Learn about crypto futures trading, how crypto futures contracts work and the different futures contracts available on Bybit.

Crypto futures enable traders to hedge against market risks, amplify their position sizes with leverage and execute different strategies without owning the underlying asset. On an intuitive and user-friendly trading platform like Bybit, you can access a wide range of futures contracts with top-tier liquidity.

In this article, we'll introduce crypto futures trading, show you how crypto futures contracts work and discuss the different futures contracts available on Bybit. We’ll also provide a comprehensive step-by-step guide that shows you how to get started with crypto futures trading on Bybit.

Crypto futures are derivatives trading contracts that represent the right to buy or sell an underlying cryptocurrency at a set price at a future date. In a futures trade, the buyer is obliged to purchase the underlying asset at the expiration date.

These derivatives trading contracts originate from the traditional finance (TradFi) industry. That said, there are a few key differences between crypto futures and their conventional counterparts. 

On the one hand, traditional futures are strictly regulated and can only be traded when the respective stock exchange is open. Also, they represent general market assets, such as stocks, forex and commodities. In contrast, crypto futures track digital asset prices that can be traded at any time, and their regulation varies by jurisdiction.

Crypto futures enable traders to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies without actually owning them. However, the primary benefit of these contracts is their ability to amplify your position size with leverage. By doing so, you take higher risks to trade with less capital and increase your potential returns.

Types of Crypto Futures Contracts on Bybit

Based on the underlying asset, you can trade three types of crypto futures contracts on Bybit:

In addition to standard crypto futures, you can also trade inverse futures contracts on Bybit. With inverse futures, you can generate returns when the underlying asset's price declines, without taking a short position. Examples include 

You can also trade perpetual crypto futures on Bybit. Unlike standard futures contracts, perpetuals don't have an expiration date, meaning you can hold them for virtually indefinite periods. These derivatives trading contracts use the funding rate as a mechanism to track the spot price. On Bybit, you can access a wide range of crypto perpetuals, such as 

By trading a crypto futures contract, you agree to buy or sell the underlying asset at the expiration date. This allows you to set your price in advance. You can manage crypto futures on Bybit via

When you buy a contract on Bybit, you generate returns on the trade when the future price (which tracks the underlying asset's price) rises. On the other hand, shorting crypto futures allows you to profit when the contract's price falls.

For example, suppose you take a long position in 

 with a 1 BTC position size. Here you agree to purchase 1 BTC on December 27, 2024 for 72,000 USDC. (The latter is the current Bitcoin price as of the time of this writing on Nov 4, 2024.) Let's say BTC's price increases to 100,000 USDC by the expiration date. In that case, you’ll earn 28,000 USDC, minus trading fees. However, if Bitcoin’s price falls to 50,000 USDC by December 27, you’ll have a loss of 22,000 USDC.

Crypto futures have multiple important components, such as the contract symbol, expiration date, underlying asset, contract size and maintenance margin.

Every futures pair has a symbol — for example, BTC-27DEC24. On Bybit, this symbol has four components for standard contracts:

Combining the day, month and year codes (e.g., 27DEC24) gives you the contract's expiration date.

The expiration date (e.g., December 27, 2024 for the BTC-27DEC24 contract) refers to the date at which your crypto futures contract will be settled. This is also the last day you can trade the contract.

At expiration, your crypto futures contract is settled in cash, or via the underlying asset's (e.g., BTC) physical delivery. On Bybit, the BTC-27DEC24 derivatives contract settles in USDC, with delivery taking place on December 27, 2024 at 8AM UTC. The contract's delivery price is determined by the average index price in the final 30 minutes before expiration. Bybit charges no delivery fees for crypto futures traders.

The underlying asset is the cryptocurrency you buy or sell with a crypto futures contract. Besides the underlying asset, it's also important to learn which token the contract is settled in at the expiration date. In the BTC-27DEC24 contract, these are as follows:

Each crypto futures pair has a contract size (the amount of the underlying asset delivered for a single contract). With Bybit, the contract size equals one unit of the underlying cryptocurrency (e.g., 1 BTC for BTC-27DEC24).

