How to reduce trading fees on Gate.io futures?

Understanding Gate.io Futures Fee Structure

Gate.io futures trading fees are influenced by several factors, including your 30-day trading volume, whether you are a maker or taker, and your VIP status. Makers provide liquidity by placing limit orders that don’t execute immediately, while takers remove liquidity by executing market orders. Typically, maker fees are lower than taker fees—often ranging from 0.02% to 0.06% depending on your tier. By understanding this structure, you can strategically adjust your order types to reduce costs. For instance, if you consistently use limit orders instead of market orders, you’ll pay less per trade over time.

Increasing Trading Volume for VIP Status

One of the most effective ways to reduce fees is to qualify for a higher VIP tier. Gate.io offers up to VIP 9, each with progressively lower fees. To reach a higher tier, you must increase your cumulative 30-day futures trading volume. For example:

• VIP 0: 0.060% taker fee, 0.020% maker fee
• VIP 3: 0.045% taker fee, 0.015% maker fee
• VIP 6: 0.030% taker fee, 0.010% maker fee

  To boost volume:

  • Consolidate trades on Gate.io instead of spreading them across multiple exchanges
  • Use copy trading features to mirror experienced traders and accumulate volume passively
  • Participate in futures promotions where Gate.io sometimes counts extra volume during events

  Using GATE Tokens to Reduce Fees

  Holding and using GATE tokens can directly reduce your trading fees by up to 50%. This discount applies automatically when you pay fees in GATE. Here’s how to activate it:
• Go to your Futures Account Settings
• Select “Fee Discount Token” and choose GATE
• Ensure you have sufficient GATE in your spot wallet to cover fees
• Confirm the setting is active before placing any trade

  This discount stacks with VIP status. For example, if you’re VIP 3 (0.045% taker fee) and use GATE, your effective taker fee drops to 0.0225%. This is one of the most immediate and impactful steps you can take.

  Choosing Maker Orders Over Taker Orders

  Switching from taker to maker orders is a subtle but powerful fee-reduction strategy. Instead of using market orders, place limit orders slightly away from the current price to ensure they don’t fill immediately. This qualifies as a maker order and incurs a lower fee. For example:
• Place a buy limit order at $0.10 below the current market price
• Wait for the market to reach your price—this may take seconds or minutes
• Once filled, you’ll see the fee reflected as a maker rate in your trade history

  This method requires patience but can cut fees by up to 66% depending on your VIP level. Use the “Order Book” tab to monitor depth and set competitive yet non-executing prices.

  Participating in Gate.io Fee Reduction Campaigns

  Gate.io frequently runs limited-time campaigns that reduce or waive futures fees. These are often announced on their official blog or social media channels. Examples include:
• Zero-fee weekends during specific dates
• Volume-based cashback programs where you earn GATE tokens based on trading volume
• Referral bonuses that reduce your fees when new users you invite trade futures

  To benefit:

  • Subscribe to Gate.io’s newsletter
  • Join their Telegram or Discord groups for real-time updates
  • Check the “Promotions” section regularly in your account dashboard

  These campaigns can offer temporary but significant savings, especially when combined with existing strategies like using GATE tokens or placing maker orders.

  Optimizing Leverage and Position Size to Avoid Hidden Costs

  While not a direct fee, improper leverage and position sizing can lead to higher effective costs due to liquidation risks and slippage. Lower leverage (e.g., 5x instead of 50x) reduces the chance of premature liquidation, which avoids forced taker fees from automatic close-outs. Also, large positions without proper order sizing can cause slippage, increasing your effective entry/exit cost. To optimize:
• Use 5x–10x leverage for better risk control
• Break large orders into smaller ones to minimize slippage
• Monitor your liquidation price and set stop-losses manually to avoid automatic taker fees

  This reduces the likelihood of incurring unexpected taker fees during volatile moves.

  Frequently Asked Questions

  Can I use GATE tokens for fee discounts on both spot and futures?Yes, GATE token discounts apply to both spot and futures trading fees. The same 50% reduction applies across all eligible trading pairs when you set GATE as your fee token in account settings.

  What happens if I don’t have enough GATE tokens when a trade executes?If your GATE balance is insufficient, Gate.io will automatically switch to paying fees in USDT or the base currency of the pair. You’ll lose the discount for that trade until you replenish your GATE balance.

  Do referral programs reduce my trading fees directly?No, referral bonuses typically reward you with GATE tokens or cashback, which you can then use to reduce future fees. They don’t automatically lower your fee rate but provide indirect savings.

  Is there a minimum GATE token balance required for fee discounts?No, there is no minimum balance. Even holding 1 GATE token allows you to select it as your fee token. However, you must have enough GATE to cover the actual fee amount per trade to receive the discount.