Maker Taker Fees Explained: How Crypto Exchanges Charge You and How to Save
When you trade crypto, you’re not just buying or selling—you’re paying a fee, and not all fees are the same. The split between maker taker fees, a pricing model used by crypto exchanges to reward liquidity providers and charge those who remove it. Also known as liquidity fees, it determines whether you pay less or more based on how you place your order. This system isn’t random. It’s designed to keep markets liquid, but most traders don’t know how to use it to their advantage.
Think of it like a coffee shop. A maker, a trader who adds liquidity by placing a limit order that waits to be filled. Also known as limit order placer, it is someone who posts a buy or sell order at a specific price. Their order sits on the book, waiting for someone else to take it. That’s adding liquidity. In return, makers often get a rebate—sometimes even paid to trade. On the flip side, a taker, a trader who removes liquidity by immediately filling an existing order on the order book. Also known as market order user, it is the person who clicks ‘buy now’ or ‘sell now’ and grabs an existing offer. That’s removing liquidity, and that’s where the fee kicks in—usually between 0.1% and 0.2% on most platforms.
Why does this matter? Because if you’re always using market orders, you’re paying more than you need to. Look at Slingshot Finance or Uniswap v2 on Soneium—both offer near-zero fees, but they still follow the maker-taker structure. Even on decentralized exchanges, the logic holds: if your trade doesn’t immediately match, you’re a maker. If it does, you’re a taker. The difference can add up fast, especially if you trade often. Some exchanges like ICRYPEX or Katana even offer tiered fee structures based on volume, so the more you trade, the lower your taker fee drops. But if you’re just buying and selling randomly, you’re leaving money on the table.
And it’s not just about the fee amount—it’s about timing and strategy. If you’re holding Bitcoin or staking xSUSHI, you might not care. But if you’re trading altcoins like ING or AIX, where spreads are tight and volumes are thin, knowing who’s a maker and who’s a taker can mean the difference between a profitable trade and a loss. Even in regulated markets like the EU, where MiCA is reshaping how stablecoins work, maker-taker models remain unchanged because they work. Exchanges like Gemini and Polytrade rely on this structure to attract liquidity without paying out massive rewards.
You don’t need to be a pro to use this system. Start by switching your default order type from market to limit. Set your price a little lower (for buys) or higher (for sells). Let your order sit. If it fills, you paid nothing—or got paid. If it doesn’t, you didn’t lose anything. It’s a small change, but it’s the same trick professional traders use to shave off hundreds of dollars a year. And with crypto exchanges like Darb Finance or Intexcoin showing up with fake volume and hidden fees, knowing how real exchanges charge you is the first step to avoiding scams.
Below, you’ll find real reviews and breakdowns of platforms that handle maker-taker fees differently—from zero-fee models to hidden charges buried in fine print. Some will help you save. Others will cost you. You’ll know the difference before you click trade.
