Aave's new proposal outlines a major update to its tokenomics, focusing on revenue distribution, risk management, and a buyback initiative.

The S&P 500 dropped 1.22%, with most sectors down except tech, which gained on chipmakers and crypto stocks. Gold rose to $2,918 as US tariffs weakened the USD, fueling safe-haven demand amid recession fears. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 1.02%, with Bitcoin and Ether rising by 1.02% and 3.20%, 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 ADA, which surged nearly 18.4% following major developments, including its inclusion in the U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve, governance advancements, and staking updates.

Cardano (ADA), founded in 2015 is a third-gen Proof of Stake blockchain designed to address scalability issues. Its five-phase roadmap—Byron (launch), Shelley (decentralization), Goguen (smart contracts), Basho (sidechains), and Voltaire (governance)—aims to make Cardano fully decentralized and self-funded. 

 ADA’s inclusion in the U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve, an upgraded staking rewards calculator, and IOG’s new documentary on Cardano’s governance. Other key updates include Babel Fees for flexible payments, the 2025+ governance roadmap for on-chain voting, and the launch of the Cardano Development & Ecosystem Cooperative (CDEC) to drive decentralized innovation.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 outlines a major update to its tokenomics, focusing on revenue distribution, risk management, and a buyback initiative. It retains rewards for GHO stakers while introducing “Anti-GHO,” a non-transferable token earned by AAVE and StkBPT stakers. The “Umbrella” safety system is designed to reduce the impact of bank runs and safeguard against bad debt. Additionally, the proposal suggests forming the Aave Finance Committee (AFC) to manage a $1M/week AAVE buyback over six months. With DeFi expanding and Aave leading at $17.5B in total value locked, buybacks are increasingly used to boost investor confidence and ecosystem resilience.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETFs had a net outflow of $143.5M, with GBTC unchanged and all losses from non-GBTC funds.

 token on Ronin on March 11 after migrating from Avalanche. The 7B supply token will fuel the game's ecosystem, with 50% allocated to community incentives, including airdrops and staking rewards. A community sale via Ronin Launchpad offers FAME at $0.00429 before launch. The game, backed by NBA stars and brands like Gatorade, aims to expand its sports gaming presence.

Beginner

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Aave Proposes Tokenomics Revamp with Safety System, Revenue Redistribution, and Buybacks

A Polkadot Spot ETF would offer investors direct exposure to Polkadot's native token, DOT, by holding the actual cryptocurrency within the fund.

There's been a flurry of crypto spot ETF applications recently, with Grayscale, Bitwise, 21Shares and other asset managers filing applications for products based on 

. Polkadot is the latest cryptocurrency to jump into the fray, with both Grayscale and 21Shares submitting applications currently under SEC review.

If approved, a Polkadot Spot ETF would offer a regulated and accessible avenue for institutional investors to gain direct exposure to DOT, enhancing both market transparency and liquidity. 

In this article, we’ll explore the implications of the Polkadot Spot ETF application, assess its potential impact on market dynamics and examine the challenges it faces in a competitive ETF landscape.

 that would track the price of Polkadot's native token, DOT, offering direct exposure to its market performance. It would allow investors to gain exposure to DOT without directly holding the cryptocurrency.

A Polkadot Spot ETF is designed to provide investors with direct exposure to Polkadot’s native token, DOT, by holding the actual token, rather than relying on derivative instruments (such as futures). This structure ensures that the ETF would closely track DOT’s real-time market price in order to provide a transparent and authentic reflection of the underlying asset's performance.

The ETF would purchase and securely store DOT tokens through specialized custodial services. These custodians would employ robust security measures, such as multi-signature authentication and cold storage, to protect the tokens from theft and operational risks. The fund holds the physical asset in order to maintain a direct link to Polkadot's market value, which is a crucial factor for investor confidence and accurate tracking of the asset’s performance.

Polkadot Spot ETF valuation hinges on its net asset value (NAV), calculated by dividing the total market value of the held DOT tokens by the number of ETF shares outstanding. This NAV is updated frequently, often throughout the trading day, ensuring that the ETF’s price remains in close alignment with the aggregated prices of DOT from multiple reputable cryptocurrency exchanges. Aggregating the price index helps the fund minimize the impact of anomalies or potential price manipulation on any single exchange.

