Bitget Futures Trading A to Z
For USDT-M perpetuals: wallet transfer, margin modes, leverage, order types and stop loss / liquidation, in real-order sequence.
What is futures trading?
Futures are derivatives where you predict a future price and buy (long) or sell (short). Bitget offers perpetual contracts (no expiry) with up to 125x leverage.
USDT-M / Coin-M
USDT-M uses USDT for margin and settlement; Coin-M uses the coin itself. USDT-M is best for beginners.
Leverage
Adjustable from 1x to 125x — gains and losses scale with the multiplier and the liquidation price narrows.
Isolated / Cross margin
Isolated uses only the position's margin; Cross uses the full wallet balance as margin.
Opening a futures trade (7 steps)
- 1
Transfer from spot → futures wallet
In the wallet menu tap 'Transfer' to move spot USDT into the USDT-M futures wallet. No transfer fee.
- 2
Pick a trading pair
Search the top bar of the futures page for BTCUSDT, ETHUSDT, SOLUSDT etc.
- 3
Pick margin mode (isolated recommended)
Choose 'Isolated' or 'Cross'. Isolated is strongly recommended for beginners.
- 4
Set leverage
Slide to 1x–125x. Beginners 3–5x; even experienced traders should stay under 20x for safety.
- 5
Pick order type · enter size
Choose limit or market, then enter your USDT amount or contract quantity.
- 6
Click long or short
Green 'Open Long' if you expect a rise, red 'Open Short' if you expect a drop.
- 7
Set TP / SL
Immediately after opening, set take-profit and stop-loss levels — non-negotiable.
Isolated vs Cross Margin
Only that position's margin is at risk
- · On liquidation only the isolated margin for that position is burned.
- · Worst-case loss is predictable — recommended for beginners.
- · Risk doesn't spill between simultaneous positions.
The whole wallet is margin
- · The entire futures wallet backs maintenance margin, pushing liquidation further away.
- · On liquidation the whole wallet is at risk.
- · Useful for long/short hedging or maximum capital efficiency.
Long position
Bet on rising price. Buy low → sell high.
+5% up → +500 USDT profit (+50% vs principal)
Short position
Bet on falling price. Sell high → buy low.
−5% down → +500 USDT profit (+50% vs principal)
Fees & funding
Maker / Taker
Maker 0.02% / Taker 0.06% (default). Extra discounts for VIP and BGB holdings.
Funding (every 8 hours)
Fee that balances longs vs shorts. Settled 08:00 / 16:00 / 00:00 KST.
Liquidation formula
Higher leverage brings entry and liquidation price closer together.
Non-negotiable risk management
- · Start with low 3–5x leverage on your first trade to give yourself a liquidation buffer.
- · Set the stop loss (SL) in the system and never widen it emotionally.
- · Cap each position at 2–5% of your total capital.
- · Averaging down in a losing trade is the fastest path to liquidation.
Get 20% payback on Bitget and start trading futures
Applied automatically at signup · 20% less commission cost