What is the funding rate on Kraken?

Kraken's funding rates align perpetual futures prices with spot prices through periodic payments every 8 hours, influencing traders' costs or earnings based on market conditions and position direction.

Jul 09, 2025 at 09:42 am

Understanding the Funding Rate Concept

The funding rate is a mechanism used in cryptocurrency perpetual futures contracts to ensure that the price of the contract remains close to the spot price of the underlying asset. This periodic payment occurs between long and short traders, depending on whether the perpetual contract's price is trading above or below the index price. On Kraken, this system helps maintain market equilibrium by incentivizing traders to take positions that bring the price back into alignment.

Perpetual contracts differ from traditional futures contracts because they do not have an expiration date. To prevent significant deviations from the spot market, funding rates are applied at regular intervals—typically every 8 hours. The rate itself is usually calculated as a percentage of the position value and can be positive or negative.

Important:

If the funding rate is positive, longs pay shorts, which often happens when the perpetual price is above the spot price. Conversely, if the rate is negative, shorts pay longs, typically occurring when the perpetual price is below the spot price.

Kraken’s Funding Rate Structure

Kraken applies funding rates to its perpetual futures contracts based on several factors including the prevailing interest rate environment, the risk-free rate, and the premium component derived from the difference between the perpetual contract price and the index price.

Funding payments occur every 8 hours, with specific timestamps: 00:00 UTC, 08:00 UTC, and 16:00 UTC. Traders must hold a position at the time of the funding interval to receive or pay the funding amount. Positions opened after the funding timestamp will not be subject to that round of funding.

• Time Intervals: Funding occurs three times daily.
• Calculation Basis: Risk-free rate + premium component.
• Payment Direction: Determined by the sign of the funding rate.

How to Locate Funding Rates on Kraken

To view current funding rates on Kraken, navigate to the Futures section of the platform. Select the desired perpetual contract pair (e.g., BTC/USD), then look for the “Funding Rate” field on the trading interface.

Alternatively, Kraken provides an API endpoint where users can fetch real-time funding data programmatically. This is particularly useful for algorithmic traders or those building custom dashboards.

• Step 1: Log into your Kraken account.
• Step 2: Go to the Futures tab.
• Step 3: Choose the relevant trading pair.
• Step 4: Look for the Funding Rate indicator on the chart or order book panel.

Additionally, you can check the official Kraken documentation or support pages for detailed explanations and historical funding rate data.

Impact of Funding Rates on Trading Strategy

Traders who maintain leveraged positions over extended periods must factor in funding costs or benefits. For instance, holding a long position during a period of consistently positive funding means paying out regularly, which can erode profits or increase losses.

Conversely, if a trader holds a short position when the funding rate is positive, they receive payments. Similarly, during bearish markets where funding rates are often negative, holding a long position becomes advantageous as shorts pay longs.

• Long-Term Traders: Must consider cumulative funding impact over days or weeks.
• Arbitrage Opportunities: May arise when funding rates diverge significantly from spot markets.
• Risk Management: Incorporate funding rates into stop-loss and take-profit calculations.

It’s crucial to monitor funding rate trends before entering or exiting positions, especially around major news events or macroeconomic announcements that may cause volatility.

Factors Influencing Funding Rates on Kraken

Several variables contribute to how funding rates are determined on Kraken:

• Interest Rate Environment: Kraken incorporates a base interest rate, often tied to USD risk-free benchmarks like SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate).
• Market Premium: Reflects the difference between the perpetual futures price and the spot price of the asset.
• Market Sentiment: Strong bullish or bearish sentiment can drive the perpetual price away from the spot, affecting funding rates.
• Exchange-Specific Adjustments: Kraken may apply additional parameters to stabilize the market and encourage liquidity.

These elements combine dynamically to produce the final funding rate, which is recalculated at each 8-hour interval.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can funding rates on Kraken be predicted?

A: While exact values cannot be predicted due to dynamic market conditions, traders can estimate future funding rates using historical data and monitoring spot-perp spreads.

Q: Are funding rates the same across all cryptocurrencies on Kraken?

A: No, each cryptocurrency has its own unique funding rate based on its individual market dynamics and the specific perpetual contract's deviation from the spot price.

Q: Do I get charged funding fees even if my position is closed before the funding timestamp?

A: No, funding charges only apply if you hold a position at the moment of the funding interval (i.e., 00:00, 08:00, or 16:00 UTC).

Q: How does Kraken display upcoming funding times?

A: Kraken displays the next funding timestamp directly on the perpetual futures trading interface, allowing traders to plan accordingly.