17 Dec Zero Fees Q&A
in Education
Q. Why is Bitfinex removing trading fees?
- To make trading more accessible and cost efficient for customers, since trading fees were traditionally a significant cost of participation.
- To reinforce Bitfinex’s position as a professional grade exchange with one of the most cost effective environments among major exchanges.
- To support higher volumes and deeper liquidity, as customers are able to trade, scale and adjust positions without trading fees eroding returns.
Q. What is changing on Bitfinex?
Bitfinex has removed all maker and taker trading fees across its main trading platforms.
This means the fee you used to pay on each order are now set to zero for eligible products. The value of your trades are no longer affected by maker or taker fees.
Q. Which products are included in zero trading fees?
Zero maker and taker trading fees apply to
- Spot trading
- Margin trading
- Derivatives trading
- Securities trading on Bitfinex Securities
- OTC trading carried out through Bitfinex
Q. Who is eligible for zero trading fees?
All Bitfinex customers who are able to trade the products under our usual eligibility rules benefit from zero trading fees. There are no additional requirements linked to trading volume, holdings of UNUS SED LEO or account tier to receive this benefit.
Q. Do I need to do anything to benefit from zero trading fees?
No action is required. If your account is already able to trade the relevant products, your next order will execute with zero maker and taker fees.
Q. Are there any hidden conditions or volume thresholds?
No. Zero trading fees are applied as the standard pricing for eligible spot, margin, derivatives, securities and OTC trading.
Q. Do zero trading fees apply to all trading pairs on these products?
Zero maker and taker fees apply to all trading pairs within the eligible product categories
Q. Do derivatives trades still have fees?
Maker and taker trading fees on derivatives have been set to zero.
You can open and close derivatives positions without paying a trading fee on execution.
Q. Do OTC trades still have fees?
Customers who execute OTC transactions through Bitfinex benefit from zero maker and taker fees on those trades.
Q. Does Bitfinex Securities trading still have fees?
Trading tokenised securities on Bitfinex Securities now also benefits from zero maker and taker trading fees.
Q. What happens to margin lending and derivatives funding fees?
Margin lending and funding fees are not changing as part of this update.
Q. Are withdrawal, deposit or other service fees changing?
The zero fee change applies to maker and taker trading fees. Other fees, such as withdrawal fees, deposit fees remain in place unless updated in the official Fee Schedule.
Q. What happens to developer rebates on trading fees?
With no trading fees available to form the basis of a rebate, there is no pool from which to pay this specific incentive.
Q. Is this a short term promotion?
No. Zero trading fees are being introduced as the standard on Bitfinex services.
Q. How long will zero trading fees apply?
There is no fixed end date attached to this change. Zero trading fees are set as the default for maker and taker fees across the eligible products. If Bitfinex decides to alter trading fees in future, customers will be informed through the usual communication channels.
Q. Does zero trading fees affect my existing open positions?
Zero trading fees apply to new trades. Open positions continue to be subject to the terms that applied when they were opened. Customers who modify the size of an existing position, even if opened before the update, will also benefit from zero fees.
Q. Can Bitfinex’s technology handle increased trading activity?
Yes.
Bitfinex has invested heavily in scalable, low latency infrastructure. The matching engine is capable of processing orders in up to four milliseconds, even during periods of elevated activity.
The platform has operated since 2012 through numerous high-stress market events without prolonged outages and without significant degradation of the trading experience. Bitfinex is confident its systems can support higher volumes under the new fee structure.
Q. How will Bitfinex make a profit if trading fees are zero?
Bitfinex has multiple revenue streams beyond trading fees.
Bitfinex also generates revenue from service fees, such as withdrawal fees and fees for specific capital markets activities.
Q. How will Bitfinex benefit from removing trading fees?
Removing trading fees creates a competitive position. Being recognised as a major exchange that charges no maker or taker fees will
- Encourage increased trading from existing customers
- Attract new customers who value both low cost and professional infrastructure
- Support higher volumes and deeper liquidity in key markets
- Revenue from lending and other services will rise as customers benefit from lower trading costs.
Q. Where can I find the latest information or ask further questions?
For the most up to date information
Q. Does this change anything about my tax obligations?
Bitfinex does not provide tax advice. Customers should consult a qualified adviser or local guidance if they are unsure how to treat their activity for tax purposes.
Q. How can I verify that I am not being charged trading fees?
Review your trade history via your Bitfinex account or check the Fee Schedule on the Bitfinex website to confirm that maker and taker fees for the relevant products are set to zero
Q. I have referred traders to Bitfinex and participate in the Bitfinex Affiliate Programme. Will I still benefit from Affiliate earnings?
As there are no longer fees charged for maker or taker trading on Bitfinex, there will no longer be any eligibility for affiliate earnings. However, if your referrals also participate in margin lending activities on Bitfinex, then they will be eligible for affiliate commissions.
Q. How does this affect the Bitfinex Affiliate Programme?
The Affiliate Programme continues to operate. However, affiliates will no longer earn rebates from trading fees since there are no maker or taker fees to share. Affiliates can continue to earn from other revenue streams (such as margin funding).
Q. I have referred customers to Bitfinex who participate in margin lending on the platform. Will I continue to earn affiliate commissions from these transactions?
Yes. Fees will continue to be charged for margin lending. If you have referred customers to Bitfinex and they participate in margin lending, then they will be eligible for affiliate commissions.
Q. How is Bitfinex addressing the risk that zero fees could encourage wash trading?
Bitfinex has a robust existing risk monitoring system overseen by a skilled risk management team, which protects the platform from adverse trading activity. The team will continue to monitor and safeguard the platform throughout this transition.
Q. How does this affect token trading fee discounts for UNUS SED LEO?
With trading fees now set to zero, there is no trading fee to discount. As a result, the trading fee discount benefit linked to holding UNUS SED LEO no longer applies.
Q. Do holders of UNUS SED LEO still receive any benefits?
UNUS SED LEO remains a utility token on Bitfinex and continues to provide other benefits, including:
- Affiliate rebate multipliers
- Deposit and withdrawal fee discounts, where applicable
- A limited number of fee-free fiat withdrawals per month, depending on the amount of UNUS SED LEO held
Q. Does zero trading fees change the UNUS SED LEO repurchase and burn mechanism?
No. The UNUS SED LEO repurchase and burn terms remain unchanged, and Bitfinex will continue to repurchase LEO and burn it as outlined in the existing framework.
The repurchase and burn programme is based on iFinex revenues as a whole rather than only on trading fees, so the move to zero trading fees does not alter how the LEO burn mechanism operates.