#USD1FuturesZeroMakerFee

$USD1 Futures — zero maker fees change the cost equation
Gate’s zero-maker-fee update for selected USD1-margined perpetual futures is an interesting development for active market participants.

The headline sounds simple: eligible maker orders can be placed with a 0% maker fee during the promotional period.

But the bigger story is execution efficiency.

For traders who regularly use limit orders, trading fees can accumulate quickly. A small difference in cost may appear insignificant on one transaction, but repeated over dozens or hundreds of orders, execution costs can become a meaningful part of overall performance.

Maker orders are particularly important because they add liquidity to the order book rather than immediately consuming existing liquidity.

Reducing the maker cost can therefore make limit-order execution more attractive, especially for participants who already prefer to plan entries and exits rather than immediately taking available liquidity.

According to Gate’s update, the promotion covers nine USD1-margined perpetual markets:

$BTC /USD1

$ETH /USD1

$SOL /USD1

$XAU /USD1

$SPCX/USD1

$SNDK/USD1

$MU/USD1

$SKHYNIX/USD1

$XAG/USD1

The promotional structure includes a 0% maker fee, while eligible taker fees are reduced to 25% of the original rate. The update also changed the USD1 staking APR to 8%.

But there is an important point traders should remember:

Zero maker fees do not mean zero trading costs.

Spread still matters.

Slippage still matters.

Funding still matters.

Liquidity still matters.

And most importantly, price risk remains unchanged.

A trader can save on execution fees and still lose money if the market moves sharply against the position.

This becomes particularly important with leveraged perpetual futures.

For example, a small percentage move in BTC, ETH, SOL, gold or semiconductor-related contracts can have a much larger effect on a leveraged position. Lower fees cannot compensate for excessive position sizing or poor risk management.

The interesting part of this promotion is also the variety of assets included.

BTC, ETH and SOL provide direct crypto exposure.

XAU/USD1 introduces gold into the same USD1-margined environment.

SPCX/USD1, SNDK/USD1, MU/USD1 and SKHYNIX/USD1 provide exposure to major semiconductor names, connecting the crypto derivatives ecosystem with the AI and chip-investment theme.

XAG/USD1 adds silver exposure to the mix.

This creates a broader trading environment where crypto, precious metals and technology-related assets can be monitored through a similar derivatives framework.

From a market-structure perspective, competitive fee models can also encourage greater liquidity and tighter execution as exchanges compete for active traders.

However, the smartest way to use a lower-fee environment is not to trade more simply because trading has become cheaper.

It is to potentially make the same well-planned trades more efficiently.

Before relying on the promotion, traders should verify the current eligible markets, promotion period, account requirements, applicable VIP conditions and the exact fee schedule.

My main takeaway:

Lower execution costs are useful.

Better liquidity is useful.

Competitive fees are useful.

But none of them replace a trading plan.

The real edge still comes from selecting high-quality setups, controlling position size, understanding volatility and knowing exactly how much risk is being taken before entering a futures position.

Zero maker fees may improve the trading-cost equation.

They should never become an excuse for overtrading.

Would you prioritize lower fees, deeper liquidity, or tighter spreads when choosing a futures market?

@Gate_Square