How to use the "Post-Only" order type on Bybit? (Maker Fee Savings)

Understanding Post-Only Order Mechanics

1. A Post-Only order is a limit order that only adds liquidity to the order book and never removes it.

2. If the submitted price would immediately match with an existing order, the system rejects the order instead of executing it.

3. This behavior guarantees the trader assumes the role of a Maker, not a Taker, regardless of market movement at submission time.

4. The order remains pending until another participant places a counter-order at or beyond the specified price.

5. Bybit enforces strict price validation before accepting any Post-Only instruction, ensuring no accidental taker execution occurs.

Step-by-Step Activation on Bybit Interface

1. Navigate to the Bybit trading interface for either spot or perpetual contracts.

2. Select “Limit Order” as the base order type in the order entry panel.

3. Enter your desired price and quantity manually—this price must be worse than the current best bid or ask.

4. Locate and enable the “Post-Only” toggle switch, typically found under advanced options or beside the order type selector.

5. Submit the order; a successful confirmation displays “Order placed as post-only” and appears in the open orders list with Maker status.

Fee Structure Advantages in Practice

1. Bybit applies a maker fee of 0.02% for perpetual contracts, while the taker fee stands at 0.055%—a difference of over 63%.

2. In high-frequency scalping strategies, repeated use of Post-Only orders converts every executed fill into a fee rebate scenario when combined with VIP tier benefits.

3. Users holding MNT tokens receive additional fee discounts, compounding savings when layered atop Post-Only execution logic.

4. Negative maker fees exist for top-tier VIP accounts, meaning each successful Post-Only fill results in direct balance credit rather than deduction.

5. Historical data from Bybit’s public fee schedule shows consistent maker rate advantages across BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and SOL/USDT perpetual pairs since Q3 2025.

Strategic Use Cases for Market Participants

1. Traders deploying grid bots rely on Post-Only to ensure every level triggers as a maker, avoiding slippage-induced taker conversions during volatile sweeps.

2. Arbitrageurs setting cross-exchange limit orders use Post-Only to lock in spread capture without risking adverse fills during latency spikes.

3. Institutional OTC desks route client orders through Bybit’s API with Post-Only flags to maintain clean execution reports for compliance audits.

4. Liquidity providers participating in Bybit’s official market-making programs must operate exclusively via Post-Only to qualify for incentive distributions.

5. Hedgers placing delta-neutral entries avoid front-running exposure by preventing immediate taker fills that reveal directional intent.

Common Questions and Direct Answers

Q: Can I set a stop-loss using Post-Only? No. Stop-loss orders require immediate execution upon trigger, which contradicts the core constraint of Post-Only. Use conditional orders with standard limit parameters instead.

Q: Does Post-Only work with time-in-force options like IOC or FOK? No. Post-Only is incompatible with IOC (Immediate or Cancel) and FOK (Fill or Kill), as both demand instant matching. Only GTC (Good Till Cancelled) and GTD (Good Till Date) are supported.

Q: Why does my Post-Only order show “rejected” even though the price looks safe? The rejection occurs because Bybit checks against real-time top-of-book depth—not displayed price. A microsecond-level update may have shifted the best bid/ask before validation completes.

Q: Is there a minimum order size for Post-Only to function? No minimum size exists, but extremely small orders may fail due to exchange-level rounding rules applied during price comparison logic.