Why is my KuCoin Futures order not filling?

If your KuCoin Futures order isn’t filling, check the order type, ensure sufficient liquidity, verify leverage/margin settings, and review Time-in-Force or Post-Only options.

Jul 27, 2025 at 08:35 am

Understanding Order Types on KuCoin Futures

When your KuCoin Futures order is not filling, the first thing to examine is the type of order you placed. Common types include limit orders, market orders, and stop-limit orders. A limit order only executes at the specified price or better, so if the market hasn’t reached your set price, the order will remain open. In contrast, a market order should fill immediately at the best available price—unless liquidity is extremely low. If you used a stop-limit order, both the stop trigger and the limit price must be met, which can delay or prevent execution. Always verify that your order type aligns with current market conditions.

Checking Market Liquidity

Liquidity plays a crucial role in whether your order fills. If the order book lacks depth, especially for less popular trading pairs or during low-volume hours, your order may sit unfilled. To check this:

• Navigate to the trading pair’s order book on KuCoin Futures
• Look at the bid-ask spread—a wide gap indicates low liquidity
• Scroll through the buy and sell walls to see how much volume exists near your price
  If your limit price is far from the current market price or there are no matching orders, it’s natural for your trade not to execute. Consider adjusting your price closer to the mid-market level or waiting for increased volume.
  

  Verifying Leverage and Margin Settings

  
  Incorrect leverage or margin settings can silently prevent order execution. KuCoin Futures requires sufficient available margin for each position. If your selected leverage is too high relative to your wallet balance, or if your margin mode (isolated vs cross) doesn’t have enough equity, the system will reject the order—even if it appears to be placed successfully. To troubleshoot:
• Go to the position tab and confirm the leverage is set correctly
• Ensure your margin balance is sufficient for the position size
• Double-check that your order doesn’t exceed the max allowable size for your leverage tier
  

  Reviewing Time-in-Force and Post-Only Settings

  
  Advanced order parameters like Time-in-Force (TIF) and Post-Only can cause unexpected behavior. If your order is set to GTC (Good Till Canceled), it will stay active until filled or canceled—but may never fill if the market moves away. If you selected IOC (Immediate or Cancel), the order must partially or fully fill immediately or be canceled. Similarly, if Post-Only is enabled, your limit order will only be placed if it doesn’t match existing orders—it will not execute as a taker. To fix:
• Check the order details for TIF setting
• Disable Post-Only if you want your order to act as a taker
• Switch from IOC to GTC if you’re okay with waiting
  

  Monitoring Price Deviation and Slippage Tolerance

  
  If you’re placing a market order or a stop-market order, slippage tolerance becomes critical. On KuCoin Futures, if the market moves rapidly and your slippage setting is too tight (e.g., 0.5%), the system may cancel the order to avoid unfavorable execution. This often happens during news events or high volatility. To avoid this:
• Increase your slippage tolerance to 1–3% for volatile pairs
• Avoid placing large market orders during low liquidity periods
• Use limit orders during volatile times to maintain price control
  

  Examining API or Mobile App Glitches

  
  Sometimes, the issue isn’t with your settings—it’s with the interface. If you’re using the KuCoin mobile app or API, temporary glitches can cause orders to appear placed but not actually be submitted to the matching engine. Symptoms include:
• Order shows as “pending” but never appears in the order book
• No transaction history entry after placement
• Repeated orders at the same price/time
  To resolve:
• Refresh the app or log out and back in
• Try placing the same order via the web platform
• Check KuCoin’s status page or Twitter for known outages
  

  Frequently Asked Questions

  Why does my limit order show as “open” but never fill, even when the price hits my level?
  
  This usually means the order book didn’t have matching volume at your exact price when the market reached it. Also, check if your order was placed as a maker (limit) but got canceled due to a Post-Only or IOC setting.

  Can I cancel an unfilled KuCoin Futures order manually?
  
  Yes. Go to the “Orders” tab, find the open order, and click Cancel. The funds will be released back to your futures wallet immediately.

  Does using a higher leverage increase the chance of my order filling?
  
  No. Leverage affects margin requirements and liquidation risk—it has no impact on order execution speed or likelihood. Focus on price, liquidity, and order type instead.

  What should I do if my order disappears without filling or canceling?
  
  First, check the “Order History” tab. If it’s not there, it may have been rejected at submission. Review your settings—especially margin, slippage, and Post-Only—and try again on the web platform.