Binance Futures Fees Explained
Fee Structure & Savings Tips
Updated: March 2026 | Reading time: ~10 min
Trading fees are an unavoidable cost for every futures trader. On Binance Futures, your total cost consists of two components: trading fees (charged when you open and close positions) and funding rates (settled every 8 hours while holding a position). Understanding how Binance Futures fees work and how to minimize them is essential for long-term profitability.
1. USDT-M & COIN-M Futures Fee Schedule
Binance Futures fees depend on your VIP tier and order type (Maker or Taker). Below are the default rates for regular users (VIP 0):
USDT-Margined (USDT-M) Futures Fees
| VIP Tier | Maker Fee | Taker Fee | Maker w/ BNB | Taker w/ BNB |
|---|
| VIP 0 | 0.0200% | 0.0500% | 0.0180% | 0.0450% |
| VIP 1 | 0.0160% | 0.0400% | 0.0144% | 0.0360% |
| VIP 2 | 0.0140% | 0.0350% | 0.0126% | 0.0315% |
| VIP 3 | 0.0120% | 0.0320% | 0.0108% | 0.0288% |
| VIP 4 | 0.0100% | 0.0300% | 0.0090% | 0.0270% |
| VIP 5 | 0.0080% | 0.0270% | 0.0072% | 0.0243% |
Coin-Margined (COIN-M) Futures Fees
| VIP Tier | Maker Fee | Taker Fee | Maker w/ BNB | Taker w/ BNB |
|---|
| VIP 0 | 0.0100% | 0.0500% | 0.0090% | 0.0450% |
| VIP 1 | 0.0080% | 0.0450% | 0.0072% | 0.0405% |
| VIP 2 | 0.0060% | 0.0400% | 0.0054% | 0.0360% |
| VIP 3 | 0.0040% | 0.0350% | 0.0036% | 0.0315% |
Note: Rates may change. Always verify on the
official Binance fee page. Paying fees with BNB gives you an approximate
10% discount.
2. Maker vs Taker: Which Saves You More?
Understanding the difference between Maker and Taker orders is the first step to reducing your fees:
- Maker (limit order): Your order is placed on the order book and doesn't execute immediately, providing liquidity. Lower fee -- only 0.02% at VIP 0 for USDT-M.
- Taker (market order): Your order executes immediately against existing orders, consuming liquidity. Higher fee -- 0.05% at VIP 0 for USDT-M.
For the same trade size, Taker fees are 2.5x higher than Maker fees. Unless you need instant execution, always use limit orders to cut your costs significantly.
3. Fee Calculation Formula & Examples
Basic Formula
Fee = Notional Value x Fee Rate
Notional Value = Quantity x Entry Price
Important: Fees are based on notional value, NOT on your margin!
While fees are calculated on notional value regardless of leverage, higher leverage means you control a larger position with less margin -- so fees consume a larger percentage of your margin as leverage increases.
Example: Fee Impact Across Different Leverage Levels
Suppose you open a BTC/USDT position with BTC at 80,000 USDT. Notional value = 8,000 USDT (0.1 BTC), using a Taker market order (VIP 0 rate: 0.05%):
| Leverage | Required Margin | Opening Fee | Fee as % of Margin | Round-trip Fee |
|---|
| 5x | 1,600 USDT | 4 USDT | 0.25% | 8 USDT |
| 10x | 800 USDT | 4 USDT | 0.50% | 8 USDT |
| 20x | 400 USDT | 4 USDT | 1.00% | 8 USDT |
| 50x | 160 USDT | 4 USDT | 2.50% | 8 USDT |
| 125x | 64 USDT | 4 USDT | 6.25% | 8 USDT |
Key Insight: The absolute fee stays the same (4 USDT), but at 125x leverage, the opening fee alone eats 6.25% of your margin! Including the closing fee, you need a 12.5% margin return just to break even. This is why ultra-high leverage trades are so difficult to profit from.
Maker Limit Order Comparison
Using the same scenario with a Maker limit order (0.02% rate), the fee drops to just 1.6 USDT per side, or 3.2 USDT round-trip -- a 60% savings compared to Taker orders.
4. BNB Fee Discount: The Easiest Way to Save
Binance allows you to pay futures trading fees with BNB (Binance Coin), giving you an approximate 10% discount on all fees.
How to Enable BNB Fee Payment
- Ensure you hold some BNB in your futures account.
- Go to your futures trading page and tap the Settings icon.
- Find the "Use BNB to pay fees" toggle and enable it.
- Once enabled, fees are automatically deducted in BNB at a 10% discount.
Savings Example: If your monthly fee expenditure is 100 USDT, enabling BNB payment reduces it to 90 USDT. That's 120 USDT saved per year -- even more for active traders.
5. VIP Tiers & Fee Discounts
Binance determines your VIP level based on your 30-day trading volume and BNB holdings. Higher tiers unlock lower rates:
- VIP 0: Default tier, no requirements. USDT-M Taker fee: 0.0500%.
