7 Best Crypto Futures Trading Platforms in 2024

Futures offer many benefits to crypto traders. This includes high leverage limits – often up to 200x. Futures also enable traders to go long or short, ensuring that profits can be made in both rising and falling markets.

In this guide, we rank and review the 7 best crypto futures trading platforms for 2024. We compare platforms for supported markets, leverage limits, trading commissions, minimum account requirements, and customer safety.

Reviewing the Top Bitcoin Futures Trading Platforms

Still not sure which futures trading crypto platform is best for you? Read on for our comprehensive reviews of the leading providers.

1. PrimeXBT – Pay Low Fees on Crypto Futures, and Apply Up to 200x Leverage 

We found that PrimeXBT is one of the best place for crypto trading with futures. With PrimeXBT, investors can take out crypto-based perpetual contracts, access low trading fees, and apply high leverage on futures. PrimeXBT was launched in 2018 – and has quickly developed a user count of more than 1 million. 

After creating an account with PrimeXBT, you can take out futures on more than 40 top cryptos and altcoins. The platform offers isolated margin types – allowing you to adjust the margin type to fit your trading style.

PrimeXBT offers quick integration with TradingView, offering users advanced charting tools and many indicators for detailed market analysis.

Additionally, the platform provides adjustable leverage, allowing traders to tailor leverage levels according to their risk tolerance and trading strategy, further customizing the trading experience to individual preferences.

The platform also allows investors to apply 200x leverage on futures trades; this means that you can trade to a value 200 times greater than your initial deposit. 

Investors may benefit from PrimeXBT’s liquidity – allowing them to access on-the-go trading using its in-house built order book. PrimeXBT charges a maker/taker fee of 0.01%/0.02% – making it a cost-effective trading platform.

Before taking out futures contracts, you can analyze the markets by leveraging the advanced charts and trading tools at PrimeXBT’s disposal. Other top features of this platform includes Copy Trading – a tool through which you can copy the exact trades of other skilled traders. 

Along with a desktop/laptop, PrimeXTB can be accessed through its mobile application – available on iOS and Android.

2. MEXC – Best Place to Trade Crypto Futures With Low Fees and Leverage of 200x 

MEXC is one of the best crypto futures trading platforms for altcoins. It specializes in perpetual futures, meaning there is no expiry date. This means MEXC is ideal for both short and long-term traders. There are two types of perpetual futures. One is backed by USDT and the other is settled in the underlying cryptocurrency.

Unlike many futures trading platforms, MEXC supports some of the best altcoins. This includes Polygon, Solana, Ethereum, Ripple, ApeCoin, BNB, Cosmos, and dozens more. This is in addition to Bitcoin, which comes with the highest leverage limit of 200x. Perhaps the main drawback of MEXC is that it doesn’t support options.

Nonetheless, we like that MEXC offers low trading fees. It charges just 0.02% when trading futures, payable when opening and closing positions. Another feature of MEXC is it offers premium liquidity. More than $4 billion worth of futures have been traded in the past 24 hours alone.

Moreover, futures orders are matched at unprecedented speeds, as MEXC can handle up to 1.4 million positions every second. The MEXC trading platform comes integrated with TradingView, meaning advanced charts, drawing tools, and technical indicators. MEXC also offers a native mobile app for iOS and Android.

3. OKX – Delivery Crypto Futures With Expiry Dates of up to March 2024    

If perpetual contracts aren’t of interest, OKX is the best crypto futures platform for you. It offers delivery futures contracts, meaning each comes with an expiry date. This ranges from December 2023 to March 2024. Right now, the strike price on the latter is just over $39,000. OKX also offers delivery futures on other popular cryptocurrencies.

This includes Dogecoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Aave, and Arbitrum. The maximum leverage limit when trading futures is 100x. However, this is reduced to 20x when trading in ‘full liquidation’ mode. In addition, OKX also offers perpetual futures and options.

