Trading Fees: What You Pay on Crypto Exchanges

When working with trading fees, the charges applied each time you buy or sell crypto on a platform. Also known as exchange fees, they differ by fee tiers and maker‑taker models. Understanding trading fees helps you keep more of your profit.

How Exchanges Build Their Fee Structure

Most exchanges split fees into a maker part (when you add liquidity) and a taker part (when you remove it). This maker‑taker model creates a direct link: trading fees are lower for makers because they help the market. In addition, many platforms charge a small gas fee on chain, especially on Ethereum‑based trades. The total cost you see on a trade screen is the sum of the exchange’s percentage and the network’s gas fee.

Fee tiers add another layer. Volume‑based tiers reward heavy traders with reduced percentages. For example, moving $10k a month might put you in Tier 2, cutting the taker fee from 0.25 % to 0.20 %. This creates the semantic triple: trading fees → fee tiers → lower cost for high volume. Knowing your tier helps you predict the exact fee before you click “Buy”.

Liquidity providers also earn rewards that offset part of the fees they pay. When you supply assets to a pool, the platform shares a slice of the trading fees with you. So the equation becomes: trading fees = exchange cut + gas ‑ LP rewards. This relationship makes the overall cost feel smaller as you earn back a portion of what you spent.

Hidden costs can creep in, too. Some exchanges add withdrawal fees, deposit delays, or “premium” spreads on fiat pairs. These are not part of the headline trading fees but they affect your bottom line. Watching the fee breakdown, checking the gas price, and comparing tier benefits lets you pick the cheapest route for each trade.

Below you’ll find a curated set of articles that dive deeper into each of these pieces – from detailed fee‑tier tables to gas‑price calculators and maker‑taker strategies. Browse the list to see how you can shave off unnecessary costs and trade smarter.