- VIP 1: 30-day volume ≥ 15M USDT or ≥ 25 BNB held. Taker fee drops to 0.0400%.
- VIP 2: 30-day volume ≥ 50M USDT or ≥ 100 BNB held. Taker fee drops to 0.0350%.
- VIP 3: 30-day volume ≥ 100M USDT or ≥ 250 BNB held. Taker fee drops to 0.0320%.
- VIP 4+: For professional high-volume traders. Custom rates available upon request.
For most retail traders, the priority should be using Maker orders + BNB discount rather than chasing VIP tier upgrades.
6. Funding Rate: The Hidden Cost of Holding Positions
Many beginners focus solely on trading fees and overlook funding rates -- a potentially much larger hidden cost.
What Is the Funding Rate?
Perpetual futures contracts have no expiry date. Instead, a funding rate mechanism keeps the contract price anchored to the spot price. Funding is settled every 8 hours (at 00:00, 08:00, and 16:00 UTC). If you hold a position at settlement time, you either pay or receive funding.
Funding Fee Calculation
Funding Fee = Notional Value x Funding Rate
Example: 10,000 USDT notional value, 0.01% funding rate
Funding Fee = 10,000 x 0.01% = 1 USDT (per 8 hours)
Daily cost = 3 USDT, Monthly cost ~ 90 USDT
- Positive rate (most common): Longs pay shorts. Holding long positions costs money.
- Negative rate (occasional): Shorts pay longs. Holding long positions earns money.
- In extreme market conditions, the rate can reach 0.3% per 8 hours, equating to an annualized cost of over 300%.
Strategy: Short-term traders should close positions before funding settlement. Long-term holders should monitor rate changes regularly and consider reducing exposure when rates spike. Check the current funding rate in the "Contract Info" section of the Binance App.
7. How to Minimize Your Futures Trading Costs
Combining all the strategies above, here are the most effective ways to save, ranked from easiest to most advanced:
- Use limit orders (Maker): Maker fees are only 40% of Taker fees. This is the single most impactful and easiest change. Build the habit of placing limit orders unless the market demands immediate execution.
- Enable BNB fee payment: One toggle, instant 10% savings. Keep a small amount of BNB in your futures wallet at all times.
- Register with a referral code: New accounts created through referral links can receive ongoing fee rebates -- some codes offer up to 20% cashback on fees.
- Control your leverage: While leverage doesn't change the absolute fee, it amplifies how much fees erode your margin. Beginners should stick to 5x-10x.
- Monitor funding rates: Avoid holding positions through high funding rate settlements. Use the funding rate countdown timer to decide whether to hold or close before settlement.
- Reduce overtrading: Every open and close incurs fees. For high-frequency day traders, cumulative fees can exceed profits. Have a trading plan and avoid impulsive trades.
- Upgrade your VIP tier: Tiers upgrade automatically when volume thresholds are met. High-volume traders can contact Binance to apply for market maker rates (Maker fee near zero or even negative).
Combined Savings Comparison
| Strategy Combination | Effective USDT-M Taker Rate | Savings vs Default |
|---|
| VIP 0 Default | 0.0500% | -- |
| + BNB Discount | 0.0450% | 10% |
| Switch to Maker | 0.0200% | 60% |
| Maker + BNB Discount | 0.0180% | 64% |
| VIP 1 + Maker + BNB | 0.0144% | 71% |
Start saving on fees today: Create a Binance account and enable BNB fee payment to enjoy lower futures trading costs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Are fees charged on both opening and closing a position?
Yes, fees are charged separately when you open and when you close a position. For example, at VIP 0 Taker rate of 0.05%, you pay 0.05% on open and another 0.05% on close, totaling 0.10% of notional value for a round-trip trade.
Q2: Does leverage affect the fee amount?
No. Fees are calculated on the notional (position) value, not on your margin. However, leverage affects the ratio of fees to your margin: the same 8,000 USDT notional value costs 4 USDT in fees regardless of leverage, but that represents 0.25% of margin at 5x versus 6.25% at 125x.
Q3: What is the funding rate and do I have to pay it?
The funding rate is a mechanism that keeps perpetual futures prices aligned with spot prices. It is settled every 8 hours. You only pay (or receive) funding if you hold a position at the settlement time. Short-term traders can close before settlement to avoid this cost entirely.
Q4: How can I check my current fee rate?
Log in to the Binance App or website, navigate to the "Fee Rate" or "VIP Level" page to see your current Maker/Taker rates. You can also view the exact fee deducted for each trade in the order details section.
Q5: How do futures fees compare to spot trading fees?
Futures base rates are typically lower than spot defaults (spot VIP 0 is 0.1%/0.1%). However, futures come with additional funding rate costs, and because leverage amplifies your notional value well beyond your actual margin, total fee expenditure can be substantial.