That said, only two cryptocurrencies are available in the options department; Bitcoin and Ethereum. We found that OKX charges 0.05% per slide on futures, which is in line with the industry average. Options can be traded at 0.03% of the contract value. OKX offers many features, including a decentralized exchange and wallet, crypto savings accounts, and loans.

4. Binance – Bitcoin Futures Trading With 125x Leverage and Premium Liquidity   

Binance offers perpetual and quarterly futures, settled in either USDT, BUSD, or the underlying cryptocurrency. More than 600 futures markets are supported, including Bitcoin, XRP, Dogecoin, BNB, Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano. Bitcoin is the most popular futures market, as you’ll get leverage of up to 125x.

Like other platforms, altcoins come with smaller limits. Binance also offers crypto options, spot trading markets, and DeFi tools like staking and yield farming. When it comes to fees, Binance charges 0.05% on futures positions. This is reduced when trading volumes increase or you settle fees in BNB. Binance is also popular for its advanced trading platform.

It offers real-time order books, custom charts, and TradingView integration. Binance also has a native mobile app for iOS and Android. We also like that Binance supports automated trading bots. Once you set up a strategy, the bot will buy and sell futures on your behalf. Finally, considering Binance is the largest crypto exchange for trading volume – you’ll have access to premium liquidity.

5. Bybit – BTC and ETF Delivery Futures With 6-Month Expiry Dates    

Bybit is a great option if you want to trade longer-term futures. It offers delivery contacts with a 6-month expiry date across Bitcoin and Ethereum. Unfortunately, if you want to trade other cryptocurrencies – such as Dogecoin, Ripple, or Cosmos, you’ll need to opt for perpetual futures.

Either way, Bybit charges futures trading fees of 0.055% per slide. You can reduce this fee by increasing your monthly trading volumes. Bybit is one of the most popular crypto derivative platforms; over $11 billion has been traded in the prior 24 hours. You can trade futures on the Bybit website or its native mobile app.

Both iOS and Android are supported. Bybit has integrated TradingView into its desktop and mobile platforms, ensuring traders have plenty of tools at their disposal. It also supports copy trading, automated bots, and OTC trading. 24/7 customer support is available via live chat.

6. KuCoin – Linear and Inverse Crypto Futures With Huge Trading Volumes    

With over $1.1 billion worth of derivatives volumes in the prior 24 hours, KuCoin is one of the most popular crypto futures platforms. Nearly 25 million users trade futures on KuCoin, ensuring that premium liquidity is available around the clock. KuCoin offers a wide range of futures markets, covering both linear and inverse contracts.

The latter is settled in the underlying cryptocurrency. Linear contracts can be settled in USDT or USDC. KuCoin futures support dozens of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano. It also supports some of the best meme coins, including Dogecoin, Bonk, FLOKI, Pepe, and Shiba Inu.

KuCoin offers leverage of up to 100x on high-volume futures markets. That said, you should expect lower limits on less popular altcoins. Fees are slightly higher than the industry average at 0.06% per slide. Nevertheless, KuCoin is a reputable exchange supporting fiat money payments. Deposits can be made with Visa, MasterCard, bank transfers, and an assortment of e-wallets.

7. Gate.io – Trade Altcoin Futures With 100x Leverage and Advanced Analysis Tools    

We found that Gate.io is the overall best place for crypto trading with futures. More than 100 cryptocurrencies are supported, each offering high leverage limits. That said, leverage depends on the popularity of the market. For example, you’ll get 100x on Bitcoin and Ethereum. But this is reduced to 50x and 20x on Dogecoin and Uniswap, respectively.

Nonetheless, Gate.io futures are perpetual or delivery. The latter includes weekly and monthly settlements. What’s more, both long and short positions are supported. Standard futures commissions of 0.05% apply when opening and closing trades. Although the Gate.io trading platform is user-friendly, it comes packed with analysis tools.

This includes advanced order types, drawing tools, indicators, custom time frames, and live order books. In addition to futures, Gate.io also offers European-style vanilla options. You’ll also find extensive spot trading markets with hundreds of cryptocurrency pairs. Other popular products include short-term loans, savings accounts, staking, and cloud mining.

