How to trade on KuCoin Futures?

KuCoin Futures lets you trade perpetual and delivery contracts with leverage—start by verifying your account, funding your Futures Wallet, and choosing between isolated or cross margin for risk management.

Jul 23, 2025 at 09:57 pm

Understanding KuCoin Futures

KuCoin Futures is a platform that allows users to trade perpetual and delivery futures contracts using leverage. Unlike spot trading, futures involve agreements to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price at a set date in the future—or, in the case of perpetual contracts, no fixed expiry. Traders use this tool to speculate on price movements or hedge existing positions. To begin, ensure you have a verified KuCoin account and complete identity verification if required. Navigate to the “Futures” tab on the KuCoin website or app to access the interface.

Setting Up Your Futures Account

Before placing any trades, you must activate your futures trading account:

• Go to your KuCoin dashboard and click “Futures”
• Accept the terms and conditions
• Deposit funds into your Futures Wallet—this is separate from your Spot Wallet
• Choose between USDT-margined or COIN-margined contracts depending on your strategy
• Set your leverage level using the slider or input field (e.g., 1x to 100x)
  Note: Higher leverage increases both potential gains and risks. Always start with lower leverage until you’re comfortable with the mechanics.
  

  Choosing a Trading Pair and Order Type

  
  Once your account is funded, select a futures contract. KuCoin offers popular pairs like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and more. Click on the pair to open the trading interface. Here, you’ll see:
• Mark Price: The real-time reference price to prevent manipulation
• Index Price: A composite of prices from major exchanges
• Order Book: Displays buy and sell orders
  You can place several order types:
• Limit Order: Execute at a specific price or better
• Market Order: Execute immediately at current market price
• Stop-Limit / Stop-Market: Trigger an order when price hits a set level
• Take Profit / Stop Loss: Automatically close positions at desired levels
  

  Placing a Long or Short Trade

  
  To open a position:
• Decide whether to go long (buy) if you expect the price to rise, or short (sell) if you expect it to fall
• Enter the contract size (in USD or number of coins)
• Confirm your leverage—this affects your margin requirement
• Review liquidation price displayed below the order form—this is where your position will be automatically closed if the market moves against you
• Click “Buy/Long” or “Sell/Short” to execute
  After placing the trade, monitor your open position in the “Positions” tab. You can adjust stop-loss, take-profit, or reduce leverage from there.
  

  Managing Risk and Liquidation

  
  Risk management is critical in futures trading. The liquidation price is calculated based on your entry price, leverage, and fees. If the mark price reaches this level, your position will be closed automatically to prevent further losses. To avoid liquidation:
• Use lower leverage to widen the liquidation buffer
• Set manual stop-loss orders to exit before liquidation
• Monitor your maintenance margin ratio—if it drops to zero, liquidation occurs
• Avoid over-leveraging during high volatility periods like news events
  KuCoin provides a risk indicator next to each position showing your current risk level—green means safe, red means high risk of liquidation.
  

  Withdrawing Profits and Closing Positions

  
  To close a position:
• Go to the “Positions” tab
• Click “Close” next to the open trade
• Choose whether to close fully or partially
• Confirm the action—profits or losses will be reflected in your Futures Wallet
  Once closed, you can transfer funds back to your Spot Wallet by:
• Navigating to “Assets” > “Futures Wallet”
• Clicking “Transfer”
• Selecting the amount and destination (Spot Wallet)
• Confirming the transfer
  This allows you to withdraw profits to your bank or trade elsewhere on KuCoin.
  

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  FAQs

  What is the difference between isolated and cross margin in KuCoin Futures?
  
  Isolated margin limits risk to the allocated margin for that position only—ideal for beginners. Cross margin uses your entire wallet balance as collateral, potentially reducing liquidation risk but exposing more capital.

  How do I calculate my liquidation price manually?
  
  For a long position:
  Liquidation Price = Entry Price × (1 - Maintenance Margin Rate / Leverage)
  
  For a short:
  Liquidation Price = Entry Price × (1 + Maintenance Margin Rate / Leverage)
  
  Check KuCoin’s built-in calculator for accuracy.

  Can I trade KuCoin Futures on mobile?
  
  Yes. The KuCoin app supports full futures trading including order placement, position management, and stop-loss settings—identical to the desktop experience.

  Why did my position get liquidated even though the market didn’t reach my liquidation price?
  
  Liquidation uses the mark price, not the last traded price. If the mark price (used to prevent manipulation) differs significantly due to market conditions, liquidation may occur slightly before or after the expected level.