Best Crypto Margin Trading Platforms in January 2025

Leverage trading is like adding extra firepower to your crypto trades by giving you access to additional capital. This means you can open positions far larger than your initial investment—ideal for amplifying potential profits. But remember, just as gains are supercharged, so are losses, so tread carefully.

This article reviews the best platforms, highlighting those with high leverage limits, low fees, top-notch security, and user-friendly interfaces. You’ll also find tools for in-depth market analysis and strategies to help manage risk effectively.

If that weren’t enough, I also cover insights on setting stop-losses to protect your investment.

If you’re new to margin trading or want a quick refresh, stick around as I break down the basics. I look at best crypto margin trading platforms for maximizing rewards while minimizing potential downsides. Buckle up and let’s explore the tools and platforms that can help you trade like a pro!

Reviewing the Top Crypto Margin Trading Platforms

Margin accounts carry considerably more risk when compared to traditional spot trading. Traders should consider various metrics when selecting a platform, including financing fees, leverage caps, risk-management tools, and supported markets.

I’ll now review the best crypto margin trading exchanges listed above, ensuring the most important factors are discussed.

1. PrimeXBT – The Overall Best Crypto Margin Trading Platform

• Minimum margin: 0.5%
• Maximum leverage: 200x
• Supported margin markets: 30
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.01% (makers), 0.02% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: $1
• Withdrawal fees: From $0.5 (depending on the vendor or blockchain)

My overall top pick for crypto margin trading is PrimeXBT. It offers margin facilities when trading crypto futures. These are perpetual contracts without settlement dates, and both long and short positions are supported. The minimum margin requirement is 0.5%. This amounts to leverage of 200x, meaning $20,000 worth of capital for every $100 risked. 

However, only Bitcoin and Ethereum futures get the maximum leverage amount. Other cryptocurrencies come with lower limits. Nonetheless, the best altcoins are supported, including Litecoin, Cardano, BNB, Chainlink, Uniswap, Cosmos, and Solana. PrimeXBT is also renowned for its low-fee policy.

Like many margin platforms, it offers a market maker (limit orders) and taker (market orders) system. Commissions are 0.01% and 0.02% per slide, respectively. Funding fees also apply, varying depending on the crypto and trading conditions. PrimeXBT also offers contracts-for-differences (CFDs), covering forex, gold, silver, oil, indices, and more.

2. MEXC – Trade 500+ Crypto Margin Products at 0% Commission 

• Minimum margin: 0.5%
• Maximum leverage: 200x
• Supported margin markets: 503
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0% (makers), 0.02% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: Depends on the asset (e.g., 0.0001 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Withdrawal fees: Depends on the asset (e.g., 0.0001 BTC for Bitcoin)

MEXC is one of the largest margin trading platforms for daily volume. It offers some of the lowest commissions in the industry, with market takers paying just 0.02% per slide. This can be reduced to 0.01% when holding MX, MEXC’s native token. Market makers avoid commissions completely, meaning only financing fees must be covered.

MEXC, which boasts over 15 million users, offers a huge range of markets. This includes over 500 perpetual futures, covering the best cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and BNB. Low-cap and new cryptocurrencies are supported too, not to mention meme coins like Pepe, FLOKI, and dogwifhat.

MEXC has a minimum margin requirement of 0.5%, meaning 200x leverage. However, smaller caps are in place on less liquid markets. Users can easily deposit funds, with both fiat money and crypto supported. MEXC also offers 24/7 customer support and copy trading tools. However, US clients aren’t accepted.

3. Margex – Top-Rated Futures Platform With Copy Trading and Margin Facilities

• Minimum margin: 1%
• Maximum leverage: 100x
• Supported margin markets: 49
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.019% (makers), 0.06% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: $10
• Withdrawal fees: Depends on the asset (e.g. 0.002 BTC for Bitcoin)

Margex is considered one of the best crypto futures trading platforms. It offers 49 perpetual futures contracts, with new markets being added regularly. The minimum margin requirement is 1% on Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, and TRON. This converts to 100x leverage. Other futures markets have a higher margin requirement of 2% (50x) or 4% (25x).

Nonetheless, Margex is another margin platform offering low fees. Market makers and takers pay 0.019% and 0.06% per slide, respectively. No discounts are available when meeting 30-day milestones, which could be a drawback for large-scale traders. Margex offers fee-free crypto deposits but withdrawal charges depend on the asset.