The creation and redemption process is an essential mechanism within this ETF framework. Authorized Participants (APs), typically large financial institutions, are empowered to create new ETF shares by depositing a predefined amount of DOT tokens into the fund, or conversely, by redeeming shares for the underlying tokens when discrepancies between the market price and NAV arise. This 

 process helps to maintain the ETF’s trading price, in line with its underlying asset value, keeping the asset’s market stable and liquid.

The prospective fund takes risk management and regulatory oversight seriously. Investors are still exposed to the inherent volatility of the cryptocurrency market, but the ETF structure offers enhanced regulatory safeguards, transparent reporting and periodic audits. These measures help mitigate risks, such as custody breaches and liquidity issues, thus providing a more secure investment vehicle as compared to investors directly managing crypto assets themselves.

On Feb 25, 2025, Grayscale Investments filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a Spot Polkadot ETF, aiming to list it on the Nasdaq-100 exchange under the ticker symbol "DOT." This move aligns with Grayscale's strategy to expand its crypto ETF offerings, following similar filings for XRP and Cardano Spot ETFs. Before this, on Jan 31, 2025, asset management firm 21Shares applied to the SEC to introduce a Spot Polkadot ETF, proposing to list it on the Cboe BZX Exchange, with Coinbase as the custodian. 

The SEC has initiated its standard review process for these applications, which typically spans 45 days, with the possibility of extensions. Historically, the SEC has exercised caution in approving cryptocurrency-based ETFs, primarily due to concerns about market manipulation and investor protection. However, recent developments indicate a potential shift in the regulatory stance. The US election of Donald Trump, who has expressed intentions to position the US as a leader in cryptocurrency innovation, has fostered optimism about a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment. This political change could influence the SEC's approach to pending ETF applications, including those for Polkadot.

Impact of Polkadot Spot ETF applications on the crypto market

Following Grayscale's announcement, DOT's price 

 within 24 hours, signaling robust investor optimism about the potential for increased institutional access and liquidity. However, the broader crypto community remains divided. Some stakeholders see the potential spot ETF as a gateway to greater market transparency and capital inflows, while others express caution over the influence of institutional investments on the inherently volatile crypto ecosystem.

Despite the notable price movement, overall market sentiment has been mixed. The 

, indicating that underlying concerns persist despite the spot ETF filings. Investors are now closely monitoring the SEC’s forthcoming decisions, as any approval could set important precedents for altcoin ETFs and shape the future direction of cryptocurrency adoption.

What will it mean if a Polkadot Spot ETF application is approved?

Approval of a Polkadot Spot ETF would mark a significant moment in the ongoing effort to merge traditional finance and cryptocurrency. This milestone would provide investors with a regulated and accessible avenue to gain exposure to Polkadot’s native token, DOT, without the complexities and risks associated with directly holding and managing the digital asset. Investing in an ETF that physically holds DOT tokens would allow market participants to bypass the need for secure storage and technical management, bolstering investor confidence.

For institutional investors, the approval represents a significant validation of Polkadot as a credible asset. With a regulated ETF in place, financial institutions that have long been cautious about crypto due to regulatory and custodial uncertainties would gain a familiar and compliant investment vehicle. The ETF’s creation and redemption processes, which are usually managed by authorized participants, would ensure that any discrepancies between DOT’s market price and the underlying asset’s value would be quickly addressed through arbitrage, maintaining liquidity and pricing integrity.

From a market perspective, the approval of a Polkadot Spot ETF could lead to increased liquidity and price stabilization. As institutional capital flows in, higher trading volumes are expected to mitigate extreme volatility, offering a more balanced market environment. This improved liquidity benefits DOT by reducing erratic price swings, and enhances the overall efficiency of the crypto market, making it more attractive to a broader range of investors.

Regulatory validation through an SEC-approved Spot Polkadot ETF would further bolster market sentiment. Investors and market observers alike would interpret the SEC’s endorsement as a sign that Polkadot has met stringent security, custody and operational standards. This approval could pave the way for similar products based on other cryptocurrencies, potentially diversifying and maturing the crypto investment landscape. Again, the increased confidence resulting from regulatory recognition might spur further adoption, potentially driving up demand for DOT, and, subsequently, its price.

The approval of a Polkadot Spot ETF would democratize access to DOT by bridging the gap between traditional and crypto markets. It would also enhance market stability, validate the underlying asset and stimulate broader investor participation. This anticipated development is set to be a catalyst for both increased liquidity and a new era of regulatory confidence in the digital asset ecosystem.

