How to reduce trading fees on KuCoin?

"KuCoin offers multiple ways to reduce trading fees, including holding KCS, increasing trading volume, using KCS to pay fees, and joining the affiliate program."

Jul 20, 2025 at 07:01 pm

Understanding KuCoin Trading Fees

KuCoin is one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges globally, offering a wide range of digital assets for trading. However, trading fees can accumulate quickly, especially for active traders. Understanding how KuCoin structures its fees is the first step in reducing them. KuCoin employs a maker-taker fee model, where maker fees are charged when you place a limit order that doesn't immediately get filled, and taker fees apply when you take liquidity from the order book by placing a market order or a limit order that gets filled immediately.

The standard fee structure starts at 0.1% for takers and 0.1% for makers, but these rates can be reduced based on your trading volume or KuCoin Shares (KCS) holdings. This means the more you trade or hold KCS, the lower your fees can become.

Holding KuCoin Shares (KCS)

One of the most effective ways to reduce trading fees on KuCoin is by holding KCS, the native utility token of the platform. The amount of KCS you hold determines your fee discount tier. KuCoin offers several tiers, with higher tiers providing greater fee reductions.

• Tier 1: 0–50 KCS – 5% discount
• Tier 2: 50–200 KCS – 10% discount
• Tier 3: 200–500 KCS – 15% discount
• Tier 4: 500–1,000 KCS – 20% discount
• Tier 5: 1,000+ KCS – 25% discount

Holding KCS not only reduces fees but also entitles you to daily KCS rewards, which are distributed based on your share of the total KCS held across the platform. This dual benefit makes KCS a valuable asset for frequent KuCoin traders.

Increasing Your VIP Tier Through Trading Volume

KuCoin also offers a VIP program based on your 30-day trading volume. The higher your trading volume, the higher your VIP tier, and the lower your trading fees. Each VIP tier comes with its own maker and taker fee structure.

For example:

• VIP 0: < 50 BTC traded – 0.10% maker, 0.10% taker
• VIP 1: 50 BTC traded – 0.09% maker, 0.10% taker
• VIP 2: 200 BTC traded – 0.08% maker, 0.09% taker
• VIP 3: 1,000 BTC traded – 0.07% maker, 0.08% taker

The highest tiers can offer maker fees as low as 0.01% and taker fees as low as 0.02%, making it highly beneficial for high-volume traders. It's important to note that trading volume resets every 30 days, so consistent trading is necessary to maintain a higher VIP tier.

Using the KuCoin Affiliate Program

Another strategy to reduce trading fees on KuCoin is by participating in the KuCoin Affiliate Program. By referring new users to the platform, you can earn a percentage of their trading fees. This referral income can offset your own trading costs.

KuCoin offers up to a 20% commission on your referrals' trading fees, and this can be compounded if you encourage your referrals to also hold KCS or increase their trading volume. This method works best for users who have an audience or network they can share their referral link with.

To join the affiliate program:

• Log into your KuCoin account.
• Navigate to the Affiliate Center.
• Copy your referral link and start sharing it.

You can track your earnings in real-time and withdraw them as KCS or other cryptocurrencies. This method is particularly useful for traders who already have a following or engage in community-based trading.

Trading with KCS to Pay Fees

KuCoin allows users to pay trading fees using KCS, which comes with an additional discount. If you choose to pay fees with KCS, you receive a 20% discount on both maker and taker fees, on top of any discounts you receive from holding KCS or being in a VIP tier.

To enable this feature:

• Go to your Account Settings.
• Select Fee Settings.
• Toggle the option to "Use KCS to pay fees".

This is a simple yet effective way to further reduce your overall trading costs without changing your trading behavior. Just ensure you always have a sufficient balance of KCS in your account to cover fees.

Combining Strategies for Maximum Savings

To achieve the lowest possible trading fees on KuCoin, it's best to combine multiple strategies. For example:

• Hold a significant amount of KCS to get a high-tier discount.
• Increase your trading volume to reach a higher VIP level.
• Enable KCS fee payment for an extra 20% discount.
• Participate in the affiliate program to earn passive income that offsets your costs.

By layering these methods, you can reduce your trading fees significantly, especially if you're an active trader. This approach is particularly effective for those who trade frequently and can maintain high volume or KCS holdings.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use both KCS holdings and trading volume to reduce fees simultaneously?

Yes, KuCoin allows you to benefit from both KCS holdings and trading volume. Your fee structure will be calculated based on your VIP tier and KCS discount tier, and you can also enable KCS fee payment for an additional 20% off.

2. Do I need to manually activate the KCS fee discount?

Yes, you must manually enable the option to "Use KCS to pay fees" in your account settings. Once enabled, your fees will automatically be paid in KCS with the 20% discount applied.

3. How often are VIP tiers updated?

KuCoin updates VIP tiers based on your 30-day rolling trading volume. This means your tier can change daily depending on your recent trading activity.

4. Are affiliate earnings paid in KCS or another cryptocurrency?

Affiliate earnings can be withdrawn in KCS or other supported cryptocurrencies. The commission is calculated based on your referrals' trading fees and is added to your affiliate balance in real-time.