What are maker and taker fees for Coinbase futures?

Understanding Maker and Taker Fees on Coinbase Futures

When trading futures on Coinbase, users encounter two primary fee types: maker fees and taker fees. These fees are central to how liquidity is priced and rewarded on the platform. A maker is a trader who places a limit order that doesn’t immediately execute—this order adds liquidity to the order book. A taker is someone who places an order that executes immediately against an existing order, thus removing liquidity. On Coinbase Futures, these roles directly influence the fees you pay or earn.

For example, if you place a limit order to buy BTC-PERP at $60,000 when the current market price is $60,500, your order sits in the book until matched—it’s a maker order. If you instead place a market order to buy BTC-PERP at the current best offer of $60,500, you’re a taker. The fee structure rewards liquidity provision, meaning maker fees are often lower than taker fees—sometimes even negative (rebates).

Current Fee Schedule for Coinbase Futures

As of the latest update, Coinbase Futures uses a tiered fee model based on 30-day trading volume and asset class. Here’s how it generally breaks down:

• For users with less than 50 BTC in 30-day volume:

  • Maker fee: 0.02%
  • Taker fee: 0.05%

• For high-volume traders (e.g., 500+ BTC in volume):

  • Maker fee: -0.005% (a rebate)
  • Taker fee: 0.015%

These percentages apply to each futures contract traded, such as BTC-USD or ETH-USD perpetuals. It’s crucial to monitor your volume tier in the Coinbase Pro or Advanced Trade interface, as fees adjust automatically based on rolling volume. You can view your current tier under the Fees tab in your account settings.

How to Check Your Maker/Taker Status Per Trade

Coinbase provides detailed trade history that shows whether each executed order was a maker or taker. To verify:

• Navigate to the 'Orders' tab in Coinbase Advanced Trade
• Select the specific futures pair (e.g., BTC-PERP)
• Click on any filled order to expand details
• Look for the label: 'Maker' or 'Taker'
• The fee charged will be listed in USD or the base currency

This transparency ensures you can audit your trading behavior. If you’re consistently paying taker fees but intended to be a maker, review your order type—ensure you’re using limit orders with prices outside the current bid-ask spread.

Strategies to Minimize Fees on Coinbase Futures

To reduce costs, traders often optimize for maker status:

• Use limit orders exclusively for entry and exit
• Set price levels slightly away from the mid-price to avoid immediate execution
• Avoid market orders unless urgency outweighs cost
• Monitor the order book depth to place non-aggressive limit orders

For instance:

• If BTC-PERP is trading at $60,450–$60,460 (bid-ask), placing a buy limit at $60,440 ensures maker status
• Placing at $60,460 or above would likely execute immediately as a taker

Also, consider timing: during low liquidity periods (e.g., weekends), even limit orders might execute as takers if your price overlaps with resting orders. Always double-check the trade confirmation screen before submitting.

Differences Between Spot and Futures Fee Structures

Coinbase applies distinct fee models for spot trading versus futures. In spot markets, fees are based solely on 30-day volume and whether you’re a maker or taker—but futures fees are generally higher due to the complexity of margin and leverage. For example:

• Spot BTC-USD: Maker fee as low as 0.00%, Taker as low as 0.10%
• Futures BTC-PERP: Maker fee starts at 0.02%, Taker at 0.05%

This difference reflects the added infrastructure for futures, including funding rates, liquidation engines, and isolated margin systems. Always confirm the fee schedule under the “Fees” section of Coinbase Advanced Trade, as spot and futures are separate products with independent pricing.

Common Questions About Coinbase Futures Fees

Q: Do I pay fees on both opening and closing a futures position?Yes. Each trade—whether opening or closing a position—is subject to maker or taker fees independently. If you open with a taker order (0.05%) and close with a maker order (0.02%), both fees apply separately.

Q: Can I get a fee rebate as a maker on Coinbase Futures?Yes, if your 30-day volume exceeds 500 BTC, you enter the highest tier where maker fees become negative—-0.005%—meaning Coinbase pays you to provide liquidity.

Q: Are fees displayed before or after execution?Fees are estimated pre-trade in the order confirmation window. After execution, the exact fee appears in your trade history with a breakdown of maker/taker status and amount.

Q: Do fees vary by futures pair (e.g., BTC vs ETH)?No. Coinbase applies the same maker/taker fee structure across all futures pairs—it’s based on your volume tier, not the asset traded.