Best crypto futures exchanges in Australia 2026

Crypto futures are contracts that let you trade on prices, rather than owning the coin. Unlike regular spot crypto trading, you're betting on whether prices will go up or down, without necessarily ever holding the asset.

While still gaining traction in Australia, futures trading is available if you sign up to the right exchange. So in this guide we'll show you which exchanges offer futures, how it works and how to get started.

Before you start, know that futures trading is high-risk and using leverage can amplify losses, potentially wiping out your entire collateral. For this reason, trading crypto futures is generally only suitable for experienced investors.

Exchanges where you can trade crypto futures

There aren’t many platforms in Australia offering crypto futures just yet, but we'll be sure to update this table as more arrive. You can see which platforms currently offer futures in the table below.

4 of 4 results

Deposit methods	Fiat currencies	Trading fees	Cryptocurrencies	Trading features	Disclaimer
KuCoin	Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, PayID	106	Maker: 0.10% Taker: 0.10%	858	NFT marketplace, Trading API, Charting tools, Recurring buy, Derivatives	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Kraken Pro Finder Award	Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card	10	Maker: 0.02% Taker: 0.05%	577	Trading API, Charting tools, Recurring buy, Derivatives (Wholesale account)	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Independent Reserve	Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card	4	Maker: 0.50% Taker: 0.50%	44	Trading API, Charting tools, Recurring buy, Derivatives (Wholesale account)	Get $20 of Bitcoin when you sign-up, verify and trade. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
OKX	Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card	1	Maker: 0.70% Taker: 0.70%	342	NFT marketplace, Trading API, Charting tools, Recurring buy, Derivatives	Welcome offer: Get up to AUD$150 when you deposit and trade. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading

loading

Load More

Showing 4 of 4 results

Compare other products

Looking for other options? Check out these similar products.

How we picked these

While you may be able to access crypto futures products on other platforms, you should be aware that there are additional risks associated with using a service that is not overseen by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), such as no guaranteed access to external dispute resolution if something goes wrong.

How to trade crypto futures in Australia

Before you start you should have a clear understanding of how futures trading works and the risks involved. Once you’re ready, you can follow these simple steps:

1. Find an exchange that offers futures trading

Look for an exchange that holds, or operates under, an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). The best crypto futures exchanges have low fees, a good range of trading pairs and high liquidity.

You can check out Australian licensed crypto futures exchanges in the comparison table above and more info on how to choose the best exchange below.

2. Open a futures account

Once you’ve signed up to a crypto exchange, you’ll typically need to take extra steps to open a futures account.

Some licensed exchanges in Australia only offer futures to wholesale clients, which means you’ll need to provide additional information as proof of this. Others also accept retail clients who pass a suitability assessment.

Because futures trading is for experienced investors, you may also need to pass a quiz to demonstrate your knowledge.

3. Deposit funds

You’ll need to fund your futures account by either transferring your currency of choice from your wallet or purchasing new cryptocurrency via the exchange. Once you have your currency deposited on your main account, you’ll usually need to transfer this over to your futures wallet.

Depending on the platform you use, you may only have a limited number of crypto or fiat currencies that are accepted into your futures wallet. Some platforms only accept one currency as collateral, such as USDT, so you may need to convert your funds first.

4. Select your futures contract

This part will vary between different exchanges. You’ll typically see a long collection of contracts to choose from or you’ll be able to look up your chosen contract in a search bar.

Depending on the platform and your client status, you may be able to trade perpetual contracts (perps), dated futures contracts or both, although some platforms only offer perps to retail clients. Dated contracts usually show their expiry date in the contract name, while perps don't have one. Naming formats vary between exchanges, so check the contract details before you trade.

5. Fill out your order form

Once you’ve selected your contract, you’ll need to fill in an order form to submit the trade. This will look different between exchanges.

Below is the order screen you’ll get if you use Kraken to trade futures.

You’ll typically get the option here to select an order type, adjust your margin, isolate your position and buy (go long) or sell (go short).

6. Select your order type

At a minimum, you’ll normally get to choose between a ‘Limit’ order or a ‘Market’ order, the same that you’ll see in spot trading.

With a limit order, your contract only opens if the market reaches your chosen price (or better). With a market order, your contract opens immediately at the best available price.