Looking to capture the market and trade DOT tokens? Bybit offers the 

The approval process for Polkadot Spot ETFs is underway, with key applications from Grayscale and 21Shares under SEC review. The changing regulatory environment, influenced by recent political shifts, may play a major role in the SEC's forthcoming decisions, which are highly anticipated by market participants. Approval of a Polkadot Spot ETF would be a landmark moment that bridges traditional finance with cryptocurrency by offering enhanced liquidity, regulatory validation and easier institutional access to DOT. Such a development could stabilize prices and drive broader adoption, paving the way for a more mature and integrated digital asset ecosystem.

Intermediate

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Polkadot Spot ETF: Vying for a spot in the competitive ETF landscape

Sonic (S) evolves Fantom’s legacy with 10,000 TPS, sub-second finality and FeeM incentives, boosting DeFi scalability and developer rewards.

Launched in 2019, Fantom has long been regarded as one of the leading 

 (EVM)–compatible blockchains. For years, the blockchain has been highly valued by 

 (DApp) developers and operators for its high-performance characteristics. In over five years of operation, until early 2025, Fantom has attracted hundreds of DApps in 

In August 2024, the Fantom team announced a significant rebranding and migration to a new blockchain platform, Sonic. Four months later, in December 2024, the Sonic chain’s mainnet was officially launched. 

A key part of the migration process has been the transition from Fantom’s FTM coin to Sonic’s S token, which was officially launched in January 2025 at a 1:1 rate to FTM. While Fantom has always been known as a fast, scalable blockchain, Sonic takes these technical advantages to a completely new level, boasting a throughput of 10,000 

 (TPS) and a sub-second transaction finality.

In addition to technical improvements, Sonic has introduced an attractive developer incentive program that’s not only generous, but also has the potential to significantly accelerate DApp growth on the new platform.

With the launch of Sonic and the migration from FTM to S, Fantom’s team is opening a new era in the project’s history, one in which the platform’s well-regarded technical features are being combined with an unprecedented developer incentivization drive. This could potentially position the new Sonic chain as a major force in the world of EVM-compatible blockchains.

In 2018, South Korean computer scientist Ahn Byung Ik founded the 

 (FTM) project to develop a fast, high-performance blockchain. In December 2019, the Fantom blockchain was officially launched, quickly becoming one of the leading decentralized networks in the industry. The platform was and still is known for its excellent scalability, low transaction confirmation times and minimal costs. Notably, the EVM-compatible blockchain makes transitioning between the tremendously popular 

 (ETH) and Fantom a smooth and quick process.

In addition to these advantages, Fantom also boasts a secure, highly fault-tolerant consensus mechanism, and is environmentally friendly. Fantom's website proudly states that the network consumes 70 million times less energy to process a transaction than 

 (BTC). This staggering difference is attributable primarily to Fantom's efficient 

 (PoS) block validation method, which is vastly more energy-efficient than Bitcoin's 

However, even compared to many other PoS blockchains, Fantom stands out in terms of its energy efficiency and performance. Fantom's Virtual Machine, Opera, remains one of the industry's most scalable and fast processing engines.

As of early 2025, Fantom continues to operate as usual, despite the migration announcement (covered in detail in the section below). According to data from 

 portal, its network features 450 functioning DApps as of Mar 3, 2025. Popular DApp categories on the chain include DeFi, gaming and NFTs, as well as apps in smaller niches, such as SocialFi and gambling.

In August 2024, the Fantom project announced a rebranding and migration to a new blockchain, 

 (S). The organizational entity behind the blockchain was also rebranded, from Fantom to Sonic Labs. Sonic's mainnet was launched in mid-December 2024. 

As of February 2025, the migration of FTM coins, the native cryptocurrency of the Fantom chain, to Sonic's S token is ongoing. Users can migrate their FTM to S at a fixed rate of 1:1 using the 

. This fixed ratio will be maintained for an initial period of six months after the launch of Sonic (i.e., until about mid-June 2025).

The migration portal will support two-way transfers between FTM and S until mid-March 2025. After that, only one-way transfers from FTM to S will be possible. Eventually, the Fantom chain is expected to be retired, although the project’s team hasn't yet announced a precise date for the chain's discontinuation. Per the project's public communications, the Fantom chain and its Opera smart contract layer will continue operating for the "foreseeable future."

Fantom is also in discussions with major crypto exchanges to facilitate the automatic transfer of user funds from FTM to S, and any staked FTM funds can be unlocked immediately for the migration to S.

