Learn about USDT-settled crypto perpetuals, one of the most popular crypto derivatives product, how they work and how you can start trading them.

Crypto perpetuals futures are a type of derivatives product that allows traders to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies with leverage. Traders have the flexibility to go 

 on crypto assets, and keep their positions open for indefinite periods. 

With USDT perpetual futures on Bybit's intuitive and user-friendly trading platform, you can realize these benefits with futures contracts settled in USDT, a leading 

This article will introduce you to USDT-settled crypto perpetuals, and explain how they work and how you can start trading them. No worries — we'll guide you through each step you need to take to get started with USDT perpetual futures trading on Bybit.

What Are USDT Perpetual Futures Contracts?

 are crypto perpetuals settled in Tether USD (USDT), a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar (USD).

 As derivatives, cryptocurrency perpetuals enable you to trade an underlying asset like Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) without an expiration date. While you are obliged to buy or sell traditional futures at expiration, you can hold crypto perpetual contracts indefinitely.

Crypto perpetuals allow you to use leverage to amplify your potential returns and keep your positions open for indefinite periods. They also offer you the flexibility to profit from both upward and downward price movements with long and short trades. Perpetual futures trading can also help you hedge against market risks without owning the underlying asset.

On Bybit, all settlements, margin, and profit and loss (P&L) calculations are denominated in USDT for linear USDT perpetuals. On the other hand, 

, which you can use to generate returns when crypto prices fall, are settled in the underlying asset.

Tether USD (USDT) is the leading stablecoin by market capitalization. As of Feb 28, 2025, it 

 a $142.03 billion market cap, and a $63.22 billion trading volume in the past 24 hours. USDT is issued and managed by the British Virgin Islands–based Tether Limited. It's owned by iFinex Inc, the same company that operates the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange.

USDT is a fiat-pegged stablecoin that closely follows the price of the U.S. dollar. To ensure the stablecoin's price stability, Tether maintains physical reserves, of which nearly 84% is 

Top Bybit USDT Perpetual Futures by Trading Volume

Bybit has a wide selection of USDT perpetuals that you can trade to speculate on the prices of underlying assets.

As of Feb 28, 2024, the top five USDT perpetual contracts by 24-hour trading volume on Bybit are 

How Do USDT-Settled Crypto Perpetuals Work?

, crypto perpetuals don't have an expiration date, and can be held indefinitely. Since they don't expire, no physical delivery of the underlying asset is necessary. Instead, perpetual contracts are settled in cash, and their primary purpose is to enable traders to speculate on crypto prices without owning the underlying asset. On Bybit, settlement takes place in the USDT stablecoin for USDT perpetuals, and USDC for 

Because they lack an expiration date, crypto perpetuals rely on the funding rate mechanism to track the underlying asset's price. The funding rate can be positive or negative, and can change based on how close the futures price is to the spot price.

A positive funding rate indicates an overall bullish market sentiment. When the futures price is trading at a higher level than the spot price, buyers (longs) are required to pay sellers (shorts) the funding amount. In contrast, a negative funding rate is generally a signal of bearish market sentiment. Here, longs pay shorts the funding amount (as the futures price is lower than the spot price).

Key Metrics for USDT Perpetual Futures Contracts

In addition to the funding rate, some of the key metrics of USDT perpetual futures contracts include the following.

Bybit is a user-friendly and intuitive trading platform with a wide selection of USDT perpetuals. Thus, it’s an excellent choice for both veteran traders and beginning traders seeking to dabble in perpetual futures trading.

In the following section, you'll find a comprehensive guide that guides you through each step to get started with crypto perpetual futures trading on Bybit.

The first step to get started with USDT perpetual futures trading on Bybit is to open a 

. A UTA is mandatory in order to trade perpetuals on the platform. and will provide you with a tailored trading experience, account finances and 

For new users, Bybit will automatically open a UTA. Simply 

If you have a Standard Account with Bybit, you can upgrade it to a UTA by clicking on 

You can also upgrade your account by clicking on 

After reading the account's details, as well as acknowledging Bybit's Trading Rules and Terms of Service, click on 

Once your Unified Trading Account is ready, the next step is to fund it with crypto or fiat currency. Head to the 

Select your preferred cryptocurrency, the blockchain from which you’ll make the transaction, and 

 for auto-channeling deposits. Always ensure that you’ve chosen the correct network in order to prevent a loss of funds. After doing so, copy/paste the wallet address or scan the QR code with your phone's camera to initiate the deposit from your wallet.

