlier that PrimeXBT offers 200x leverage when trading perpetuals.

Here’s an example of how a 200x leveraged position works:

• Let’s say you want to go long on SOL/USD, which is currently priced at $130
• You want to risk $2,000 on this trade, leveraged at 200x
• This means the trade value is $400,000
• SOL/USD increases by 15% after a rapid market rebound
• You would have made $300 on a standard $2,000 trade
• However, that $300 gain is amplified to $60,000, considering you leveraged by 200x

That said, trading with high leverage isn’t recommended – the futures position can be liquidated.

Liquidation in the Crypto Futures Market 

Liquidation is the biggest risk when crypto trading with futures. This happens when the futures position declines but more than the margin balance. In the example above, I explained that a $2,000 trade was leveraged by 200x to $400,000. This means the upfront margin requirement was 0.5%.

Now, let’s say the SOL/USD position declined by 0.5% before rebounding. This mirrors the margin requirement, so your futures position would have been liquidated by the platform. This means the platform keeps the upfront margin, which was $2,000. Moreover, the trade is immediately closed, so you’ve got no way of recording the loss.

It’s more risk-averse to trade with lower leverage levels. This will reduce the risk of being liquidated. For example, suppose you traded with 10x leverage instead of 200x. You risked $2,000, which amplifies the position to $20,000. This means the margin requirement is 10%. As such, the trade will only be liquidated if it declines by 10%, a considerable increase from 0.5%.

The below shows the approximate liquidation point for the most common leverage levels:

Crypto Futures Trading vs Regular Crypto Trading

While some similarities are shared, crypto futures and regular trading have many differences. Read on to determine which trading market is right for you.

Asset Ownership

The first key difference between futures and regular trading is ownership.

When you trade on the traditional spot markets, you are directly purchasing the respective asset. For example, suppose you’re trading ETH/USD. You’re swapping USD for ETH, meaning you own the ETH coins. You can then choose what to do with that ETH. For instance, you can withdraw it to a private wallet or invest it in a staking pool.

In contrast, you don’t own anything when you trade futures. Suppose you go long on ETH/USD perpetuals. While you believe the ETH/USD price will increase, you can’t access the ETH coins. Instead, you can only close the position; you’ll make a profit or loss depending on the exit price. The proceeds will be paid in USD.

Short and Long-Term Strategies

Regular trading is particularly suitable for long-term strategies. For example, suppose you purchase BTC/USD. You transfer the BTC coins to a private wallet and hold them for several years. You can redeposit those coins into an exchange at any time and sell them for fiat or another crypto. Crucially, you can hold for as long as you want without incurring fees.

Conversely, futures trading is best suited for shorter-term strategies, especially day trading. This is because futures positions attract funding fees. This is often charged daily at a set time. The fees will be reduced from the margin balance, meaning you inch closer to liquidation as each day passes.

Market Flexibility

Regular trading doesn’t offer much flexibility. You buy coins because you believe their price will increase. Suppose you invest in XRP. The only way you will make a profit is if the XRP price increases. This isn’t the case with futures, as short-selling is supported. This means you can profit from bearish markets.

What’s more, futures are ideal for increasing the trading bankroll. You can amplify the account balance by up to 200x on some platforms. Regular trading doesn’t offer the same luxury. Although some exchanges offer conventional margin accounts, the leverage ratio will be minute.

Pros & Cons of Trading Crypto Futures

Let’s summarize the pros and cons of crypto futures trading:

How do Crypto Futures Trading Fees Work?

Even the best crypto futures trading platforms charge fees. It’s important to know what you’re paying before entering a position. Crucially, fees can be substantial when trading futures with high leverage. This is also the case when keeping positions open for too long, as per funding fees.

Let’s take a closer look at what fees to expect when trading crypto futures.

Futures Trading Commissions

Similar to regular trading, crypto futures attract commissions. This will be a percentage commission multiplied by the trade size. Now, you’ll notice that futures commissions are almost always lower than the spot markets, at least in percentage terms. However, futures commissions also take into account the leverage applied.