Maintenance margin refers to the minimum amount of margin you must have to maintain your position or account. If your position margin falls below this level, a 

 will occur to prevent you from falling into negative equity. Thus, the maintenance margin is a critical component to consider if you use leverage to amplify your potential gains with crypto futures.

At Bybit, the maintenance margin level for crypto futures contracts is based on various risk tiers. Each tier has its own risk limit (maximum position size in USDC) and maximum leverage. Greater risk limits come with higher tiers and maintenance margin rates, as well as lower leverage.

For example, for the BTC-27DEC24 contract, the maintenance margin rates would be set as follows:

How to Get Started With Crypto Futures Trading on Bybit

As a user-friendly and intuitive exchange,

 that’s an excellent choice for both beginning and experienced traders.

The following is a step-by-step guide to help you get started with crypto futures trading on Bybit.

With a Unified Trading Account, you don't have to switch from one instrument account to another to tailor your trading experience, 

 and account finances. Most importantly, a UTA is mandatory for trading crypto futures contracts on Bybit.

To open a UTA, you need to already have an account with Bybit. If you don't have one, 

 (and for ID verification). For new registrations, Bybit will automatically provide users with a UTA.

 page in the trading widget next to your account.

Next, read the details shown in the pop-up, acknowledge Bybit's Trading Rules and Terms of Service for the UTA and click on 

. Now that your Unified Trading Account is ready, you can start trading crypto futures contracts.

Step 2: Fund Your Unified Trading Account

In the pop-up window, choose your desired cryptocurrency and blockchain. To avoid any losses, please always ensure that the selected network corresponds to the chain on which it resides. For example, choose ERC-20 if you’re transferring USDC to your Bybit account from Ethereum. 

 to auto-channel deposits to your UTA, and initiate a transaction from your wallet to the address displayed on the page.

Besides crypto, you can also deposit fiat currency via the 

After funding your UTA, the next step is to open a crypto futures position on Bybit. To do that, click on 

 and tap on the symbol of your preferred contract. For this guide, we have selected 

Once you’ve analyzed the crypto futures market via 

 analysis to determine an entry point, use the trading widget on the right to open a position.

First, choose your desired margin mode: Isolated Margin, Cross Margin or Portfolio Margin (learn more about these 

Next, adjust the leverage for your position. Remember, higher leverage means greater risks and more potential returns for the trade. When you’re ready, click on 

Select whether to place a limit, market or conditional order (learn more about these order types 

, you can set a stop-loss order and/or a take-profit order for your trade to help manage your risks efficiently. Click on 

Finally, after reviewing your order, click on 

 to open a short futures position. Bybit's robust matching engine will automatically execute your order. Market orders are executed at the current market price, limit orders at the set order price and conditional orders at the set order and trigger prices.

To maximize your profits and minimize your risks in the crypto futures market, you need to follow sound trading strategies. Diligently following predefined rules and conditions helps you make informed, data-backed decisions and minimize the impact of your emotions on your trades. Below, we’ve collected some of the best trading strategies for the crypto futures market (you can

Effective crypto futures trading strategies incorporate multiple tools and practices to manage risks. Examples include stop-loss and take-profit orders, diversified portfolios, hedging, and never risking more capital that you can afford to lose.

Benefits of Trading Crypto Futures on Bybit

Trading crypto futures on Bybit provides traders multiple benefits:

Crypto futures are risky financial products. Some of the potential risks to traders are as follows:

Crypto futures trading enables you to amplify your potential returns, and to hedge against market volatility and other risks. 

However, crypto futures are risky financial products, and traders must be aware of the potential risks. Examples include high volatility, potentially leading to rapid and significant losses; leverage risks, which could amplify losses or lead to a margin call; liquidation risk when margin falls below the maintenance margin level; and liquidity risks for smaller crypto assets.

With Bybit's user-friendly and intuitive trading platform, you can take advantage of top-tier liquidity and cost-efficient fees to maximize your profits. In addition, you can access multiple tools for efficient risk management.

Intermediate

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Learn how to trade Bitcoin, Ether and Solana futures contracts settled in USDC on Bybit with this extensive guide.

