Best Crypto Derivatives Platforms

Summary: Trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, specifically perpetual contracts and options, is secure and user-friendly on platforms that adhere to strict regulatory guidelines. Traders have various deposit options, including digital and traditional currencies, enabling them to confidently buy, sell, and leverage perpetual futures and options in a regulated environment.

Our experienced professionals have thoroughly evaluated and compiled a list of the five best platforms for trading cryptocurrency derivatives. These platforms are renowned for their reliability and are designed to suit a variety of trading preferences:

1. Bybit - Best Derivatives Exchange
2. OKX - Best Alternative Derivatives Exchange 
3. Deribit - Best for Institutional Investors
4. Binance - Best for Deep Liquidity‍
5. Gate.io - Best for Derivatives on Altcoins

Best Crypto Derivatives Exchanges

Our team has assessed over 15 platforms to present you with the finest exchanges for cryptocurrency derivatives trading. In our thorough evaluation, we concentrated on several crucial aspects to ensure our analysis was comprehensive. These key factors include compliance with global regulatory standards, the range of cryptocurrencies available for derivatives trading, the quality of the user experience, the amount of leverage supported, the diversity in deposit methods and the competitiveness of the trading fee structures.

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1. Bybit

Bybit leads the cryptocurrency derivatives market with a substantial 24-hour trading volume of $13.4 billion and an open interest of over $5.7 billion. This dominance is particularly notable in perpetuals and options, with over 180 contracts available. The platform's reputation is built on its user-friendly interface and steadfast commitment to security and regulatory compliance, earning the trust of over 10 million users. Additionally, Bybit's deep liquidity and consistent 99.99% server uptime make it a reliable choice in the market.

Bybit’s fee structure is competitive, with market makers paying only 0.01% and market takers 0.06%. The platform's Unified Trading Account feature allows efficient management of both spot and derivative trades, simplifying the trading experience. Bybit's comprehensive range of services, including the VIP Program and Institutional Services, coupled with its commitment to robust security measures, positions it as a top choice for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.

• Derivatives Types: USDT-settled Perpetual contracts, Inverse Perpetual contracts, USDC-settled Perpetual and futures contracts, and USDC-settled Options contracts.
• Trading Fees: Market makers enjoy a fee of just 0.01%, while market takers are charged a modest 0.06%. This structure supports active trading and liquidity provision on the platform.
• Available Assets: The platform offers trading opportunities in over 770 cryptocurrencies, alongside a robust selection of 180 assets in the derivatives segment.
• Deposit Options: Bank transfers, cryptocurrency, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Alipay and 30 other methods.

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2. OKX

OKX asserts its prominence in the derivatives trading landscape with a notable daily volume exceeding $14 billion and an open interest of $3.8 billion. This platform caters to advanced traders through its comprehensive offering of perpetual swaps, futures, options, and margin trading. With support for over 300 crypto assets and over 50 derivatives, OKX stands out for its variety and depth, ideal for traders seeking diverse and sophisticated trading options. 

The platform’s commitment to regulatory compliance, based in Seychelles, ensures a secure trading environment for investors in over 150 countries. OKX’s competitive fee structure, featuring a 0.1% maker fee and a 0.2% taker fee, is designed to be attractive for various trading activities. OKX's advanced API functionalities and compatibility with web3 protocols cater to the needs of institutional traders and digital asset enthusiasts.

• Derivatives Types: USDT-settled swaps, perpetuals and options. Also supports margin trading with up to 10x leverage.
• Trading Fees: Market makers fee of 0.1% and a taker fee of 0.2%.
• Available Assets: OKX offers trading opportunities in over 300 cryptocurrencies, alongside 50 assets with derivatives.
• Deposit Options: Bank transfers, cryptocurrency, debit card, credit card and more.