For example, Bitcoin withdrawals cost 0.002 BTC. Margex is also a good option for copy trading. This means beginners can automatically replicate experienced margin traders passively. It also supports instant crypto purchases via debit/credit cards and e-wallets. Margex is a no-KYC exchange, so getting started doesn’t require personal information.

Visit Margex

4. BloFin – A Great Option for Trading Meme Coins With Margin

• Minimum margin: 0.67%
• Maximum leverage: 150x
• Supported margin markets: 300+
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.02% (makers), 0.06% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: Depends on the asset (e.g., 0.0002 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Withdrawal fees: Stated when requesting the withdrawal

BloFin is another top-rated margin trading platform offering multiple benefits. To start with, BloFin is a no-KYC exchange; users can withdraw up to 20,000 USDT without providing personal information or ID documents. Accounts take seconds to open, considering only an email address or mobile number is needed.

What’s more, BloFin accepts debit/credit cards and other convenient payment methods. BloFin – which also supports spot trading, offers more than 300 perpetual futures markets. This covers the best meme coins, ranging from FLOKI, Shiba Inu, Pepe, Turbo, Myro, dogwifhat, and Dogecoin.

The minimum margin requirement at BloFin is approximately 0.67%, meaning leverage of up to 150x. That said, trading commissions are slightly higher than other margin platforms. Market makers and takers pay 0.02% and 0.06%, respectively. Lower commissions are available when trading higher amounts.

Visit BloFin

5. CEX.IO- Pioneering Crypto Exchange Offering Multi-Collateral Margin Trading and Enhanced Liquidity

• Minimum margin: 25%
• Maximum leverage: 10x
• Supported margin markets: 30
• Crypto margin trading fees: 0.1% for opening and closing trades, 0.005% rollover fee, 1% liquidation fee
• Minimum deposit: $20, crypto varies
• Withdrawal fees: 0.49%-4.99% for card, 0.3% + $25 for SWIFT, $2.99 for Wire Transfers, Crypto varies

CEX.IO is one of the pioneers in the industry. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in London,  CEX.IO is available in most countries and allows users to buy and sell crypto using multiple options such as credit/debit card, Google/Apple Pay, Swift, wire transfer, PayPal, Skrill, and more.

Boasting over 15 million users worldwide, CEX.IO offers margin trading that supports multi-collateral functionality. By enabling traders to provide multiple collateral assets, CEX.IO enhances the user’s trading experience, improving efficiency and reducing costs for traders. Accessing up to 10x leverage depending on location, the CEX.IO trading engine is top-tier, aggregating liquidity from multiple external sources, which ensures accurate price alignment and near-zero spreads on most trading pairs. You can learn more about this top-tier exchange in our dedicated CEX.IO Review

6. OKX – Margin Accounts Support Delivery Futures and Options 

• Minimum margin: 1%
• Maximum leverage: 100x
• Supported margin markets: 208
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.02% (makers), 0.05% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: Depends on the asset (e.g., 0.0005 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Withdrawal fees: Depends on the asset (e.g., 0.00005 BTC for Bitcoin)

OKX is one of the largest crypto exchanges globally. In addition to spot trading, it also offers 208 margin products. This includes perpetual futures with leverage of up to 100x. OKX also supports delivery futures for Bitcoin and Ethereum. These are ideal for longer-term margin positions, with settlement dates of over six months.

What’s more, delivery futures save fees, as overnight financing doesn’t apply. OKX also offers margin facilities via Bitcoin and Ethereum options. These come with short and long-term maturity dates and multiple strike prices. Trading commissions for futures markets are 0.02% for makers and 0.05% for takers.

Makers also get 0.02% commissions when trading options, although takers pay 0.03%. OKX – which requires KYC for all registered users, accepts fiat and crypto deposits. The former includes local bank transfers and debit/credit cards. Other features include automated bots, copy trading, earning tools, and a decentralized wallet.