Crypto futures contracts are a type of derivatives product used to buy or sell a crypto asset at a predetermined price on a specified future date. The buyer of a futures contract is obligated to buy and receive the underlying asset at the moment the futures contract expires, while a futures contract’s seller is obligated to sell and deliver the underlying asset when the contract expires.

While Bybit offers various derivatives products, such as USDT and USDC perpetual futures, inverse futures and options, this article covers crypto futures contracts with expiration dates. Bybit offers weekly, bi-weekly, tri-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly and bi-quarterly futures contracts for Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL). We’ll discuss the ins and outs of Bitcoin, Ether and Solana futures derivatives trading on Bybit, including the different types of contracts and their initial and maintenance requirements.

Crypto futures contracts are financial derivatives contracts that obligate buyers and sellers of cryptocurrencies to transact them at a predetermined future date and price. The buyer must purchase the underlying asset from the seller, regardless of the current market price of the underlying cryptocurrency at the expiration date. 

Traders use crypto futures contracts to hedge or speculate on the price movement of a cryptocurrencies without needing to own the underlying assets. Futures contracts also allow traders to use leverage, which may amplify gains or losses. Bitcoin and Ethereum futures contracts are traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and on cryptocurrency exchanges such as 

Bitcoin futures contracts allow cryptocurrency traders to speculate on the price of Bitcoin without taking possession of the underlying asset (BTC). The contracts are agreements to buy or sell BTC at a predetermined price on a specified future date.

Traders and institutional investors use Bitcoin futures contracts to hedge against price fluctuations, or to speculate on Bitcoin’s price movements with greater capital efficiency through the use of leverage. Bitcoin futures contracts offer exposure to Bitcoin’s price without the complexities of managing the underlying asset itself. Bybit offers weekly, bi-weekly, tri-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly and bi-quarterly Bitcoin futures contracts.

, each Bitcoin futures contract on Bybit comes with conditions and details, such as ticker symbol, expiration date, initial margin, maintenance margin, open interest and contract size. 

The symbol includes the underlying asset and the expiration date. For example, for the 

 futures contract, the underlying asset is BTC, and the expiration date is September 26, 2025. 

Since the futures contract is settled in the USDC 

 refers to the amount of USDC you’ll need in your Bybit account to open a futures position.

For the BTC-26SEP25 futures contract, the initial margin base value is 2.00%, meaning that crypto traders can trade Bitcoin with leverage of 50:1. Note that the regular Bitcoin futures contract size at Bybit is 1 BTC.

Just as with Bitcoin futures contracts, Ethereum futures contracts allow traders to speculate on the price of Ether (ETH) without taking possession of it.

On Bybit, users can trade Ethereum futures contracts, which are settled in USDC. Looking at the 

, the expiration date is September 26, 2025. 

A standard ETH futures contract on Bybit has a size of 1 ETH, and comes with a 2.00% initial margin base value and a 1.50% maintenance margin base value.

Just as with Bitcoin, users can trade Ethereum futures contracts on Bybit with up to 50:1 leverage. However, with ETH futures contracts, the annualized basis interest rate is higher (9%), and the settlement cryptocurrency of the contracts is in either USDT or USDC. 

Bybit also offers Solana futures contracts, giving traders exposure to Solana without owning SOL. Each futures contract is worth 1 SOL, and comes with a 2.00% initial margin base value and an annualized base interest rate of 9%.

 for SOL-29NOV24, the expiration date is November 29, 2024, at 8AM UTC. 

Please note that only weekly, bi-weekly, tri-weekly and monthly Solana futures contracts are offered.

How to Trade BTC, ETH and SOL Futures on Bybit

To trade BTC, ETH and SOL futures, you’ll first need to have a Bybit account. Luckily, this is an easy process that only takes a few minutes of your time. Follow the steps below to get started trading futures contracts on Bybit.

 for a Bybit account (or log in if you already have one). 

Once your account is funded, you can start trading

. For Bitcoin futures contracts, head to the Bitcoin futures page of the desired contract. For this guide, we’ll use 

. Learn about the difference between limit, market and conditional orders 

In this case, we’ll use a limit order. Enter the 

, which is the price you’d like the order to be executed at. Enter the order quantity (denominated in BTC, with 1 contract worth 1 BTC). The value and cost will be automatically calculated.

