What is a maker fee in crypto trading?

A maker fee is charged when your order adds liquidity to the order book, typically by placing a limit order that is not filled immediately. Makers usually pay lower fees because they help exchanges maintain tight spreads and depth.

What is a taker fee in crypto trading?

A taker fee applies when your order removes liquidity from the book, such as a market order that executes instantly against existing orders. Taker rates are typically higher than maker rates on most crypto exchanges.

How do crypto exchange VIP tiers affect fees?

VIP tiers reduce maker and taker fees as your 30-day trading volume, asset balance, or platform token holdings increase. Each exchange sets its own tier thresholds. Meeting a higher tier can cut fees by 50% or more compared to the base level.

Lowest Fee Crypto Exchanges — Spot & Futures Ranked

Spot fee ranking — Ranked by taker fee (lowest first)

Rates shown at VIP 0 / base tier with 0 USDT 30-day volume unless adjusted in calculator.

#	Exchange	Maker Rate	Taker Rate	VIP Tier
1	Bitfinex	0%	0%	—	Sign Up
2	Bithumb	0.04%	0.04%	—	Sign Up
3	Upbit	0.05%	0.05%	—	Sign Up
4	MEXC	0%	0.05%	—	Sign Up
5	Bybit	0.1%	0.1%	VIP 0	Sign Up
6	Binance	0.1%	0.1%	Regular User	Sign Up
7	Bitget	0.1%	0.1%	VIP 0	Sign Up
8	KuCoin	0.1%	0.1%	VIP 0	Sign Up
9	OKX	0.08%	0.1%	Regular	Sign Up
10	Gate.io	0.1%	0.1%	VIP 0	Sign Up
11	LBank	0.1%	0.1%	VIP 0	Sign Up
12	Phemex	0.1%	0.1%	Standard	Sign Up
13	WEEX	0.1%	0.1%	VIP 0	Sign Up
14	HTX	0.2%	0.2%	Prime0	Sign Up
15	CoinEx	0.2%	0.2%	VIP 0	Sign Up
16	XT.COM	0.2%	0.2%	VIP 0	Sign Up
17	BTCC	0.2%	0.3%	VIP 0	Sign Up
18	Kraken	0.25%	0.4%	Default	Sign Up
19	Crypto.com	0.25%	0.5%	Level 1	Sign Up

Futures fee ranking — Ranked by taker fee (lowest first)

Rates shown at VIP 0 / base tier with 0 USDT 30-day volume unless adjusted in calculator.

#	Exchange	Maker Rate	Taker Rate	VIP Tier
1	Bitfinex	0%	0%	—	Sign Up
2	MEXC	0%	0.02%	—	Sign Up
3	Bitget	0.02%	0.04%	VIP 0	Sign Up
4	Crypto.com	0.02%	0.04%	Level 1	Sign Up
5	BTCC	0.03%	0.048%	VIP 0	Sign Up
6	Binance	0.02%	0.05%	Regular User	Sign Up
7	OKX	0.02%	0.05%	Regular	Sign Up
8	Gate.io	0.02%	0.05%	VIP 0	Sign Up
9	Kraken	0.02%	0.05%	Default	Sign Up
10	BingX	0.02%	0.05%	—	Sign Up
11	CoinEx	0.03%	0.05%	VIP 0	Sign Up
12	Deribit	0%	0.05%	—	Sign Up
13	Bybit	0.02%	0.055%	VIP 0	Sign Up
14	KuCoin	0.02%	0.06%	VIP 0	Sign Up
15	HTX	0.02%	0.06%	Prime0	Sign Up
16	XT.COM	0.02%	0.06%	VIP 0	Sign Up
17	LBank	0.02%	0.06%	VIP 0	Sign Up
18	Phemex	0.01%	0.06%	Standard	Sign Up
19	WEEX	0.02%	0.08%	VIP 0	Sign Up

There is no single lowest-fee exchange for every trader. Bitfinex and MEXC offer competitive spot taker rates at entry level, while Bybit and Binance become cheaper at higher VIP tiers. Futures traders often see the biggest spreads between platforms — always compare both products if you use spot and derivatives.

Base-tier rankings below assume zero 30-day volume. Enter your actual volume in any exchange calculator page to see your real VIP level. Holding exchange tokens (BNB, KCS, etc.) or meeting asset balance requirements can unlock lower tiers without additional trading volume on some platforms.

Beyond headline percentages, consider withdrawal fees, spread quality, and available pairs. A 0.01% fee advantage matters less if liquidity is thin on your preferred market. Use this ranking as a starting point, then open individual exchange pages for full tier tables.