The Sonic upgrade allows the platform to achieve a stellar throughput rate of 10,000 TPS, one of the best results in the industry. Sonic also features sub-second finality times, meaning that transactions are rarely reversible on the network. This feature is critical for many DeFi apps, as operators and users prefer the certainty of quickly finalized confirmations. Slow finality times on blockchains have often been linked to poor user experience, as well as a range of hacks in which user funds have been compromised.

The claims of outstanding throughput and finality aren't just sloganeering by the Sonic Labs team. Per information from the project, Sonic has been thoroughly stress-tested in its 

 mode with up to 175 million daily transactions, demonstrating its ability to withstand heavy loads. Even when subjected to the heaviest loads, the network has managed to maintain transaction confirmation times of no worse than 1.1 second. In short, the S chain is among the most scalable and fast networks in the blockchain world.

As with Fantom Opera, Sonic's processing engine is also EVM-compatible and 

To encourage the development and growth of the Sonic ecosystem, the project has introduced a novel Fee Monetization (FeeM) incentive program. FeeM is a gas monetization system that rewards developers with up to 90% of the network fees generated by their applications. This initiative aims to provide a sustainable income stream for developers, encouraging them to focus on scaling their apps and growing their user bases on the platform.

While the Sonic network has inherited some of Fantom's core properties, it’s introduced significant upgrades to improve network performance. Sonic’s 

 chain features a PoS block validation model, an asynchronous Byzantine fault tolerance (aBFT) 

Sonic's consensus mechanism is based on the 

 model, which Fantom first popularized. Combined with a DAG structure, it allows block processing without the need for a strict sequential order of confirmations.

Sonic's approach allows nodes to reach agreement independently without waiting for other nodes to confirm the blocks. Unlike traditional BFT systems, Sonic's aBFT consensus mechanism ensures the blockchain is fast and efficient, even under heavy loads, with transactions finalized almost instantly. Using the Lachesis model allows Sonic to maintain rapid transaction processing, excellent scalability and industry-grade security without sacrificing the network's decentralization.

The Sonic Virtual Machine (SVM) is the platform's smart contract–capable execution engine. Sonic’s documentation states that the SVM will replace the default EVM engine used by the blockchain, a move that’s expected to boost Sonic's processing speed further.

The SVM is fully compatible with the EVM, and supports the main development tools used in an EVM environment, specifically the Solidity and Vyper programming languages and the Go-based implementation of Ethereum, 

Sonic's database storage system is designed to efficiently manage the blockchain's "world state," which includes everything from address account data to virtual machine code and smart contract storage. A key feature of this system is its live pruning capability. In blockchain technology, “pruning” refers to removing outdated or unnecessary historical data from the network's database to save storage space and improve efficiency.

In the past, pruning required validator nodes to go offline, risking downtime and creating operational inefficiencies. Now, the process can be completed by a node in real time without having to go offline. This means validators can continue to process blocks while the system automatically discards outdated data. This ensures smooth network operations while significantly reducing storage space requirements.

Sonic’s live pruning system separates the database into two parts — LiveDB and ArchiveDB. LiveDB stores only the current block’s world state, while ArchiveDB keeps the history of all previous blocks. Validators interact exclusively with LiveDB, handling only the current state of the network, while specialized archive nodes manage both LiveDB and ArchiveDB to process historical data requests when requested.

Sonic Gateway is a bridging solution designed for asset transfers between Ethereum and Sonic. The bridge offers a convenient, two-way transfer system. When you deposit your assets, it takes around 15 minutes to confirm on Ethereum and only about a second on Sonic. After the confirmation, your deposit is batched with others to save on gas fees, and processed in intervals — every 10 minutes for transfers from Ethereum-to-Sonic, and once an hour for Sonic-to-Ethereum transactions. If you don't want to wait for batched processing, you can pay a Fast Lane fee to execute your transfer instantly.

The Sonic chain's native coin, S, first became available on the crypto market in early January 2025. S is used for 

, stake delegation, block reward payouts to validators, gas fee payments and governance.

Validators stake S to participate in the block processing activity on the network. Users who don't act as validators can delegate their S to a preferred validator node in order to earn a share of block rewards, which are also paid out in S.

In addition, S is used to pay for network fees on Sonic, similar to the way that Ethereum’s blockchain uses Ether (ETH). S holders can also participate in 

 votes for a say in the platform's future direction and existing operations.