What is Cryptocurrency Futures Trading?

Aimed at institutional investors, the first regulated Bitcoin futures market was launched in late 2017. Today, there are dozens of trading platforms that allow retail clients to trade futures. Not only Bitcoin but popular altcoins like Ethereum, BNB, Solana, and Ripple. Crypto futures are derivatives contracts, meaning you don’t actually own the underlying digital assets.

Instead, you’re merely speculating on the future price of the respective cryptocurrency. There are several different types of crypto futures. Perpetual futures are the most common; these come without expiry dates. Some platforms also support delivery futures, often expiring in 1, 3, or 6 months.

Inverse futures are also becoming popular, which are settled in the cryptocurrency being traded. All futures contracts come with a strike price. For instance, suppose you’re trading delivery futures with a 3-month expiry and a strike price of $40,000. You need to determine whether the futures will close higher or lower than this price. This can be achieved by purchasing long or short contracts.

One of the main benefits of crypto futures is that they permit leverage trading. At Gate.io, you can trade futures with leverage of up to 100x. Put simply, this means a $200,000 position can be opened with an account balance of just $1,000. That being said, crypto futures are aimed at experienced traders. You should have a firm grasp of the risks, especially when it comes to margin calls and liquidation.

How to Pick the Best Crypto Futures Trading Platforms for You

Selecting the right crypto futures platform for you is an important task. Consider the most important factors for your trading goals, such as leverage, fees, or supported markets.

Read on for more information on how to select a crypto futures provider in 2024:

Type of Crypto Futures  Markets

There are several different types of crypto futures that can be traded. Each has its own rules regarding expiry dates, settlement, and price movements.

This includes:

• Perpetual Futures: Most crypto futures platforms support perpetual contracts. They come without an expiry date, so positions can be kept open long-term. Perpetual futures usually come with a huge range of supported markets.
• Delivery Futures: Some traders prefer speculating on delivery futures, which come with an expiry date. This is often 1, 3, 6, or even 12 months ahead. Delivery futures can be sold before the expiry date, which is crucial for risk management.
• Inverse Futures: Another contract type is inverse futures. These are non-linear futures that are settled in the underlying cryptocurrency. This increases both the potential rewards and risk.

Irrespective of the chosen futures contract type, all allow leverage and short-selling.

Safety and Reputation

As you’ll see from the image below, the top 10 crypto derivatives exchanges handle tens of billions of dollars in daily trading volume. However, the majority of these exchanges are unregulated. Therefore, it’s important to consider the safety of your funds when selecting a platform.

First, consider when the crypto futures trading platform was launched. It’s best to stick with established providers that have built a strong reputation.

For example, Gate.io was launched in 2013. You can also check review sites like TrustPilot to assess the platform’s reputation. Reddit is also a good source, which has millions of registered cryptocurrency traders.

• You should also explore whether the platform publishes its ‘proof of reserves’ and if this has been audited by a reputable third party.
• MEXC has over $6 billion in crypto reserves; more than 50% is held in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether.
• This means it can comfortably cover customer withdrawals at any time.

The best crypto futures trading platforms also offer account security tools. For instance, Gate.io supports two-factor authentication (2FA) via the Google Authenticator app. Even if a hacker knew your Gate.io password, they wouldn’t be able to log into your account. This is because 2FA requires a unique code that can only be retired from your registered smartphone.

In addition, consider the risks of using a platform that has previously had regulatory issues. For example, BitMEX was fined $100 million by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission for anti-money laundering violations.

Tradable Cryptocurrencies

If you’re looking to trade futures on a specific cryptocurrency, make sure the platform supports it. We found that delivery futures typically only cover Bitcoin and Ethereum. If you want to trade other altcoins like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Ripple – perpetual futures will be more suitable.

Gate.io offers more than 100 altcoin perpetuals, including new cryptocurrencies like Pepe and Bonk. Moreover, you can trade these altcoins with high leverage limits. KuCoin is also a good option for altcoin futures, with the platform supporting over 100 small, medium, and large-cap cryptocurrencies.