Once the position is open, please ensure that your margin meets the maintenance margin threshold to prevent liquidation. (Learn more about maintenance margin 

For Ethereum futures, select the desired contract, such as 

For Solana futures, select the desired contract, such as 

 that Solana futures only offer weekly, bi-weekly, tri-weekly and monthly contracts.

Initial and Maintenance Margin Requirements

With BTC, ETH and SOL futures derivatives trading, the 

 is the minimum margin required to open a position. The lower the leverage ratio used by traders, the higher the initial margin required. 

Initial margin is calculated using the following formula:

Initial Margin = Position Size × Position Average Entry Price/Leverage 

For example, a 1.0 BTC/USDT contract with a price of $60,000 per BTC with 10x leverage will require 1.0 

 refers to the minimum amount of margin that traders must maintain within their positions or trading accounts to continue holding their positions. When unrealized losses fall below the maintenance margin requirement, a liquidation of the position will be triggered.

For example, if you open a Bitcoin futures contract position with a value of 100,000 USDC, the maintenance margin rate (MMR) required for the position is 0.4%, meaning that at least 4,00 USDC must be kept in the position or your Bybit account to avoid triggering a liquidation. 

In this article, we’ve discussed how to trade futures derivatives contracts on Bybit; how to read contract details for BTC, ETH and SOL futures contracts; and the importance of initial and maintenance margin fees. 

Now that you know how to trade Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana futures contracts on Bybit’s cryptocurrency trading platform, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test by 

, depositing funds into it and trading futures contracts. Additionally, you can sign up for a 

, which provides a risk-free simulated trading environment that replicates real-world market conditions so you can practice futures trading without risking any real money.

Please note that futures derivatives contracts are complex financial instruments. As such, they come with a high risk of losing money due to the use of leverage. It’s important to consider whether you understand how futures derivatives contracts and other products offered on the Bybit platform work before depositing any funds and opening positions.

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How to Trade BTC, ETH and SOL Futures Derivatives Contracts on Bybit

Learn how to trade inverse futures contracts on Bybit with BTC and ETH as collateral. Discover key features, strategies and benefits of trading inverse crypto futures.

Futures contracts allow traders to lock in the future price of an asset, enabling potential profit from market movements without direct ownership. Bybit’s inverse futures offer a unique edge: they use Bitcoin (BTC) or Ether (ETH) as both collateral and settlement currencies, providing an opportunity to grow crypto holdings directly, instead of holding 

This article explains the workings of inverse futures contracts on Bybit, including key features, trading steps and essential risk management techniques.

Inverse futures contracts are a type of trading contract in which a cryptocurrency (such as BTC or ETH), rather than a stablecoin, is used as both the collateral and settlement currency. On Bybit, each inverse contract is valued at 1 USD in BTC or ETH terms, allowing traders to speculate on crypto prices without relying on stablecoins like USDT or USDC.

These contracts are ideal for traders focused on growing their BTC or ETH holdings, as profits are directly realized in BTC or ETH.

For those seeking direct crypto exposure and flexibility in BTC and ETH holdings, inverse futures offer a distinct approach. (For more information, visit the 

Inverse futures contracts on Bybit allow you to trade crypto prices using BTC or ETH as both collateral and settlement currency. Unlike perpetual contracts, these contracts have a fixed expiration date, meaning all positions must be settled by that date. 

Inverse futures contracts are ideal for traders looking for crypto-based settlement and cost-effective long-term positions, as they don’t incur funding fees.

Key Difference Between Linear Futures and Inverse Futures

The main difference between linear and inverse futures contracts lies in their settlement currencies.

Linear futures are preferable for stability, while inverse futures suit traders focused on accumulating crypto.

How to Read Contract Details for Inverse Futures

Each inverse futures contract on Bybit has a unique symbol that provides information on the asset and expiration date. For example, 

 is a Bitcoin (BTC) futures contract quoted in USD and settled in BTC. The contract is set to expire on 

, where MMDD indicates the month and day of settlement.