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3. Deribit

Deribit secures its place as the third-leading platform in the crypto derivatives market, with a notable 24-hour trading volume of $2.68 billion. Specializing in crypto options, Deribit boasts a significant ~90% market share in BTC and ETH options. This specialization is complemented by a strong presence in perpetual contracts, offering a comprehensive solution for various trading strategies. The platform's innovative features, such as zero-fee spot trading, a unique vertical order book for perpetuals, and a fiat gateway supporting over 41 currencies, caters to a diverse trader base. 

Institutional clients find Deribit appealing due to its specialized services like Colo Services in LD4, Portfolio Margin Model, and Block Trades. This institutional-grade environment, combined with over 90% market share in options trading, draws in renowned market makers, hedge funds, and quant trading firms. Deribit's user interface, praised for its customizability and developed based on trader feedback, enhances user experience significantly. Additionally, the platform's commitment to transparency through Proof of Reserves and its 24/7 support system provides a reliable and supportive environment for derivatives traders. 

• Derivatives Types: Deribit specializes in options, and offers over 50 crypto assets for futures trading. USDC-settled Perpetuals are also available.
• Trading Fees: The fee structure includes BTC and ETH weekly futures with a maker fee of -0.01% and a taker fee of 0.05%. BTC and ETH Perpetuals have no maker fee and a taker fee of 0.05%. Options trading fees for BTC and ETH are set at 0.03% of the underlying or 0.0003 per options contract for both makers and takers.
• Available Assets: Deribit offers a focused selection of assets, majorly catering to BTC, ETH, and SOL options, and more than 50 assets for derivatives trading.
• Deposit Options: Deribit supports deposits via bank wire and various cryptocurrencies, providing flexibility in funding accounts.

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4. Binance

Binance, ranking as the fourth-leading platform in cryptocurrency derivatives, offers a comprehensive suite of trading options. Its perpetuals product, central to its offerings, showcases a significant 24-hour open interest of $9.7 billion and an impressive 24-hour volume of $52.6 billion. This high volume and open interest indicate a robust and active trading environment. Binance Derivatives supports a diverse range of 284 perpetual and 33 futures contracts, demonstrating the platform's wide appeal to various trading strategies.

The platform’s advanced infrastructure includes a high-performance matching engine, capable of executing up to 100,000 orders per second with minimal latency. This technological prowess, combined with a vast selection of contracts and a user-centric approach, makes Binance a preferred choice for traders globally. Binance's blend of high trading volume, extensive contract options, and advanced trading features solidifies its position as a top destination for crypto derivatives trading.

• Derivatives Types: Binance's derivatives offerings include a wide range of USD-M Futures, COIN-M Futures, and Options, with perpetual and quarterly contracts available in both USDT and various cryptocurrencies.
• Trading Fees: Binance has a structured fee system. For USD-M perpetuals, makers are charged 0.018% and takers 0.020%, with BNB holders enjoying reduced fees. COIN-M Futures feature a 0.020% maker fee and a 0.050% taker fee. Options trading involves a uniform fee of 0.030% for both makers and takers.
• Available Assets: The platform offers a vast selection of over 90 contracts, providing a rich variety of trading options in both USDT and Coin-margined formats.
• Deposit Options: Binance supports diverse deposit methods, including bank transfers, various cryptocurrencies, and digital payments, facilitating easy account funding for traders worldwide.

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5. Gate.io

Gate.io is recognized as the fifth-leading platform in cryptocurrency derivatives, particularly noted for supporting derivatives of new coins like TIA, SUI, SEI, and Aptos. The platform offers an extensive selection of over 100 contracts, emphasizing its commitment to providing various trading options. Its perpetual contracts, available in formats like USDT-M and BTC-M Futures, allow traders the flexibility to hold positions indefinitely, which is a notable advantage over traditional platforms. Gate.io is particularly adept at facilitating quantitative trading, enabling traders to employ and execute custom strategies at no extra cost.

For traders of varying experience levels, Gate.io offers tailored plans. Novices benefit from reduced commission fees through the Point card system, while experienced traders, especially those at VIP11 and above, enjoy a default tiered rate system. This approach to trading fees, coupled with Gate.io's responsive platform, deep trading liquidity, and comprehensive features, makes it a strong contender in the derivatives market. The platform's innovative cross-collateral feature, where BTC and ETH can be used as collateral for futures trading, further enhances its appeal to traders looking for flexible and diverse trading opportunities.