7. Adjust your margin level

At this stage you’ll also need to adjust your margin (or leverage) by moving the slider. Margin and leverage are two sides of the same coin: the less margin you put up, the higher your leverage. So you may get the option to adjust one or both.

Margin refers to how much you put up as collateral to open a position. For example, to open a $1,000 position with 50% margin (2x leverage), you'd put up $500. You don't borrow the rest: the contract gives you exposure to the full $1,000, so your gains and losses are based on that amount.

You may also get the option here to isolate your position. This means that only the collateral that you’ve assigned to that trade is at risk. If the position is liquidated, it means the rest of your account balance stays untouched.

8. Review and submit your order

Finish adjusting your values and then make sure to review the details. Once you’re satisfied everything is in order, you’ll typically submit the order by hitting ‘buy’ or ‘sell’. If you use a limit order, the trade will only execute if the market reaches your price (or better). Until then, it'll sit in your list of open orders, where you can usually cancel it if you change your mind.

If the trade hasn't been executed and you decide later to cancel it, you’ll normally have the option to do so from your open orders window.

How does crypto futures trading work?

In a nutshell, crypto futures let you bet on the price of cryptocurrencies without actually owning the coins.

You’re essentially making a deal to buy or sell a coin at a set price in the future, but with most platforms, you can close out your position at any time to lock in a profit or cut a loss.

Typically, you’ll come across two main types of crypto futures contracts:

Perpetual futures (perps)

Perps are by far the most common type of futures contract. Unlike traditional futures, they don’t have an expiry date, so you can hold the position indefinitely.

Because perps don’t have an expiry date like traditional futures, to keep their price close to the actual spot market price (the price you’d pay to buy the real asset), exchanges use a mechanism called funding.

Simply put, it's a periodic payment made between traders, not to the exchange. If the futures price is trading above the spot price, traders in long positions pay a funding fee to those in short positions, and vice versa.

How often funding is paid or charged depends on the exchange, but it's typically anywhere from every hour to every 8 hours.

Dated futures (traditional futures)

When the expiry hits, the contract is automatically settled at a settlement price set by the exchange (usually an average of the market price just before expiry), and you either make a profit or take a loss.

There are no funding rates, but you’re locked into that timeframe unless you manually close the position earlier.

How does margin and leverage work in crypto futures?

Futures traders typically use leverage, which lets you control a larger position than the money you put up, to maximise potential profits.

The downside to this approach is that your losses are also magnified, which is why futures trading is considered high risk. The margin is the amount of money you’ll need to put down on any one trade and it depends on how much leverage you’re using.

Should you use isolated margin?

In the steps above, you might have noticed the option to isolate your position. This is important in futures trading because this feature can limit the amount you lose.

The two main margin settings are:

• Cross margin: Uses your entire available balance as collateral. If one trade goes bad, it can eat into your whole account.
• Isolated margin: Only uses the margin you allocate to that specific trade. If it gets liquidated, you only lose what you’ve put up for that position, not your entire account balance.

Just remember, the higher your leverage, the more sensitive your position becomes to price changes, which means higher risk and potential for liquidation. For example, at 50x leverage, a price drop of less than 2% could be enough to liquidate your position and wipe out your collateral.

Each exchange sets its own liquidation rules, although retail traders in Australia get some protection: providers must start closing your positions once your account equity falls to 50% of the margin you put up. Wholesale clients don't get this protection, and fees can also affect when you're liquidated, so it's worth checking the fine print.

What are the fees to trade crypto futures?

Crypto futures trading might look cheap at first, but fees can quickly eat into your profits if you’re not paying attention.

The two main fees you'll come across are trading fees (often split into maker fees and taker fees) and funding rates.
Maker and taker fees are what the exchange charges every time you place a trade.

• A maker fee usually applies when you place a limit order that waits on the order book to be filled.
• A taker fee is charged when your order fills immediately, such as a market order (or a limit order that matches an existing order straight away).

These fees are usually a small percentage of your trade value — often around 0.02% to 0.075%, although some platforms charge more — but because they're based on your full position size, leverage can make them add up quickly.

• Funding fees (or funding rates) apply only to perpetual futures, which are the most common type of crypto futures contract.

Funding fees fluctuate depending on market conditions. They often sit around 0.01% per funding interval, but they can climb much higher when markets are volatile.

These are payments made between long and short traders, depending on which side is more dominant. If you’re on the “paying” side of the rate, you'll be charged a fee at regular intervals (as often as every hour) just to keep your position open.