You can also fund your account with fiat currency via the 

With a funded Unified Trading Account, it's time to open a new USDT perpetuals position on Bybit. To do that, click on 

 tab. In this guide, we’ll open a position in the 

After analyzing the chart and determining an entry point, use the trading widget on the right to open your position.

, which will apply to your account. You can choose between the following options.

Once you’ve chosen your margin mode, the next step is to set the leverage for the trade. Use the slide to select a value between 1x and 100x, and click on 

Next, select an order type for your trade from the following choices.

After selecting your order type, set the order amount for the trade. You can order either by quantity, denominated in the underlying asset, or by value, denominated in USDT.

order to manage your risks efficiently. You can do that by ticking the box next to 

 to open a short USDT perpetual position. Your order will automatically be executed by Bybit's robust matching engine, based on the provided parameters.

Step 4: Manage Your Crypto Perpetuals Positions

 at the bottom of the trading page. In this menu, you can view and manage all your past and current orders and their P&L.

Maintenance Margin Requirements for Leveraged USDT Perpetual Positions

A margin balance is necessary to keep your USDT perpetuals positions open on Bybit. Margin is calculated based on individual positions for both isolated margin and cross margin accounts. 

However, you can only use the settlement asset (USDT) to trade USDT perpetuals in 

. If the market price reaches the liquidation price, liquidation is triggered

On the other hand, Bybit converts all the collateralized assets in your account into USD value in 

 mode. Unlike for isolated accounts, a liquidation is only triggered when the account MMR reaches 100%.

How to Calculate Position Sizing Using Position Calculator

In perpetual futures trading, position sizing determines the amount of capital you put at risk. It’s a critical aspect of risk management that helps you decide the optimal size for your trades.

You can use Bybit's Calculator by clicking on the 

 icon next to the leverage settings in the trading widget to estimate the right sizing, based on your 

For example, suppose you go long on the BTCUSDT crypto perpetuals contract. With a 1 BTC order quantity and 10x leverage, you can generate a 14.48% return on investment (ROI) with 1,070.5 USDT in profits by opening your position at the price of 73,929.5 USDT and closing it at 75,000 USDT.

Advanced Tools for USDT Perpetuals Trading

You can also take advantage of the following advanced tools to trade USDT perpetuals.

Getting Started With USDT Perpetual Futures on Bybit

Crypto perpetuals allow you to amplify your position size with leverage, and open both long and short positions without an expiration date.

With Bybit's user-friendly and intuitive trading platform

,you can trade a wide selection of USDT futures with competitive fees, up to 100x leverage and access to top-tier liquidity.

However, understanding the risks involved and efficiently managing them are critical for traders' long-term success in the perpetual futures market. Tools such as Stop Loss and Take Profit orders can help reduce your potential losses and maximize profits.

Intermediate

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How to Trade USDT Perpetual Futures on Bybit

Bybit has restored 77% of its assets following a recent security incident, demonstrating strong recovery and renewed client confidence. 

Daily Top Performer — Nervos Network (CKB)

The S&P 500 fell 1.59% to a six-week low amid tech selloffs and economic concerns. Gold fell 1% to $2,889.13 amid a stronger dollar and inflation concerns. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 2.98%, with Bitcoin and Ether dropping by 0.97% and 2.53%, respectively in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today’s top performer is CKB, surging 18.6% following the launch of Nervos Docs v2.15.0 with CCC Molecule SDK and SUDT fixes.

Nervos Network (CKB), launched on November 2019, is a blockchain network featuring the Common Knowledge Base (CKB) for Layer 1 security and flexibility, utilizing Proof-of-Work consensus. It supports interoperability with various blockchain layers and allows developers to build decentralized applications with account abstraction at the protocol level. 

, featuring the CCC Molecule JavaScript SDK and SUDT contract fixes. Special thanks to community member u2 for reporting the issue.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 77% of its assets following a recent security incident, demonstrating strong recovery and renewed client confidence. Spot liquidity and contract trading have surpassed pre-incident levels, with trading volume exceeding $40B in two days. To reinforce transparency, Bybit conducted an additional proof of reserves audit, confirming full collateralization of client assets. CEO Ben Zhou emphasized the exchange’s commitment to security, resilience, and trust.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETFs had a total outflow of $20M, with GBTC losing $7.3M and non-GBTC funds $12.7M.