Why Do Traders Use Bybit Inverse Futures?

Bybit’s inverse futures provide unique benefits for traders.

The above features make Bybit inverse futures appealing for traders with BTC-focused strategies.

To trade inverse futures on Bybit, follow the steps below:

Use Bybit's chart and order book to monitor real-time data, including open interest, volume and contract details for BTCUSD1227.

How to Calculate Profit & Loss for Inverse Futures Contracts

To calculate Profit & Loss (P&L) for an inverse futures contract on Bybit, use the following formula:

P&L = (1/Entry Price − 1/Exit Price) × Contract Quantity

. This represents the profit in BTC for the trade, based on the entry and exit prices. Bybit uses the last traded price (LTP) to calculate P&L for positions closed before the settlement date.

Margin Requirement and Maximum Position Size for Inverse Futures Contracts

Bybit’s inverse futures contracts have specific margin requirements and position limits. 

For BTCUSD, traders can use up to 100x leverage, with the smallest order size set at 1 USD and the maximum single order capped at 1,000,000 USD (up to 100 BTC). 

The total position limit for BTCUSD is 1,000 BTC, while ETHUSD offers leverage up to 50x with a 30,000 ETH position limit.

For more detailed margin requirements, please see 

How to Hedge Positions Using Inverse Futures

 for Bybit’s inverse futures contracts can help protect the USD value of your BTC in a volatile market. This method, known as 

, keeps the dollar value of your BTC stable, even if BTC’s price changes.

 equal to the value of their BTC, Trader A can keep the USD value of their holdings steady, even as BTC’s price rises or falls. This strategy is ideal for those seeking stability in a volatile market.

Conclusion: Getting Started With Inverse Futures Contract Trading 

Bybit’s inverse futures contracts provide unique benefits, such as BTC-based settlement, hedging flexibility and zero funding fees, making them a top choice for traders with crypto-focused strategies. New traders can explore 

 for a risk-free start, building effective habits before diving into live markets. 

 today and explore flexible futures contracts.

inverse futures contracts.png

How to Trade Inverse Crypto Futures Contracts on Bybit

Explore whether crypto staking aligns with Islamic law in our comprehensive guide. Learn the key considerations for compliance. Read more to find out!

Many blockchain networks' well-regarded decentralization and security benefits are highly dependent on one specific activity — 

. Staking involves contributing crypto funds to 

 (PoS) blockchains to power the transaction validation activity on them. Stakers — which can be institutional entities or individuals — lock their cryptocurrency funds on these blockchains to receive the chance to validate blocks of transactions. In return, they receive cryptocurrency rewards for their work, making crypto staking a potentially viable income source. 

Many individuals and smaller business entities who lack the technical capacity or financial reserves to act as blockchain validators can still earn staking rewards by delegating their funds to their preferred validator on a PoS blockchain.

Along with liquidity mining, yield farming and crypto coin trading, crypto staking is one of the critical ways to earn income within the blockchain industry. Many Muslim investors may wonder if crypto staking is a halal activity. In this article, we cover all the key details related to crypto staking and its status from an Islamic law perspective, in order to help Muslim investors decide whether staking cryptocurrencies is halal or haram.

In order to maintain their operations and process transaction blocks, certain blockchain platforms (those based on a PoS block validation model) require the availability of crypto funds contributed to the network. This is because these blockchains award the right to validate transaction blocks to 

 that have staked/contributed a certain amount in the network's native cryptocurrency. In the most standard implementation of PoS, the more funds a node has staked on a platform, the higher their chance of being selected as the validator of the next block. This system is used to encourage participation from validators who have 

 — that is, those genuinely interested in supporting the network and ready to contribute funds for this purpose.

Staked funds aren't given away or "donated" by validators — they remain the property of the validator, and can be reclaimed/unstaked if and when the network participant who has provided them decides to stop their block processing activities. To encourage users' participation in the block validation process, validator nodes earn staking rewards for each block they help process.