For example:

• Suppose the trading platform charges a 0.02% commission on perpetual futures
• You risk $1,000 at 50x leverage, meaning the total position is worth $50,000
• The 0.02% commission is multiplied by $50,000, so that’s $10
• Without leverage, the commission would be just $0.20

Similar to spot trading, futures commissions must also be paid when closing the position.

Leading on from the above example:

• Your futures trade has increased by 5%
• This means the $50,000 position is now worth $52,500
• You pay a 0.02% commission when closing the trade, so that’s $10.5

Funding Fees

Beginners frequently forget to incorporate funding fees when trading futures. This fee is based on the leverage multiple, as you’re essentially borrowing capital to fund the trade. Like any lending agreement, leverage attracts interest. This is often charged every 8 hours.

For example:

• Suppose you’re long on BTC/USD futures with 20x leverage
• Your margin is $1,000, so the total trade size is $20,000
• Of that $20,000, you’ve borrowed $19,000, which will attract funding fees
• The funding fees are automatically deducted from the margin balance
• For instance, suppose you pay $10 after 8 hours
• This means your margin balance has been reduced from $1,000 to $990

However, it’s important to note that funding fees won’t always be charged when the next 8-hour cycle arrives. This is because it’s only charged to one side of the market; either those going long or short.

For instance, the example above mentioned that you’re long on BTC/USD. You might be charged funding fees in 8 hours. But in the following 8 hours, the funding fees might be charged to short-sellers. This is based on whether the funding rate is positive or negative. It’s determined by the imbalance between futures and spot trading prices.

Funding fees aren’t found in the spot markets, considering leverage isn’t utilized.

How to Pick a Crypto Futures Trading Platform

Still not sure how to select the best crypto futures trading platform?

These are the most important considerations to make:

• Type of Futures: First, you’ll need to decide between perpetual or delivery futures. Some platforms specialize in one type, while others offer both. Perpetuals are best suited for scalping, day trading, and other very short-term strategies. Delivery futures are ideal for swing traders, considering monthly and quarterly contracts are often available.
• Supported Markets: Next, explore which futures markets are supported. Almost all platforms will offer large caps like Bitcoin, Solana, BNB, XRP, and Ethereum. However, you’ll need to do some digging if you’re interested in less liquid markets, such as the best Base meme coins. MEXC is a great option in this regard, as it offers thousands of futures markets.
• Leverage Limits: Most futures traders apply leverage to their positions. Consider exploring how much leverage is available for the markets you want to trade. For example, OKX offers leverage of up to 100x when trading large-cap perpetuals. However, limits are reduced to 20x when trading delivery futures.
• Trading Fees: Fees can quickly add up when trading crypto futures. Especially when trading with high leverage. Focus on platforms with the lowest commissions and funding rates. Some platforms offer discounts when meeting 30-day trading targets. This is also possible when holding the platform’s native tokens (e.g. OKB tokens on OKX).
• Order Types: The best crypto futures trading platforms offer multiple order types. At a minimum, this should include buy and sell orders, allowing you to go long or short, respectively. Limit, market, stop-loss, and take-profit orders should also be available. This ensures you can trade crypto futures with risk management in mind.
• Tools and Features: We’d also suggest exploring what tools and features are offered. This should include comprehensive pricing charts, indicators, and drawing tools. You might also like automated bots or copy trading for a passive experience. Integration with third-party platforms like TradingView is also beneficial.
• KYC Requirements: Some futures traders prefer anonymity. In this regard, choose a platform that offers accounts without KYC requirements. This means you can register with an email address or telephone number only. It also means you won’t be asked for ID documents. However, withdrawal limits are often in place when trading without KYC.
• Payments: Evaluate what payment methods are accepted when depositing and withdrawing funds. I prefer futures platforms that support cryptocurrencies and fiat money. You should also check what payment fees apply, especially if opting for a debit/credit card.