, its first Superchain utility token using the SuperchainERC20 standard for Optimism interoperability. With a 1 billion total supply, 16.8% initially unlocked, and 12% allocated for airdrops, incentives will reward various Mint ecosystem participants, including NFT holders, event winners, and active users. Details on the Token Generation Event (TGE) and airdrop date are coming soon.

Beginner

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Bybit Strengthens Proof of Reserves, Security & Transparency

Crypto Zodiac is a trading competition that merges astrology with crypto trading. Learn more about this competition here.

The cosmos aligns with crypto trading in the Crypto Zodiac League, a unique competition in which traders represent their Zodiac Squads in a thrilling battle for dominance. With a prize pool of 1,000,000 USDT, this event invites traders to test their skills, leverage their strategies and climb the ranks across multiple trading leaderboards. Whether you're an aggressive Aries, a strategic Scorpio or a disciplined Capricorn, your Zodiac Squad needs you. Read on to discover how you can join, compete and claim your share of the cosmic rewards.

 is a trading competition that merges astrology with crypto trading, allowing participants to join their Zodiac Squads and compete for rewards based on their trading performance.

The event is structured around the 12 zodiac signs, forming squads whose traders team up and battle for dominance. Participants engage in individual and team-based competitions, with rankings determined by percentage profit and loss, or PnL (%), trading volume and squad performance.

The Crypto Zodiac League is more than just a competition — it's a month-long trading showdown designed to test traders’ skills while embracing astrological themes. With multiple leaderboards and diverse challenges, every participant has the chance to shine.

Squad Derivatives Trading Volume Leaderboard

The Squad Derivatives Trading Volume Leaderboard ranks Zodiac Squads based on the collective trading volume of their top 50 members. The higher the total squad volume, the larger the prize pool that squad will share. Squad members who rank within the top 50 contributors will receive a share of the rewards. The prize pool itself increases as the competition progresses, scaling based on the total volume generated by all squads, with rewards ranging from 50,000 USDT for lower-tier volumes to a maximum of 300,000 USDT for squads that achieve the highest total trading volume.

To qualify for squad rewards, participants must achieve a minimum of 50,000 USDT in trading volume.

The Individual PnL (%) Competition is designed for traders who prioritize profitability over volume. Rather than focusing on sheer trading volume, this category ranks participants based on their percentage profit and loss, or PnL (%), throughout the competition period. The top 200 traders in this category will share a 300,000 USDT prize pool, rewarding those who manage their trades efficiently and achieve consistent profits. To be eligible, participants must have traded at least 50,000 USDT during the event period.

PnL (%) = (Profit / (Initial Equity + Total Deposits)) × 100%

Individual Spot Trading Volume Leaderboard

The Individual Spot Trading Volume Leaderboard focuses exclusively on Spot trading, ranking traders based on their total accumulated Spot trading volume. The top 100 traders in this category will split a designated prize pool of up to 100,000 USDT, with a minimum trading volume requirement of 30,000 USDT. This competition category covers all forms of spot trading, including 

Individual Daily Derivatives Trading Volume Leaderboard

For those who prefer daily competition, the Individual Daily Derivatives Trading Volume Leaderboard offers a fresh opportunity to win prizes every 24 hours. Each day, traders will be ranked based on their Derivatives trading volume. The top 30 traders for the day, calculated from 10AM UTC to 10AM UTC the next day, will share a portion of the daily prize pool, with up to 5,000 USDT in rewards distributed each day. The competition resets daily, running for a total of 25 days, giving traders multiple chances to climb the leaderboard and claim their rewards.

Beyond these core competitions, the event also features Lucky Draws and Mystery Box rewards, ensuring that traders have additional opportunities to win.

In addition to the main competition categories, participants can win bonus rewards through the Crypto Zodiac Lucky Draw. By completing specific trading tasks, traders can earn Lucky Draw tickets that grant them a chance to win extra rewards.