7. Bybit – Speculate on 1,000+ Margin Products Including Pre-Market Perps

• Minimum margin: 0.5%
• Maximum leverage: 200x
• Supported margin markets: 1,000+
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.02% (makers), 0.055% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: No minimum (except Solana; 0.01 SOL)
• Withdrawal fees: Stated when requesting the withdrawal

Bybit is a popular crypto trading platform with tier-one liquidity and 1,000+ margin products. This includes pre-market futures, enabling traders to speculate on new cryptocurrencies before launching on Bybit. For instance, it currently offers pre-market contracts on Scroll, traded as SCR/USD.

Over $16 million worth of SCR/USD has been traded in the past 24 hours, covering almost 5,000 market participants. Bybit also offers perpetual futures with a minimum margin requirement of 0.5%. This converts to $20,000 worth of trading capital for every $100 deposited.

Margin traders will also find delivery futures for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. Settlement dates extend to 12 months, making them ideal for long-term speculation with leverage. Options markets are also supported for these three cryptocurrencies. Bybit charges 0.02% and 0.055% to makers and takers, respectively.

8. Binance – Passively Trade Leveraged Crypto Markets via Automated Bots  

• Minimum margin: 0.8%
• Maximum leverage: 125x
• Supported margin markets: 384
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.02% (makers), 0.05% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: Depends on the asset (e.g. 0.000006 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Withdrawal fees: Depends on the asset: (e.g. 0.0001 BTC for Bitcoin)

Binance is the world’s largest exchange for margin trading. It has over 235 million users and more than $60 billion worth of derivatives were traded in the past 24 hours. This ensures that Binance traders have access to premium liquidity and ultra-tight spreads. A wider range of margin markets are available, including hundreds of futures.

This covers perpetual and delivery contracts. The minimum requirement is 0.8%, meaning leverage of up to 125x. Futures trading fees are 0.02% for makers and 0.05% for takers, per slide. Discounts are available when holding BNB or meeting monthly volume targets. Binance also enables users to trade leveraged options.

This covers Bitcoin, BNB, Dogecoin, XRP, and Ethereum. That said, one of Binance’s best features is its in-house bots. These can trade margin products autonomously. Thousands of bot strategies are available and key metrics can be customized, such as stop-loss and leverage levels. Binance also offers copy trading, which is another passive investing tool.

9. KuCoin – Trade Long and Short on Margin Without Being Liquidated  

• Minimum margin: 0.8%
• Maximum leverage: 125x
• Supported margin markets: 187
• Crypto margin trading fees (per slide): 0.01% (makers), 0.01% (takers)
• Minimum deposit: $5
• Withdrawal fees: Depends on the asset: (e.g. 0.0005 BTC for Bitcoin)

KuCoin is an established crypto exchange that supports 187 derivative markets. This includes USD and Coin-margined perpetuals, with popular assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. However, a more unique offering is KuCoin’s leveraged tokens. These replicate spot trading prices but with a 2x or 3x multiple.

Crucially, traders can go long or short without being liquidated. This is because positions are simply multiplied by the price movement. For example, suppose you risk $100 on a ‘3x Bitcoin long’. If Bitcoin increases by 5%, your position would rise by 15%. And, if Bitcoin declined by 10%, your position would drop by 30%.

This is a more risk-averse way of trading crypto on margin. KuCoin charges 0.1% per slide on leveraged tokens, which align with spot trading prices. Alternatively, those seeking higher leverage limits can trade futures – which come with a margin requirement of just 0.8%. This translates to 125x leverage.

Best Crypto Margin Trading Platforms Compared

Let’s recap the best margin trading crypto providers, summarizing their key metrics:

What Is Crypto Margin Trading?

Margin trading is a financing product offered by many crypto exchanges. It enables traders to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with leverage, meaning position sizes are boosted.

A simple example:

• You want to trade Bitcoin on margin
• The platform has a minimum margin requirement of 1%
• This means you only need to put up 1% of the total trade size
• You enter a position worth $10,000
• The 1% upfront margin amounts to just $100

The above example highlights the power of margin; you amplified a $100 balance to $10,000 in trading capital. Margin is also known as leverage; the two terms are related but mean slightly different things.

• Margin is the amount of money needed to enter the position
• Leverage is the multiplier amount

For example, suppose you place a $50 trade with 20x leverage. This increases the position from $50 to $1,000. This represents a 5% margin, as the $50 stake is 5% of the $1,000 position.

How Does Crypto Margin Trading Work?

