Gate vs KuCoin
A no-nonsense side-by-side of Gate and KuCoin for crypto futures — leverage, fees, maintenance margin and what each is actually good at. Whichever you pick, plan the trade first with our free calculators.
| Gate | KuCoin | |
|---|---|---|
| Max leverage | 100× | 100× |
| Maker fee (base) | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Taker fee (base) | 0.05% | 0.06% |
| Maintenance margin | ~0.5% | ~0.5% |
| Known for | the widest selection of altcoin and new-listing futures | a huge altcoin futures selection |
Fees
On base taker fees, Gate is cheaper (Gate 0.05% vs KuCoin 0.06%). Both reward makers (resting limit orders) with lower fees and cut rates further as your 30-day volume grows. For most active traders the fee gap is small next to the cost of a single bad liquidation — which is why position sizing matters more than chasing the lowest fee. See maker vs taker fees.
Leverage & liquidation
both offers the higher cap (Gate up to 100×, KuCoin up to 100×), but the headline number is a trap: at 100× a roughly 1% move liquidates you. The maintenance margin rate (≈0.5% vs ≈0.5%) also nudges your liquidation price. Check yours before entering with the liquidation calculator, or the per-exchange pages: Gate · KuCoin.
Which should you pick?
If you want the widest selection of altcoin and new-listing futures, go with Gate. If a huge altcoin futures selection matters more, KuCoin fits better. Many traders keep accounts on both and route each trade to wherever the liquidity and funding are best on the day. There is no wrong answer — there is only an unplanned trade.
Fees and limits are approximate base-tier figures and change by tier, region and over time — confirm on each exchange. Exchange links are referral links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Educational, not financial advice.