How to Get a Trading Fee Rebate on Futures, Step by Step
A fee rebate returns part of what you pay to trade. It is one of the few cost cuts that needs no change to how you trade — but only if it is set up correctly from the start. Most people who miss out make the same small mistake in step one. Here is the whole process, in order.
Step 1: Open the exchange account through the rebate link
A rebate is paid out of the referral commission the exchange pays on your fees. The exchange only pays that commission to the referrer recorded when your account was created.
- Use the rebate service's link or referral code when you register.
- An account you already have cannot be moved to a new referrer. If you want the rebate on an exchange where you already trade, it has to be a new account (many traders use a sub-account or a fresh account for futures).
- Complete the exchange's own identity checks as usual. The rebate service never needs your documents.
Step 2: Send your UID — and nothing else
Your UID is the account number shown in the exchange's profile page. It is all a rebate service needs to match your fees to your payouts.
- Never share an API key, password or 2FA code with a rebate service.
- If a site asks for API access "to calculate your rebate", walk away. Fee data comes from the exchange's affiliate reports, not from your account.
Step 3: Trade as you normally would
Rebates accrue on fees you actually pay. You do not need to change strategy, hit a target or trade more.
Two habits still move your costs more than any rebate:
- Order type. Maker fills are typically far cheaper than taker fills. A rebate is a share of what you still pay after that choice.
- Funding. On perpetual futures, funding payments can cost more than trading fees on positions held for days. Check both before blaming fees.
Step 4: Check that your trades are being counted
After your first week of trading, your dashboard on the rebate site should show fees and an estimated rebate for that UID. If it shows nothing:
- Confirm the account was opened through the right link (the exchange usually shows your referrer or inviter code).
- Make sure you entered the UID of the account you trade on, not a main account or another exchange.
- Some exchanges report with a delay of a day or two. Wait before raising a ticket.
Step 5: Receive the payout
At BasisBack, rebates are settled monthly in USDT. A short holding period lets the exchange finalise its commission report before money moves. You choose the network — TRC20, BEP20, Arbitrum One, or an internal transfer to your exchange UID on supported exchanges. The minimum payout is 10 USDT.
How much is it worth?
Your monthly rebate is roughly:
fees paid × the exchange's commission share × your share of that commission.
At BasisBack your share starts at 50% of the commission and rises with 30-day volume. On a month with $150 of fees and an exchange paying 30% of fees as commission, that is about $22.50 back — around $270 a year for doing nothing differently. The calculator on our home page runs this for your own volume on each exchange, so you can see the figure in dollars before you register.
Common mistakes
- Registering first, finding the rebate later. The referrer is fixed at sign-up. Set up the rebate before the account, not after.
- Giving out API keys. Not needed for a rebate, and a serious security risk.
- Comparing headline percentages. "50%" of commission and "20%" of fees can be the same money. Convert every offer to percent of fees.
- Forgetting funding. A rebate trims trading fees; it does nothing for funding costs on long-held perps.
Educational content only — not investment advice. Commission shares and fee schedules are set by each exchange and can change.
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