I’m thinking of trying something new in crypto… I’m still studying the theory, but here’s what I’ve understood about crypto arbitrage.

It turns out that the same coin costs differently on various platforms. Buying cheaper here, selling higher there — that’s the essence. Why does this happen? Different numbers of traders, delays in updating quotes, regional differences in demand. It all makes sense.

There are several types of arbitrage, and I haven’t decided which one to choose yet. The first is inter-exchange, where you buy a coin on one major platform and send it to another with a better price. The second is intra-exchange: one exchange, but different trading pairs. For example, ETH/USDT might be cheaper than calculating through BTC. The third is triangular, where you transfer currency through several pairs in a row on one platform. The fourth is regional, via P2P to other countries.

To start engaging in crypto arbitrage, you need at least: accounts on several major platforms (all well-known), a balance in stablecoins like USDT or USDC, and price monitoring through specialized services. The main thing is to consider fees. If the fees for deposits, withdrawals, and exchanges eat up the entire difference, it’s not worth it.

In practice, it looks like this: BTC costs $96,000 on one platform and $96,100 on another. Buy cheaper, transfer (speed is important here — it’s better to use fast networks like TRC-20 or BSC), sell higher. Profit minus fees.

But there are pitfalls. Fees can be so high that they eat into the profit. While transferring crypto, the price can change in the opposite direction. Some exchanges limit withdrawal volumes. Plus, there’s always a risk that the platform will block the operation due to suspicion of violations.

In general, crypto arbitrage is a working scheme, but you need to calculate all the numbers and not rush. I’d like to hear the opinions of those who have already tried.