How to Trade Crypto Futures

I’ll now explain how to trade crypto futures, using PrimeXBT for this walkthrough. Read on to start futures trading cryptocurrencies in under 10 minutes.

• Step 1: Open a PrimeXBT Account – First, visit the PrimeXBT website and register an account. All that’s needed is an email address and password. You can also register with a telephone number.
• Step 2: Deposit Funds – Next, deposit some funds into your PrimeXBT account. Opt for cryptocurrencies if you want to remain anonymous. Otherwise, you can use fiat money, but ID verification will be needed.
• Step 3: Choose a Futures Market – Click the ‘Futures’ button at the top of the page; you’ll be redirected to the BTC/USDT perpetuals page. Click ‘BTC USDT’ on the left-hand side and search for the futures market you want to trade.
• Step 4: Select a Buy or Sell Order – The next step is to choose between a buy or sell order. Select a buy order if you believe the futures price will increase. And a sell order if you think the price will decline.
• Step 5: Set up a Market or Limit Order – Select a market order if you want to execute the trade at the next best available price. Alternatively, choose a limit order if you want to set the execution price. For example, BTC/USD might be trading at $59,500. But you want to enter the market at $60,000.
• Step 6: Choose Leverage Amount – Now select the leverage amount by using the slider. This ranges from 1x to 200x on major markets like BTC/USD and ETH/USD.
• Step 7: Place Futures Trade – Finally, check everything has been entered correctly, including the trade direction (long or short), amount (upfront margin), and leverage multiple. You can confirm the orders to enter the futures trade.

You can close the futures trade manually at any time. However, it’s best to have an exit strategy. This is where take-profit orders can help. You can automatically close the trade when the profit target is triggered. For example, suppose the BTC/USD trade was entered at $60,000. You want to make 10%. Therefore, you can set the take-profit order at $66,000.

Conclusion

Crypto futures come with many benefits, including high leverage and the option for short-selling. They’re highly accessible too, with many platforms supporting KYC-free accounts.

Overall, I rate PrimeXBT as the best crypto futures trading platform. It offers leverage of up to 200x, dozens of futures contracts are supported, and only an email address is needed to register. However, consider the risks before proceeding.

Visit PrimeXBT

FAQs

What is the best platform to trade futures crypto?

PrimeXBT is the best platform to trade crypto futures. It offers dozens of perpetual crypto futures with leverage of up to 200x.

Is Bybit or Binance better for futures trading?

Bybit is a great option for trading smaller-cap futures markets, especially meme coins. Binance is a solid choice for automated futures strategies, including copy trading and bots.

What are the fees for trading crypto futures?

Crypto futures attract commissions, which are paid when entering and exiting a trade. Leveraged positions will also incur funding fees.

What is the difference between a perpetual and standard futures exchange?

Perpetual futures never expire, while delivery futures have a settlement date. Both invite leverage and short-selling.

What are the best crypto futures trading platforms in the USA?

The best crypto futures trading platform for USA clients is Coinbase. It offers regulated crypto futures with 10x leverage.

Which crypto futures platform offers the highest leverage?

PrimeXBT is a great option for futures traders seeking high leverage. It offers leverage limits of up to 200x.

What is the cheapest futures trading platform for crypto?

PrimeXBT is the cheapest futures trading platform for crypto. It has no deposit fees and low trading costs.

How are profits from crypto futures trading taxed?

Profits from crypto futures will be taxed as capital gains. This is the case in most jurisdictions.

References

1. Basics of Futures Trading (Commodity Futures Trading Commission)
2. Prominent Global Cryptocurrency Exchange KuCoin And Two Of Its Founders Criminally Charged With Bank Secrecy Act And Unlicensed Money Transmission Offenses (U.S. Attorney’s Office – Southern District of New York)
3. Perpetual Futures Pricing (The Wharton School Research Paper)
4. What About the Role of Margin in Futures Trading? (Charles Schwab)