In a nutshell, margin trading requires traders to borrow funds from their crypto exchange. This attracts financing fees, just like interest on a loan. The majority of crypto margin traders opt for perpetual futures. These are derivative products that track crypto spot prices.  Perpetuals come without settlement dates, so can be held indefinitely.

However, financing fees are often charged every few hours, so longer-term margin trades would better suit delivery futures. These replicate traditional futures with settlement dates, often anywhere from a day to over six months. Another method is options trading, which is a lower-risk way to trade on margin.

This is because you can only lose the upfront ‘premium’, often just a few percent of the overall trade size. Crucially, while margin trading offers access to substantially more capital, ‘liquidation’ is the biggest risk. This means the trade is automatically closed when it declines by a specific percentage. Any upfront funds put up will be kept by the exchange.

The liquidation percentage depends on the amount of margin taken. For example, if you put up a 2% margin, the trade will be liquidated if it declines by about 2%. This is why risk mitigation tools like bankroll management and stop-loss orders should be explored. Ultimately, margin trading is a lot riskier than standard trading, so beginners should tread with caution.

Crypto Margin Trading vs. Regular Crypto Trading

Let’s take a closer look at how margin and regular trading differ.

Upfront Capital

Regular crypto trading is known as ‘spot trading.’ This means trades are ‘settled on the spot,’ meaning the full amount is required by both parties. For example, suppose you’re trading BTC/USD. You want to buy $1,000 worth of BTC. You would need the full $1,000 to execute the trade.

Conversely, margin trading doesn’t require the full amount upfront. On the contrary, only a small percentage of the trade value is needed. The specific amount varies depending on the platform. For example, PrimeXBT has a minimum margin requirement of 0.5%. So, to execute that $1,000 BTC/USD trade, you’d only need $5.

Asset Ownership

Another difference between regular and margin trading is the ownership structure. I mentioned that regular crypto trades are settled on the spot, meaning assets are exchanged instantly. Put otherwise, when you trade USD for BTC, you own that BTC. This means you can withdraw that BTC to a private wallet.

In contrast, margin trades are derivative products, meaning you don’t own the underlying asset. For example, suppose you place a $100 BTC trade with 100x leverage. You don’t own $10,000 worth of BTC. Instead, you merely hold $10,000 worth of derivative products.

Risk

All forms of crypto trading are risky. However, margin trading increases the risk spectrum by considerable amounts. This is because of liquidation, meaning the upfront margin paid will be kept by the exchange. This will happen if the trade declines by the same percentage of the margin percentage taken.

Regular crypto trades can’t be liquidated. This is because you own the underlying assets, so the value rises and falls based on spot prices.

Fees

Another consideration is fees. Regular trading typically incurs a commission, paid when entering (buying) and exiting (selling) the market. No holding fees apply, ensuring long-term investors can hold indefinitely without charge.

Margin trading requires a loan from the exchange, so interest is paid. This is often every eight hours, meaning margin products aren’t ideal for longer-term strategies.

Pros & Cons of Trading Crypto Margin

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

Crypto Margin Trading Platforms Fees Explained

Let’s explore what fees to expect when trading crypto on margin.

Commissions

Similar to regular crypto trading, margin positions incur commissions. This is almost always ‘per slide,’ meaning commissions are paid when entering and exiting the position. Crucially, the commission is calculated against the total trade size.

For example:

• You place a $500 trade with 20x leverage
• Your position is valued at $10,000 ($500 x 20)
• The margin platform charges a commission of 0.3%
• You pay a $30 commission to enter the market
• You close the trade when it’s valued at $12,000
• You pay a 0.3% commission on that $12,000, which is $36
• In total, you’ve paid commissions of $66

Do note that commission structures can vary depending on whether you’re a market maker or taker.

• Market makers place limit orders, meaning they provide liquidity and get the lowest rates.
• Market takers place market orders, so can pay a slight premium.

Commissions are often based on trading volumes, too. This means discounted fees are available when trading higher amounts.

Financing

Financing is a trading fee associated with margin products, which includes derivatives like futures and options. This fee is tied to the amount borrowed from the exchange, just like a loan. In many cases, financing fees are charged every few hours, making long-term positions unviable.

The specific charge depends on the interest rate set by the exchange and the amount of leverage taken. In the example above, I mentioned that a $500 margin was amplified to $10,000. Subtracting the $500 margin, financing fees would be charged in the $9,500 loan.