As noted previously, in February 2025 there's an ongoing migration process from Fantom's FTM to Sonic's S. Using the migration portal, you can move your FTM funds to S anytime. The project hasn't announced a deadline for the migration.

The S token’s total supply of 3,175,000,000 is exactly the same as FTM's total and maximum supply. However, unlike FTM, S isn’t a supply-capped token. For the first six months after the blockchain's mainnet launch (until mid-June 2025), the supply of S will remain fixed, with no additional issuance. After that, it's expected that S will include a certain 

, with new S released for ecosystem growth, incentives and validator rewards.

However, the emission rate is reduced with three burn mechanisms:

 — Fifty percent of the transaction fee will be burned if a user transacts on an app that isn't participating in FeeM.

 — Users who choose not to wait for the full 270-day maturation period for 75% of their

 will lose a portion of their S tokens, which will be burned.

 — Unused tokens from Sonic’s annual minting (for the first six years) will be burned.

 event during which 190.5 million S will be distributed to active ecosystem participants both on the Fantom Opera and Sonic chains. During the first season of the airdrop, S allocations can be claimed until June 2025. 

As part of the airdrop, users can earn Sonic Points, reward points that qualify you for S coins. You can earn Sonic Points by holding or deploying whitelisted assets on the chain. The table below lists these whitelisted assets.

There are also developer-focused reward points called Sonic Gems. These are distributed to contributing DApps, and can be further reallocated by DApp operators among their own users.

Sonic’s S coin is available on Bybit's Spot market as a 

As of Mar 4, 2025, the S coin is trading at $0.53, which is 47.8% lower than its ATH of $1.03 on Jan 4, 2024 and 49.3% higher than its ATL of $0.3596 on Feb 3, 2025. Long-term price forecasts for S are mostly bullish.DigitalCoinPrice 

 of $1.85 in 2027 and $2.85 in 2030, whileCoinCodex 

 $0.63 in 2027 and rise to $2.17 in 2030.

Since the early days of its market presence, Fantom has been recognized as a highly scalable and efficient blockchain. With its transition to Sonic, the project’s team hopes to solidify this reputation even further. Sonic isn’t just a rebrand of Fantom — it's an entirely new platform that incorporates technical upgrades and improvements, resulting in impressive properties — such as 10,000 TPS, one of the best throughput capacities in the industry. Moreover, in addition to technical enhancements, the platform's generous developer incentive program, FeeM, is hard to ignore if you’re in the game of building or operating DApps. Along with Sonic's stellar technical characteristics, FeeM may just help drive the project's ecosystem growth on a scale that the original Fantom chain could only dream of.

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From Fantom to Sonic (S): Enhancing speed and scalability in DeFi

Boson Protocol has launched on Base, enabling the tokenization and secure exchange of physical assets as part of its multichain expansion. 

The S&P 500 fell 1.76% as tariff concerns hit tech stocks. Investors await key earnings reports. Gold rose 1.1% to $2,890.57 amid a weaker dollar and tariff concerns. Investors await U.S. payroll data. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was down by 8.92%, with Bitcoin and Ether dropping by 8.92% and 16.47%, 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 LAYER, which surged nearly 19.8% after Solayer launched the $LAYER / $SOL liquidity pool on Orca.

Solayer, launched in August 2024, is Solana’s first native restaking and liquid restaking protocol, allowing users to earn yield by securing additional decentralized applications (DApps) with staked SOL or Solana-based LSTs like mSOL, JitoSOL, and bSOL. Similar to Ethereum’s EigenLayer, Solayer enables restaking for extra rewards. Solayer 

 a $LAYER / $SOL liquidity pool on Orca, inviting users to provide liquidity and engage with the ecosystem. The announcement includes the contract address for participation.

, enabling the tokenization and secure exchange of physical assets as part of its multichain expansion. This integration supports AI-driven commerce by allowing autonomous agents to conduct real-world transactions with cryptographic security. By joining Base’s growing ecosystem, Boson aims to create a decentralized marketplace for tokenized assets like real estate and commodities. Developers can now leverage Boson’s infrastructure to integrate real-world commerce functionality into AI-powered applications while benefiting from Base’s efficiency and security.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETFs had a net inflow of $3.8M, with $58.2M into non-GBTC funds and a $54.4M outflow from GBTC.