• Derivatives Types: Futures and perpetual contracts only (USDT margined).
• Trading Fees: The platform has a competitive fee structure, charging a maker fee of 0.015% and a taker fee of 0.05% for trading, which supports active trading and liquidity on the platform.
• Available Assets: Gate.io supports over 100 derivatives contracts and is fast to list new and emerging tokens.
• Deposit Options: Gate.io supports multiple deposit methods, including bank transfers and various cryptocurrencies, ensuring convenience and flexibility for traders globally in managing their accounts.

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What are Crypto Derivatives?

Crypto derivatives are financial contracts that derive their value from the underlying cryptocurrency assets. They allow traders to speculate on the future price movements of cryptocurrencies without owning the actual assets. Common types of crypto derivatives include futures, options, and swaps, each offering different ways to manage risk, hedge, or speculate on price changes. These instruments are popular for leveraging trading positions and diversifying investment strategies in the cryptocurrency market.

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Crypto Derivatives Trading Fees

Crypto derivatives trading involves several types of fees that traders should be aware of:

• Trading Fees: These are charged for executing trades on a platform. Typically, there are two types of trading fees: maker fees for creating liquidity in the market by placing a limit order, and taker fees for taking liquidity away by executing against existing orders. These fees vary by platform but are usually a small percentage of the trade value.
• Funding Rates: In perpetual contracts (a popular type of crypto derivative), traders pay or receive funding rates. These rates ensure the price of the perpetual contracts remains close to the underlying asset's market price. If the rate is positive, long position holders pay short position holders, and vice versa.
• Spreads: The spread is the difference between the bid (buy) and ask (sell) price of a derivative. Wider spreads can indicate lower liquidity or higher market volatility, impacting the cost of entering or exiting positions.
• Withdrawal and Deposit Fees: Some platforms charge fees for depositing or withdrawing funds. These can be fixed fees or vary based on the amount and type of cryptocurrency.
• Overnight Fees: For positions held open overnight or over the weekend, some platforms might charge overnight fees. These are more common in markets that close daily.
• Leverage Fees: If a trader is using leverage (borrowed funds to increase trade size), additional fees may apply. These are often calculated based on the amount borrowed and the duration of the trade.

Understanding these fees is crucial for effective trading strategy planning and risk management in crypto derivatives markets. Traders should always review the fee structure of their chosen platform to ensure it aligns with their trading approach and cost expectations.

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Are Crypto Derivatives Exchanges Regulated?

The legality of crypto derivatives brokers varies widely across different jurisdictions. In many countries, they are allowed under specific regulatory frameworks, while others may have restrictions or bans. 

For example, in the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned the sale of derivatives and exchange-traded notes that reference certain types of cryptoassets to retail consumers. This measure, driven by concerns over the potential for significant losses due to cryptoasset volatility and complexity, applies to various financial entities and encompasses products like cryptocurrency futures, options, and contracts for differences (CFDs).

This decision highlights the diverse regulatory approaches taken by different countries towards crypto derivatives, emphasizing the importance for traders and firms to be aware of and comply with the regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

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Bottom Line

In conclusion, our comprehensive evaluation of over 15 platforms has led us to identify the top five exchanges for trading cryptocurrency derivatives. Bybit stands out as the best overall due to its high trading volume and diverse contract options, while OKX appeals to advanced traders with its extensive asset range. Deribit is the go-to for institutional investors, specializing in options trading. Binance offers deep liquidity and a wide range of derivatives products, and Gate.io is notable for its derivatives on emerging coins. 

Each platform has been rigorously assessed based on regulatory compliance, asset variety, user experience, leverage options, deposit methods, and fee structures, ensuring they meet the highest standards for reliability and suitability for a range of trading preferences. Understanding the unique aspects of each platform can guide traders in selecting the most appropriate exchange for their cryptocurrency derivatives trading needs.