Some of the prizes available in the Lucky Draw include USDT trading bonuses ranging from 1–20 USDT, VIP 1 trial cards for 14-day premium access, and USDT and MNT airdrops. Traders can earn Lucky Draw tickets by completing various tasks, such as trading at least 100 USDT, making their first Spot trade of 500 USDT or more, subscribing to Bybit Earn or trading MNTUSDT on Bybit’s Derivatives market. These rewards add an element of excitement and unpredictability to the competition, ensuring that even traders who don’t rank at the top of the leaderboards still have a chance to win prizes.

All Lucky Draw entries must be used before Mar 28, 2025, 10AM UTC, as any remaining chances will be forfeited after this deadline.

Should You Join the Crypto Zodiac League?

For traders looking to combine their love of astrology with competitive trading, the Crypto Zodiac League offers an exciting and rewarding opportunity. With a 1 million USDT prize pool, multiple ways to win and the chance to earn extra rewards through Lucky Draws, the event will appeal to both high-volume traders and those focused on profitability.

Beyond the financial incentives it offers, the event adds a unique social and competitive aspect to trading. By joining a Zodiac Squad, traders can collaborate, strategize and compete alongside others who share the same astrological sign. This sense of camaraderie and competition sets the Crypto Zodiac League apart from traditional trading events.

This event is also structured to offer rewards to a wide range of participants, ensuring that both experienced traders and newcomers have a fair chance to earn prizes. With squad leaderboards, individual performance rankings and daily competitions, every trader has multiple paths to success.

The Crypto Zodiac League is an exciting, astrology-themed trading competition that allows traders to compete, strategize and earn rewards based on their skills. The blend of skill-based leaderboards, social competition and Lucky Draws, is designed to create an engaging and dynamic trading environment. 

For anyone who’s passionate about crypto and enjoys the thrill of competition, this is an event not to be missed. So choose your Zodiac Squad, start trading and claim your cosmic rewards!

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Crypto Zodiac League: Squad Up for the Stars

Gold is projected to surpass $3,000 per ounce in 2025, driven by strong macroeconomic and geopolitical factors.

At the heart of gold's potential surge is the current macroeconomic landscape that’s characterized by persistent inflation and anticipated monetary policy shifts. Inflation rates in the U.S. are expected to remain above the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, creating an environment in which gold is expected to serve as a crucial hedge against currency devaluation. When inflation erodes purchasing power, investors often turn to gold to preserve their wealth.

Moreover, the Federal Reserve has signaled a shift toward monetary easing, with market expectations indicating potential interest rate cuts in the coming months. Lower interest rates decrease the opportunity cost of holding gold, making it a more attractive investment as compared to interest-bearing assets, such as bonds and savings accounts. With real interest rates projected to remain low or even go negative, gold could experience renewed demand as a safe store of value.

Geopolitical tensions further bolster gold’s appeal. Ongoing conflicts, particularly the strained U.S.-China relationship and the Russia-Ukraine war, create an atmosphere of uncertainty that drives investors toward safe-haven assets. During times of geopolitical instability, gold has historically seen increased demand as investors seek to mitigate risks associated with market volatility.

As global tensions escalate, the demand for gold is likely to rise, reinforcing its status as a reliable hedge against financial instability. Investors tend to flock to gold during crises, viewing it as a secure asset that retains its intrinsic value, especially when other markets are under pressure.

Another significant factor contributing to the bullish outlook for gold is the unprecedented demand from central banks around the world. In 2024, central banks collectively purchased over 1,000 metric tons of gold, marking one of the highest levels of accumulation in recent history. This trend is expected to continue into 2025, particularly among countries like China and Russia that are actively reducing their reliance on U.S. dollar reserves as part of a broader de-dollarization strategy.

This central bank buying provides a strong structural support for gold prices, minimizing downside risks. As these institutions accumulate more gold, the resulting scarcity in the market could lead to higher prices. The growing demand from central banks underscores the renewed confidence in gold as a strategic reserve asset, especially amidst economic volatility and geopolitical tensions.

From a technical perspective, gold is currently in a robust uptrend, trading above key moving averages and nearing critical resistance levels. If gold successfully breaks through the psychological barrier of $3,000 per ounce, momentum could carry it toward higher price targets, potentially reaching $3,200 or even $3,500. 

