Bitget Beginner's Guide — Calculation of Funding Rates in Futures Trading

Overview

● This article introduces the concept of funding rates in Bitget futures trading and explains their calculation.

● It details the differences between funding rates and transaction fees.

● Funding rates are not paid to Bitget but to other users.

Funding rates are the fees set by cryptocurrency exchanges to maintain a balance between futures prices and the underlying asset prices, typically in perpetual futures. They facilitate the exchange of funds between long and short traders. Bitget does not collect these fees but adjusts the cost or profit of holding futures to maintain alignment with the underlying asset's price. In cryptocurrency futures trading, funding rates ensure market fairness and stability by regulating the balance between long and short positions.

What Are Funding Rates?

The funding rate is determined by the spread between the perpetual futures market price and the spot price. This fixed fee is exchanged between investors (long and short). In bullish markets, the funding rate is positive and increases over time. Long traders of perpetual futures pay this fee to short traders. Conversely, in bearish markets, the funding rate is negative, and short traders pay the fee to long traders. Importantly, this fee is not charged by the exchange but is directly exchanged between traders to align trading prices with the spot index. Whether the funding rate is positive or negative determines which party pays the fee.

Typically, when the funding rate is positive, indicating a bullish market trend, long positions pay the funding fee to short positions. Conversely, when the funding rate is negative, indicating a bearish market trend, short positions pay the funding fee to long positions.

Funding fees are updated every 8 hours, at 8:00 AM, 4:00 PM, and 12:00 AM (UTC+8). Traders holding positions at these times will either pay or receive a funding fee. Bitget calculates these fees continuously to ensure seamless trading, though there may be a slight statistical delay in fee collection and payment due to ongoing trades. For instance, if an investor opens or closes a position at 07:00:05, they could still be subject to the funding rate. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of your trading timing.

When a funding fee is charged, it is deducted from the user's fixed margin up to the point where their margin rate equals the maintenance margin rate. If there is an excess margin, it remains uncharged. The actual funding fee received by a user depends on the total deducted from the counterparty's account by the system. Higher leverage may exempt certain users from funding fees in specific cases.

It is important to note that the funding rate is a distinct type of rate in futures trading, distinct from transaction fees. Transaction fees are paid to the exchange for buying or selling, while funding rates are exchanged directly between investors.

How Are Funding Rates Calculated?

The method for calculating the funding rate is generally similar across different exchanges. Bitget calculates the funding rate as follows:

Funding rate = average premium index (P) + clamp {interest rate (I)− average premium index (P), a, b}

Here, I = 0.01% represents the interest rate index. The average premium index P is the simple average of premium indices, reflecting the relationship between futures prices and spot index prices. The specific formula is as follows:

Premium index = [Max (0, impact bid price − price index ) − max (0, price index − impact ask price)] ÷ price index

The premium index is calculated every minute.

Impact bid price = the average fill price to execute the Impact Margin Notional on the bid side.

Impact ask price = the average fill price to execute the Impact Margin Notional on the ask side.

Impact Margin Notional is the notion available to trade with 200 USDT worth of margin.

The specific formula is as follows:

Impact Margin Notional = 200 USDT ÷ minimum maintenance margin ratio

While this calculation method may appear complex, it hinges on market dynamics, particularly the equilibrium between long and short positions. Investors need not delve deeply into the mechanics but should prioritize understanding the funding fee due at the timestamp, which is calculated as follows:

Funding fee = position value × funding rate

Position value = mark price at the time of funding fee payment × futures amount

For example, trader A holds a long position of 10 BTC in perpetual futures of BTCUSDT , with a mark price of 70,000 USDT and a current funding rate of 0.01%.

According to the formula mentioned above:

Position value = 70,000 x 10 = 700,000 USDT

Funding fee = 700,000 × 0.01% = 70 USDT

Since the funding rate (0.01%) is positive, long positions pay short positions. Therefore, trader A will need to pay a funding fee of 70 USDT, while trader B, holding an equivalent short position, will receive 70 USDT. If trader A closes their position before the funding fee payment time, they will not need to pay this fee.

Closing Thoughts

However, funding fees are not entirely stable and are influenced by factors like market volatility and trading activity. Traders should closely monitor the market to adapt their trading strategies accordingly.

In conclusion, the funding rate is a crucial mechanism that contributes to the stability and efficiency of the Bitcoin futures market. This mechanism ensures that the prices of perpetual futures align with the spot market, promoting a balanced development of the trading environment. In the highly dynamic world of Bitcoin futures trading, understanding how funding rates work and assessing their impact is crucial before making decisions. Like in other trading activities, well-thought-out strategies and effective risk management are essential for success in the cryptocurrency derivatives market.