Crypto exchange fees explained

A maker order adds liquidity: you post a limit order that rests on the book. A taker order removes it: you hit an existing order and get filled immediately. Exchanges charge takers more because makers are doing them a favour.

The practical consequence is that using limit orders instead of market orders is the single easiest fee reduction available, and on some venues it takes the rate to zero.

The gap between the best bid and the best ask is a real cost you pay on every round trip. Simple "buy crypto" widgets bury most of their margin here, which is how an exchange can advertise a 0.5% fee and cost you 2%.

This is why the Pro or Advanced interface on the same exchange is almost always cheaper than the beginner one, for exactly the same purchase.

Perpetual futures have no expiry, so exchanges use a periodic funding payment between longs and shorts to keep the contract near spot. It is typically settled every eight hours.

Over a multi-day hold, funding routinely costs more than trading fees. A 0.01% funding rate paid three times a day is roughly 11% a year on notional — before you have paid a single commission.

Crypto withdrawal fees are part network cost and part exchange margin, and the margin varies enormously between venues for the same asset. Choosing a cheaper network — where the exchange and your destination both support it — usually saves more than shopping for a different exchange.

Fiat withdrawals are separate again: ACH and SEPA are usually free or near-free, while wires and instant rails carry flat charges.