, such as relative strength index (RSI) and moving average convergence divergence (MACD), suggest that gold remains in a bullish phase, indicating further upside potential.

As gold approaches these key resistance points, technical traders will closely monitor its price movements. A successful breach of the $3,000 level could trigger momentum buying, propelling prices higher as investor confidence grows.

Finally, rising investor sentiment plays a crucial role in gold’s potential price surge. Increased inflows into gold-backed 

 (ETFs), in addition to speculative positioning in futures markets, reflect strong confidence among both retail and institutional investors. As ETF holdings rise, it signals renewed interest in gold as a safe-haven investment.

This optimism is bolstered by a general shift in market sentiment as investors are increasingly turning to gold amid concerns over economic stability and inflation. The combination of robust technical indicators, macroeconomic pressures and favorable investor sentiment positions gold favorably for a significant price increase in 2025.

In summary, gold is well-positioned to reach $3,000 per ounce in 2025, driven by a combination of persistent inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, strong central bank demand and positive technical indicators. As investors seek refuge in safe-haven assets, gold’s intrinsic value and historical performance during times of crisis will make it an attractive option for preserving wealth. The confluence of these factors suggests that gold's upward trajectory could continue, making 2025 a pivotal year for this precious metal.

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Bybit Commodity Insight Report: Why Gold Is Poised to Reach $3,000 in 2025

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Join Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle, vote for top AI projects and compete for a share of a $1M prize pool. Earn rewards while shaping the future of AI in crypto.

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The Bybit AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle is an exciting and innovative trading and voting event that aims to identify and support high-potential AI projects within the cryptocurrency space.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize blockchain technology, this competition offers users a unique opportunity to engage with emerging AI-driven crypto projects while earning substantial rewards of up to $1 million.

 (AI) and cryptocurrency is reshaping blockchain and 

 — autonomous programs powered by machine learning — are revolutionizing the sector by automating trading strategies, optimizing portfolio management and executing on-chain decisions with minimal human input.

These intelligent agents analyze vast datasets, identify market trends and execute trades in real time, significantly enhancing efficiency and reducing risks in the volatile crypto market. Their role extends beyond trading, influencing DeFi protocols, NFT markets and blockchain governance.

Bybit is at the forefront of this AI-driven transformation, launching the 

 to spotlight high-potential AI projects. This event provides a launchpad for groundbreaking AI applications, connecting innovators with a global crypto audience.

What Is the Bybit AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle?

Bybit is launching a unique AI trading event designed to highlight the most promising AI-driven crypto projects.

AI is revolutionizing crypto markets, with automated trading bots now executing over 60% of all crypto transactions. The integration of AI and blockchain is unlocking new trading strategies, DeFi innovations and web3 applications, making the AI sector one of the most promising in crypto.

Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle bridges AI and blockchain, providing a global stage for emerging projects to gain exposure to a global audience. Participants play an active role in shaping the future of AI in crypto while earning rewards.

How to Participate in the AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle

Campaign Period: Feb 28, 2025, 10AM UTC – Mar 27, 2025, 10AM UTC

Bybit users can support AI projects and earn rewards by participating in this AI-powered trading competition. Here's a step-by-step guide to joining:

Projects earn voting points from the following ways:

By actively trading and voting, participants not only have a chance to earn from the $1 million prize pool, but will also play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI in the crypto industry.

Bybit's AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle offers an exciting $1 million prize pool, with multiple ways for participants to win rewards.

*Note that to win the prizes, there is a minimum number of voting points required. For example, to win the largest prize of $50,000, 600,000 voting points are required. Refer to the event page for more details. 

The breakdown of how votes are allocated for Bybit Spot is as follows:

The breakdown of how votes are allocated for Bybit Web3 is as follows:

The maximum number of daily votes that a user can receive is 100,400 (50,200 for Bybit Spot and Web3 respectively).

By trading, voting and engaging in the competition, participants not only support innovative AI projects but also receive a chance to maximize their earnings in this high-stakes trading battle.

Bybit's AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle offers a distinctive platform that connects cryptocurrency traders with AI innovators. Participants are invited to support leading AI projects, earn attractive rewards and contribute to shaping the future of AI within the crypto ecosystem. 

 and be part of the AI-driven revolution on Bybit!

How to Participate in Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards

Grab Up to 5,000 USDT in Rewards