What are the specific maker and taker fees on KuCoin Futures?

KuCoin Futures charges maker/taker fees based on trading volume and KCS holdings, with discounts up to 70% for high KCS balances and VIP tiers reducing fees further.

Aug 08, 2025 at 08:28 am

Understanding Maker and Taker Fees on KuCoin Futures

When trading on KuCoin Futures, users encounter two primary types of fees: maker fees and taker fees. These fees are integral to the exchange’s pricing model and are applied based on whether a user adds liquidity to the order book (maker) or removes it (taker). The distinction is crucial because it directly impacts trading costs and overall profitability. Maker orders are those that are not immediately filled and instead sit on the order book, waiting for a match. Taker orders execute instantly by matching with existing orders, thereby removing liquidity.

KuCoin Futures uses a tiered fee structure based on the user’s 30-day trading volume and their KCS (KuCoin Shares) holdings. This means that the actual fee rates are not fixed but vary depending on the user’s activity and token balance. The base fee rates, however, serve as a starting point. For perpetual and quarterly futures contracts, the standard maker fee is 0.02%, while the taker fee is 0.05%. These rates apply to users who do not qualify for any fee discounts.

How KCS Holdings Reduce Trading Fees

Holding KCS, the native utility token of KuCoin, allows traders to enjoy reduced fee rates on futures trading. The exchange offers fee rebates based on the amount of KCS held in the user’s account. To qualify for lower fees, users must hold at least 500 KCS in their spot wallet. The more KCS held, the greater the discount, up to a maximum reduction.

The fee reduction mechanism works as follows:

• Users holding 500–999 KCS receive a 20% discount on both maker and taker fees.
• Those with 1,000–4,999 KCS get a 30% discount.
• Holding 5,000–9,999 KCS grants a 40% discount.
• Users with 10,000–19,999 KCS benefit from a 50% discount.
• A 60% discount applies for holdings between 20,000–49,999 KCS.
• The maximum 70% discount is available for users holding 50,000 KCS or more.

For example, a user with a standard maker fee of 0.02% and a 50% discount due to holding 15,000 KCS would pay only 0.01% as a maker. Similarly, the taker fee would drop from 0.05% to 0.025%.

Impact of 30-Day Trading Volume on Fee Tiers

In addition to KCS holdings, 30-day trading volume plays a critical role in determining fee rates. KuCoin Futures categorizes users into different fee tiers based on their cumulative futures trading volume over the past 30 days. These tiers range from VIP 0 to VIP 4, with higher tiers offering lower fees.

The volume-based fee structure is as follows:

• VIP 0: 0–500,000 USDT volume – maker fee 0.02%, taker fee 0.05%.
• VIP 1: 500,000–2,500,000 USDT – maker fee 0.015%, taker fee 0.045%.
• VIP 2: 2,500,000–10,000,000 USDT – maker fee 0.01%, taker fee 0.04%.
• VIP 3: 10,000,000–50,000,000 USDT – maker fee 0.005%, taker fee 0.035%.
• VIP 4: Over 50,000,000 USDT – maker fee 0.00%, taker fee 0.03%.

These volume tiers are recalculated daily and can be viewed in the user’s account dashboard. Users can combine volume-based tier benefits with KCS discounts for even lower effective fees.

How to Check Your Current Fee Rate on KuCoin

To verify your current maker and taker fees on KuCoin Futures, follow these steps:

• Log in to your KuCoin account and navigate to the Futures trading interface.
• Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner and select "Fee Rate" from the dropdown menu.
• In the Fee Rate section, you will see your current VIP level based on 30-day volume.
• The page displays your base maker and taker fees, along with any KCS-based discounts applied.
• Ensure that KCS is held in your main account wallet, not in futures or isolated wallets, as only the main wallet balance counts toward fee reductions.

It is important to note that fee rates are updated daily at 00:00 UTC, so changes in volume or KCS balance may take up to 24 hours to reflect.

Fees for Different Futures Contract Types

KuCoin Futures supports multiple contract types, including USDT-margined perpetual, coin-margined perpetual, and quarterly futures. While the standard fee structure applies across most contracts, slight variations may exist based on the margin type.

For USDT-margined contracts, the fee model is consistent with the rates mentioned: 0.02% maker, 0.05% taker (before discounts). Coin-margined contracts, such as BTCUSD or ETHUSD, follow the same fee schedule. However, fees are paid in the underlying cryptocurrency rather than USDT. For example, on a BTCUSD contract, the taker fee of 0.05% is deducted in BTC from the user’s wallet.

There is no separate fee structure for quarterly futures; they follow the same tiered model. All fee discounts from KCS holdings and volume tiers apply uniformly across contract types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use KCS from my futures wallet to reduce fees?

No. Only KCS held in the main spot wallet qualifies for fee discounts. KCS transferred to the futures wallet for margin purposes does not count toward the required balance for fee reductions.

Q: Are there separate fee tiers for isolated and cross margin modes?

No. Fee rates are determined solely by 30-day trading volume and KCS holdings, regardless of whether you use isolated or cross margin mode in futures trading.

Q: How often are fee tiers updated on KuCoin Futures?

Fee tiers based on 30-day trading volume are recalculated and updated daily at 00:00 UTC. Any changes in trading volume or KCS balance will reflect in the next update cycle.

Q: Do referral programs affect maker and taker fees?

Referral programs do not directly alter maker or taker fees. However, users can earn fee rebates through the affiliate program, where a portion of the referred user’s trading fees is returned as KCS, indirectly reducing overall costs.