, on Base in spring 2025 with a 10B total supply. The token is for fun and holds no governance or equity rights. A March 3 snapshot was taken, with another planned three days before launch. Zora has driven $376M+ in secondary volume, empowering creators with onchain tokenization tools. The protocol supports Base, Zora Network, OP Mainnet, Arbitrum One, Ethereum, and Blast. Claim details and tokenomics will be announced later.

Boson Protocol Expands to Base, Enabling AI-Powered Real-World Commerce

Trading

The spot market is distinctively different from futures market. Here are the top highlights you must know about the spot vs. futures market.

Spot-vs-Futures-Market-1068x712.jpeg

 is where the commodities are traded on the spot with immediate delivery. While a futures market, as the name suggests, settles the delivery of commodities and futures contracts on a specific future date.

 are terms used in the financial market, like stocks or forex. But did you know they’re also the fundamentals to shape the crypto market?

Crypto market has had its fair share of ups and downs, in particular, the significant plunge of Bitcoin (BTC) prices from the neighborhood of $20,000 to $3,000 after the rally in 2017. Then goes the ever-changing regulations towards the adoption of Bitcoin. Until the recent BTC’s bull that sky-rocketed to its 

. That is still shocking to the majority of Bitcoin spot and futures market traders.

So why is understanding the difference between spot trading and futures trading so important?

Spot market is referred to as the cash market because of the way payments are immediately processed. In other words, the contract between the buyer and seller will be performed on the spot at the prevailing price with a determined quantity.

Let’s say Harry (buyer) wants to buy BTC from fiat (USD) in the spot market — he would need to look for a seller who’s in search of USD to perform the exchange. So, Harry could go to a crypto exchange spot market to look for the BTC/USD trading pair by setting a limit order at a predetermined price and quantity for the execution. 

In any case a buyer and seller make an equivalent offer in the spot market, the trades will be executed immediately. 

The crypto market operates 24/7, which means you can buy and sell crypto any time and any day. All transactions are settled with a ruling price known as spot rate, aka spot price in the spot market. Anyone who’s holding spot market contracts can hold and find a better deal if they are not immediately satisfied with the current prices. But there should be an active demand and supply for traders to execute to trade. 

There are two main spot markets; over-the-counter (OTC) and market exchanges. 

OTC in crypto trading is when you can trade in a decentralized market without an intermediary. There will be no need for a broker or any other central exchange involved in the process. 

The OTC market mainly deals with immense volumes with seeming opacity outside the public eye’s periphery. That’s because the trades in the OTC markets are usually private. On the other hand, the execution process is relatively straightforward. Whenever two parties agree on a price, trading volume, and transfer method, a trade can be executed directly without the involvement of an intermediary. 

Market exchanges is a regulated market where you can place orders through a trading platform or broker. Crypto prices will be shown immediately through real-time quotes. This type of spot market follows exchange hours. 

On the other hand, exchanges act as intermediaries for buyers and sellers to bid and ask for an asset. When there’s a match for the bid and an asking price, the exchange will facilitate the trade. 

When comparing it with the futures market, the spot market would be ideal for you if you’re looking for a long-term investment. On the contrary, if you intend to leverage or hedge your trade, the futures market should best suit you. 

A futures market is where you make a contract with another party to agree on an asset’s price for a date in the future. This speculation is placed on a specific day, but the transaction is not on the spot. So your crypto will only be bought or sold at a specific set price and date that have been agreed upon in a futures contract.

Unlike the spot market, you’re trading contracts in the futures market without actually owning an underlying asset. In fact, futures contracts are made in an attempt to avoid market volatility. For example, when you’re trading a 

, you’re not actually buying or selling BTC, but rather trading on the presumed value of BTC.

In other words, you are betting on the price movement of BTC that is parallel to the value of the contract without owning the asset. 

Volatility in crypto trading is inevitable, and it has been a concern for many traders. Still, the price swings offer trading opportunities for traders to predict the price movements. 

 are a form of a futures contract. Prior to signing the agreement, buyers and sellers must predetermine the price and date. And hedging is common to a futures contract. 

For example, Bybit offers x100 leverage to allow traders hedge capital to fund the contract without the need to fund a position upfront. What Bybit offers is to provide traders with a more substantial amount of capital to open a long position with the anticipation for the price to go up or short for the asset’s price to drop. 

Understanding key differences in the spot vs. futures market is vital to a successful trade. Once you understand their characteristics, you can easily identify each of these financial opportunities’ advantages and limitations. 

