Spot VS Futures, Which is Profitable?

From an operational perspective, crypto futures charge additional costs in the form of premiums, but the potential profit boosted by margin is the main value why many traders prefer futures in the crypto market today. Moreover, with short-selling, traders can make profits even when the crypto market is sluggish.

But, that doesn't mean the crypto spot market will be replaced by futures. Please remember, crypto futures price quotations generally always use the crypto spot price as a benchmark. Usually, there is a difference in price (basis), but it will not be too far apart because the Futures quoted price is projected to always be close to the price.

Trading futures on margin is always associated with higher risks. Leverage does help traders to access assets with limited capital, but errors in calculating the size of the margin can result in the account experiencing a Margin Call (a warning to add margin or the remaining capital will immediately be automatically liquidated) in a short time.

Crypto Spot Advantages

• Fast transactions 24/7.

• Transaction fees are increasingly competitive on major coins (BTC, ETH, etc.).

• Investors can do staking or yield farming from assets that have been accumulated from transaction results to increase passive income.

Crypto Spot Weaknesses

• Liquidity in exotic coins can sometimes be low, resulting in frequent slippage.

• Relatively higher taxes on crypto asset ownership.

• Volatility in the crypto market is quite high.

Advantages of Crypto Futures

• Can access leverage to increase profits with limited capital.

• Crypto futures market liquidity is relatively higher, making it easier to find the best price in all conditions regardless of coin type.

• Can be used for short selling (making profits when coin prices fall).

Weaknesses of Crypto Futures

• Trading costs are higher because futures premiums are charged.

• Higher risk because with margin, the effect of price movements is higher.