Spreads

Spreads are charges incurred with both regular and margin trading. It’s the difference between the bid and ask prices for the crypto being traded.

• For example, suppose you’re trading ETH/USD. The bid price is $2,500.
• The ask price is $2,600. The spread is $100.
• This means you’re immediately at a disadvantage when entering the market, considering the $100 spread must be covered to break even.

The best crypto margin trading platforms offer tight spreads. This means the gap between the bid and ask prices is minute, ensuring traders save on fees.

Tips for Staying Safe When Trading Crypto Margin

Crypto margin is best suited for experienced traders who understand risk management.

Nonetheless, the tips below will ensure your margin trading activities get off to a good start:

• Learn the Fundamentals: Before trading on margin, ensure you understand the fundamentals of how this market works. Learn about margin requirements, leverage, liquidation, financing fees, and settlement. You should also understand the underlying trading product, whether that’s perpetual/delivery futures or options.
• Start With a Demo Account: The best crypto margin trading platforms offer demo facilities. This is ideal for beginners learning the ropes, as traders can enter positions with paper funds. Remain in demo mode until you’re seeing consistent gains.
• Keep Leverage Levels Low: There’s a direct correlation between the amount of leverage taken and the risk of liquidation. For instance, 100x leverage converts to a margin requirement of 1%. This means liquidation will happen if the trade declines by just 1%. As such, beginners should avoid trading with too much leverage.
• Always Place Stop-Loss Orders: Never trade on margin unless you’re setting up stop-loss orders. This vastly reduces the risk of liquidation, as the trade will be closed automatically when the stop-loss level is triggered. For example, a 2% stop-loss will exit the position if it declines by 2%, preventing further losses.
• Trade Large-Cap Markets: Beginners should initially focus on large-cap markets when trading on margin, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. These are less volatile than most cryptocurrencies and attract the most liquidity. This reduces the risks of wild pricing swings, which can result in liquidation.

How to Trade Crypto Margin

Still wondering how to margin trade crypto? Follow the steps below to get started in minutes:

• Step 1: Choose a Margin Trading Platform: The first step is to choose a margin trading platform, focusing on factors like safety, supported markets, and fees. My top pick is PrimeXBT, which offers low commissions on 30 perpetual futures.
• Step 2: Open a Margin Trading Account: Now visit PrimeXBT (or your chosen platform) and open an account. No personal information or KYC documents are required, assuming you don’t need to withdraw more than $20,000 in a 24-hour period.
• Step 3: Trade in Demo Mode: Before risking funds, click ‘Practice on Demo Account’. This will enable you to trade on margin with paper funds.
• Step 4: Deposit Funds: When ready, it’s time to deposit some funds. PrimeXBT accepts crypto and fiat. You can deposit up to $2,000 with fiat money and still avoid KYC procedures. The best payment method to use is a debit/credit card, but other options exist.
• Step 5: Trade Crypto on Margin: Finally, you can now trade crypto on margin with real funds. Search for the required market, select a suitable leverage amount, and ensure stop-losses are entered. You can go back to the demo platform at any time if you need further practice.

Conclusion

This comprehensive guide has explained how to trade crypto on margin, the risks to consider, and which platforms are worth exploring. My overall top pick is PrimeXBT, which has a minimum margin requirement of just 0.5%.

It supports 30 perpetual futures, enabling traders to go long or short with low fees. Importantly, PrimeXBT offers a free demo account, so you can trade on margin without risking capital.

FAQs

References

1. Basics of buying on margin: What’s margin trading? (Charles Schwab)
2. Margin: Know what’s needed (CME Group)
3. Top cryptocurrency derivatives exchanges (CoinMarketCap)
4. FCA bans the sale of crypto-derivatives to retail consumers (FCA)
5. ESMA adopts final product intervention measures on CFDs and binary options (ESMA)

Disclaimer

Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital.
99Bitcoins may receive advertising commissions for visits to a suggested operator through our affiliate links, at no added cost to you. All our recommendations follow a thorough review process.

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Caroline

Writer

Karolina, with a bachelor's degree in English, is an experienced writer with over four years of experience. Her main focus is on casinos, gambling, cryptocurrencies, and betting topics. Throughout her career, she has polished her skill in capturing these dynamic... Read More

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