Most crypto users don't act as full validator nodes on PoS networks, as this often requires substantial minimum staking amounts and technically intricate processes to set up and run a node. However, these users can also earn income from staking crypto in various more affordable and user-friendly ways. Examples include delegating their funds to their preferred validator on blockchains supporting such delegation, or participating in a staking pool (more on that below). Via these options, users can earn a share of the total staking rewards awarded to full validator nodes.

Additionally, crypto users can earn staking rewards using specialized products on crypto trading platforms and crypto exchanges. One such product is 

, previously known as Bybit Staking, which allows you to earn staking rewards without the complexities of staking in blockchain environments. Staking products on exchanges often provides a wider choice of crypto tokens and coins than direct blockchain-based staking. This is because blockchain-based staking options are limited to native coins of PoS networks, whereas exchanges frequently offer additional assets, such as popular 

Independent staking involves setting up and running your own full validator node on a PoS blockchain network. You are responsible for technical setup procedures and are typically required to keep your node online and ready to process blocks without significant downtime.

Minimum staking requirements for independent staking are often substantial. For instance, the 

 (ETH) blockchain requires validator nodes to stake at least 32 ETH (around $80,000 as of Nov 1, 2024), while becoming a 

 (BNB) validator requires an investment of 10,000 BNB (currently around $5.7 million). Technical uptime requirements aren't child’s play, either, as validator nodes are encouraged to be online at all times, and frequent downtimes may lead to penalties in the form of slashing, whereby you lose some portion of your staked funds.

The advantage of independent staking is that you can earn substantial amounts by receiving full staking rewards from the blockchain. On PoS platforms such as Ethereum, full validators don't need to pay anyone commission fees or other charges, nor do they have to share their rewards with others. In comparison, on 

 (DPoS) blockchains, independent validators share the rewards with those who have delegated their funds to them, but typically still earn a more significant cut than each individual delegator.

For most crypto users, the technical and financial requirements of independent staking are too high. As an alternative, these users can join a staking pool to earn crypto rewards. Staking pools are platforms that facilitate the pooling of crypto funds from many users. These funds are then used to manage the actual direct staking, for instance by running validator nodes or delegating the funds to blockchain validators. By joining a staking pool, you can earn a share of staking rewards commensurate to the share of funds you’ve provided. With PoS staking pools, you only need to contribute crypto, and don't have to worry about providing computing capacity.

Understanding Islamic Finance and Crypto Staking

For many Muslim investors, adhering to the principles of Islamic finance and Shariah law is important when choosing an investment product. Islamic finance principles state that any investment should avoid interest (riba), speculation/gambling (maysir) and excessive uncertainty (gharar). It also shouldn’t involve trading assets that you don't actually own, or be related to haram activities or products, such as drugs, alcohol, pork, gambling, betting or pornography.

When evaluating whether crypto staking is a halal activity, it's important for investors to differentiate it from other popular forms of earning crypto income: liquidity mining and yield farming. 

 involves providing crypto funds to coin swap pools on 

 (DEXs). These funds are required by some DEXs — those based on the 

 (AMM) model — to have enough liquidity for swap operations. Liquidity providers earn a share of transaction fees from swaps involving the assets in the pool. In turn, 

 refers to the strategic allocation of crypto funds across various 

 (DeFi) protocols to maximize yields earned. Yield farming allocations can often involve borrowing and lending activities, often with the involvement of interest (riba).

Learn all about Bybit Islamic Account and

Unlike many yield farming activities, crypto staking doesn't usually involve riba. There is no lending or borrowing of funds with interest in crypto staking. Stakers invest their funds to support the operations and security of blockchain networks, and earn staking rewards based on the amounts they’ve contributed. These reward payouts aren't based on money that has been lent to someone with interest.

As noted above, crypto staking isn't an interest/riba–based activity. Additionally, there's no maysir, or gambling/speculation, in crypto staking: stakers earn a certain amount of relatively stable income that has little to do with speculative trading activities. The fixed and stable nature of crypto staking rewards also indicates no gharar, or excessive uncertainty. In fact, crypto staking is considered among the least 

 or speculative forms of earning income in the blockchain industry.

As such, crypto staking lacks the characteristics of the three fundamental prohibitions in Islamic finance — riba, maysir and gharar. This indicates that staking cryptocurrencies on blockchain platforms may qualify as a halal activity.