Just be careful when trading less popular futures markers. If liquidity levels are insufficient, you might struggle to find a buyer when cashing out.

Leverage Limits

The best crypto futures trading platforms offer high leverage limits. However, limits will depend on various factors, such as:

• The platform’s internal risk policy
• Whether you’re a retail or institutional client
• The type of futures contracts (perpetual, delivery, etc.)
• The cryptocurrency being traded
• How the futures are settled (USDT, BTC, etc.)

To offer some insight, Gate.io offers leverage of  100x when trading large-cap perpetual futures. This includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Polygon. This is reduced when trading less liquid altcoins, such as Pepe or Uniswap.

Fees

The average futures trading fee is 0.05% per slide. This is charged when opening and closing a position. Moreover, the fee is based on the size of the trade, including leverage.

For instance, suppose you trade $500 with leverage of 10x. The total position is worth $5,000. At 0.05%, you’re paying a commission of $2.50 to open the trade. The 0.05% commission is charged again when exiting a trade, and is based on the closing value.

If you’re planning to trade crypto futures with large volumes and/or high leverage limits, make sure you choose a low-fee platform. At MEXC, you’ll only be charged 0.02% per slide. No minimum trading volumes are required to benefit from this favorable commission.

Wallet

All crypto futures platforms offer an in-built wallet. This is where your cryptocurrencies are stored when they’re not locked into a futures contract. We’d suggest exploring how safe the wallet is.

For example, the platform should keep most cryptocurrencies in cold storage, away from the threat of an external hack. It’s also beneficial if the platform has an insurance fund. This can compensate users in the event their account is compromised.

Tools & Features

The best way to speculate on crypto futures prices is with adequate analysis tools. For instance, MEXC offers pricing charts that can be customized, alongside various time frames and candlestick types. It also offers technical indicators like moving averages and the MACD. Drawing tools are also supported, allowing you to assess historical and current pricing trends.

Some crypto futures platforms also offer automated bots and copy trading tools. These allow you to trade futures passively. You’ll also want some flexibility when setting up orders. At a minimum, limit, market, stop-loss, and take-profit orders should be supported. Trailing stop-loss orders are also useful when trading futures – especially perpetual.

Payment Methods

The best Bitcoin futures trading platforms support crypto and fiat money deposits. The latter often includes debit/credit cards and bank transfers.

This makes it easy to deposit funds if you don’t have any cryptocurrencies to hand. You should also assess what deposit fees apply to your preferred payment method.

Customer Service

Live chat support should be expected when using a crypto futures trading platform. The support team should be available 24/7, or 24/5 at the very least.

Rarely do futures platforms offer phone support, considering their global customer base.

User Experience

Finally, make sure the chosen platform offers a solid user experience. You can normally explore the futures trading dashboard before opening an account, which should give you an idea of its user-friendliness.

Platforms like MEXC offer a free demo account, allowing you to trade risk-free. This means you can test the platform out in live market conditions.

Conclusion

In summary, billions of dollars worth of crypto futures are traded every day. We found that the best crypto futures trading platform is MEXC, which offers high leverage and low trading fees.

You can trade thousands of cryptos and pay low fees when trading futures with this platform so click the link below to find out more.

References

• https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-authorities-set-unveil-settlement-with-binance-source-2023-11-21/
• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/dec/11/bitcoin-makes-debut-futures-market-cboe-chicago-board-options-exchange
• https://www.cmegroup.com/rulebook/CME/IV/350/350.pdf
• https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8412-21
• https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/coinbase-gets-approval-allow-crypto-futures-trading-us-2023-08-16/
• https://www.esma.europa.eu/press-news/esma-news/esma-renew-restrictions-cfds-further-three-months-1-may-2019
• https://www.cmegroup.com/rulebook/CME/IV/350/350.pdf
• https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2022-releases/22-082mr-asic-s-cfd-product-intervention-order-extended-for-five-years/

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