Let’s say you place a trade in the spot market, the transaction will be made right away. However, in the futures market, your asset has a locked price to be traded in the future based on the agreed terms. 

Spot price fluctuations are based on the volatility of an asset. For example, Bitcoin’s spot price can swing up or down significantly within minutes and hours. So when 

A common assumption is the futures prices are often higher than spot prices. But that is not always the case. 

Truth is, futures contracts involve many factors before you can start speculating an asset’s price and eventually agreeing on a trading price. Still, you should decide whether to bet that the futures price will benefit them or otherwise based on the real-world perception of volatility and price arbitrage.

The delivery date is the expiration date of a futures contract. To simplify it, it is the futures contract’s final date where the specified price and the crypto asset must be delivered. When the delivery date arrives, a contract holder must receive his or her underlying asset. 

However, this date differs from one contract to another. Some traders or investors can set a specific day, while others might decide on a month. Suppose you have agreed on the date of delivery in a month, the trade must be transacted a few days before the end of that particular month. 

Also, each delivery date has a unique code which is made up of numbers and letters. The exchange will act as an intermediary, but the last two symbols will be the month and the year, in that order. However, depending on the exchange, the last two symbols can be the month and date. For example, 

 is BTCUSD0625, settling on June 25, 2021.

But, if you decide to trade a forward contract instead of a futures contract, you are trading or investing through an over-the-counter spot market. Forward contracts allow the date to be adjusted when both the buyer and the seller agree to do so. 

If you want to use leverage in a spot market, you must first buy crypto coins and pay a transaction fee according to the exchange. It is, however, essential to note that their lending is not greatly funded. That means the leverage offered is usually not too high because their loaning balance isn’t either. 

On the other hand, futures markets have sufficient funds in their lending pools, which means they can offer higher leverage.

When you use leverage on a futures contract, you don’t need to pay the full amount of the contract. You can enter a specific percentage of the contract’s total value, which is known as the initial margin amount. 

 Initial margin is the amount of collateral required to open a position for leverage trading.

 usually ranges between 3% to 12% of the total value of the contract. But it is highly different from one exchange to another. For example, Bybit allows traders to add or reduce their margin to a position under isolated margin mode. However, the flexibility is subject to change based on the conditions. 

Whether you end up trading crypto with the spot market or futures contracts through market exchange, it is necessary to understand the risks. Every trader or investor’s goal is to minimize risk and maximize gains. 

One of the situations you could see yourself in is counterparty risk. That means the other party does not meet the obligations. This could happen because the opposite party is either unable to meet the terms or is unwilling to reciprocate.

However, since futures contracts mean you are trading through an intermediary, it is less probable to encounter a counterparty risk because the value is based on the market rate.

On the other hand, forward contracts are not regulated by the market like futures. They are agreed upon according to the buyer and the seller. These contracts finalize when the crypto is exchanged, which means you will only know your profit and loss when the date comes around. 

Other than you as an individual trader, is anyone else involved?

The answer is yes, and the relevance is significant. 

Both spot markets and futures markets have two main parties involved in the transaction; a 

. The spot market boasts with immediate transactions. So when the buyer’s and seller’s prices match, the trade will be executed. 

As for the futures market, there is often an intermediary that is involved within the process.

Fees are always a concern when it comes to trading. That is because they can pile up and decrease your overall gains. 

Spot market crypto trading usually charges a transaction fee that is set around 0.1% to 0.2%. There could also be transaction fees that depend on the trading volume of the total of buyers and sellers in the market. 

Despite the trading fees, futures contracts usually have a settlement date too. When a settlement date is met, 100% of all the positions must be closed entirely. Therefore, when traders decide not to close their position manually, the system will automatically settle the position at the point of reaching the settlement date. And an outstanding position will be subject to a settlement fee.

, who seek liquidity and take liquidity off the book immediately will be charged a trading fee.

, who provide liquidity and increase the market depth of order books will receive a rebate.

structure (0.075% taker fees) and (-0.025% maker fees) for all perpetual contracts when the futures order is manually placed to open or close the positions. 

So, is the futures market better than spot? That will depend on your needs and trading strategies.

 may be better paired with the spot market, where you can instantly buy or sell regularly. But if you would rather speculate the crypto price, then future contracts could be a better option. 

A clear understanding of the trading market and paired with controlled emotions yields the best results.

Crypto Spot Market vs. Futures Market: The Key Differences

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