Additionally, Muslim investors need to ensure that the blockchain platform they support with staking isn't involved in haram activities, such as those related to alcohol, pork or other products forbidden in Islam.

With crypto staking being a halal activity in most cases, investors might be wondering which staking platforms and coins are the most suitable from the Islamic finance perspective. Below, we list five cryptocurrencies and their associated blockchains that are likely the optimal choices for a Muslim investor looking for staking opportunities. These five options are among the largest PoS networks in the industry. This ensures that their staking processes are among the most stable and predictable in the cryptosphere, which helps minimize the probability of gharar. 

As the largest players in the industry, these chains' native cryptocurrencies also feature some of the highest current trading volumes, which ensures a higher degree of price stability and a lower likelihood of speculation/maysir for these coins. This is also a key factor from an Islamic finance perspective, as you’ll stake and earn rewards in these platforms' respective crypto assets.

Ethereum (ETH) — specifically, its current PoS version, 

 — is the world's largest blockchain currently utilizing staking for block validation. It’s known to provide stable and highly sought-after staking rewards in its native cryptocurrency, ETH. While independent staking on the network, which requires 32 ETH collateral, is financially not viable for many crypto users, you can still join a staking pool to earn rewards.

 (SOL) is another top PoS blockchain. It typically features faster processing times and lower fees for crypto transactions than Ethereum. Unlike Ethereum, Solana doesn't impose a minimum amount to run a full validator node. In theory, that means anyone could run an independent staking operation on the blockchain. However, in practice, the competition among Solana validators for the chance to validate blocks is intense, and those with modest amounts staked in them are unlikely to win the race. The good news is that Solana, unlike Ethereum, supports stake delegation. This gives you two practical options to earn staking rewards as an ordinary user: delegate your stake to a preferred validator, or join a staking pool.

 (ADA) is a leading PoS blockchain network that exclusively uses staking pools for its block validation. This means there's no individual staking on Cardano. To participate in staking on this blockchain, you have two options: run your own pool, or, as a more practical choice for most users, join an existing one.

 scalability solutions for Ethereum. At the heart of its ecosystem is the Polygon PoS blockchain, which supports independent staking via running a validator node, as well as stake delegation. 

Currently, Polygon validators are required to stake their POL on Ethereum’s network, although the platform plans to enable full direct staking via its own chain in the near future. For most users, however, stake delegation is the best option: in this mode, you don't need to worry about technical intricacies, such as which actual network — Polygon or Ethereum — is handling your stake. Besides the stake delegation option, you can also choose an external staking pool provider for the platform's native token (POL).

 (AVAX) is another popular and well-regarded blockchain that offers staking. Somewhat smaller than most of the chains described above, Avalanche is still among the heavyweights of the blockchain industry: its native coin, AVAX, has amassed a 

 of over $10 billion (as of Nov 1, 2024). 

Avalanche offers direct independent staking: you can run your own validator node, or delegate your stake. The independent validator staking option requires collateral of 2,000 AVAX ($49,880 as of Oct 31, 2024), while the minimum requirement for stake delegation is a relatively modest 25 AVAX ($623.50). As is the case with other major PoS chains, you can also find a variety of external staking pool providers for AVAX.

The crypto market features a variety of passive income opportunities, but identifying which ones are halal isn't always straightforward. In its typical format, crypto staking can be considered a halal activity, as it doesn't involve lending or borrowing funds with interest (riba), speculative trading akin to gambling (maysir) or excessive uncertainty (gharar) often associated with some other crypto activities. As such, Muslim investors can use cryptocurrency staking, although it's always important to carefully scrutinize the actual activities of the crypto project offering staking. If these activities aren't linked to haram industries or products, staking may be one of the safest options for a crypto-minded Muslim investor. 

Disclaimer: Due to varying opinions on Shariah compliance of crypto trading, we recommend you to conduct your own further research. Please note that the posts on Bybit Learn should not be considered as fatwa. Our aim is to present information on different topics to empower readers to make informed decisions.

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Is Crypto Staking Halal? All You Need to Know

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