Other potential costs include withdrawal fees, currency conversion fees, and liquidation penalties if your margin drops too low.

Are crypto futures legal in Australia?

Crypto futures are legal in Australia, but retail access is restricted.

Investors can only access regulated crypto futures through platforms that hold, or operate under, an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). These platforms must comply with strict ASIC rules around investor protection.

Only a handful of exchanges offer crypto futures to Australian residents. You can see the platforms we've included in the comparison table above.

Eligibility rules vary by platform. Kraken, for example, only offers futures to wholesale clients, which means you’ll need to prove you qualify as a wholesale investor. OKX Australia also offers crypto perpetual futures to retail clients who pass a suitability assessment.

If you're a retail client, leverage on crypto derivatives such as crypto CFDs is capped at 2:1 under ASIC's product intervention order, which means you need to put up at least 50% of the position's value as margin. Higher leverage, like the 10x example in this guide, is only available to wholesale clients or on offshore platforms. Licensed platforms in Australia currently cap wholesale leverage at around 50x, while some offshore exchanges offer 100x or more.

Tax considerations for crypto futures

If you’re trading crypto futures in Australia, any profits you make are generally taxed as ordinary income, not capital gains.

That's because the ATO generally treats derivative trades made to turn a profit as income, rather than as a long-term investment.

So what does that mean? It means your profits are added to your annual income (like wages or interest) and taxed at your usual income tax rate. If you lose money, you may be able to deduct those losses from your other income, which could reduce your tax bill, although some rules can limit this.

Unlike buying Bitcoin or Ethereum directly, there’s no 50% capital gains discount on futures profits — even if you hold the position for more than a year. While the ATO hasn't issued specific guidance on crypto futures, they're generally treated in a similar way to contracts for difference (CFDs).

Let’s say you make $1,000 profit from a Bitcoin futures trade. That full $1,000 goes into your taxable income for the year. If you lose $1,000, you may be able to claim it as a deduction.

If you’re trading regularly and your activity starts to look more like a business, the ATO may treat you as a professional trader. In that case, you’ll still be taxed on futures profits as income, but you may be able to claim additional expenses.

Needless to say, crypto tax is a grey area. If you’re unsure how your trades should be reported, chat to a registered tax agent.

How to choose the best crypto futures exchange

• Leverage. You might prefer to trade on high leverage, depending on your trading style. Just keep in mind that retail traders in Australia are capped at 2x leverage, with higher leverage only available to wholesale clients. Day traders often require more leverage and less collateral, while swing traders generally have looser stop losses and require little leverage. Before trading using leverage, calculate your position size, risk tolerance and collateral required. Remember that leverage increases your potential for losses as well as gains.
• Range of trading pairs. In the crypto space, there is always an active market. If you want to follow what's moving for the day, your best chance is to choose a futures platform that offers many trading pairs to take advantage of it.
• Trading volume. Trading volume is an important consideration when choosing a futures exchange. If you're trading substantial size, check the daily volume of your selected market and plan your trade accordingly. Always be mindful of low liquidity and its impact on slippage.
• Fees. Futures trading fees can stack up quickly – especially if you're trading with size. Always try and choose an exchange that offers competitive fees. Some exchanges provide discounts for active trading or paying fees using a particular token. Funding rates should also be taken into account. Although rates are usually low, you may have to pay a small fee to keep your position open.
• AUD deposits and withdrawals. Some exchanges let you deposit and withdraw Australian dollars, which is more convenient and can reduce foreign exchange costs. You may still need to convert your AUD into a stablecoin, such as USDT, before you can use it as margin for futures.
• UX. User experience is a big part of choosing a futures platform. If you're spending a lot of time trading, you want to feel comfortable and know your way around all the features. A simple UI with a solid base of features is a good start.
• Collateral. Most exchanges accept collateral in the form of stablecoins. However, if you'd prefer to hold a particular coin as collateral, it's worth looking for a platform that supports this.
• Security. Security is a hot-button issue in crypto; unfortunately, hacks are frequent. When selecting a trading platform, it's best practice to look into its history for hacks or breaches of privacy as well as how crypto is stored and its insurance policies.
• CEX or DEX. Some traders prefer centralised exchanges and the regulation and investor protections that may come with them. Others prefer decentralised exchanges (DEXs), but these aren't licensed in Australia, so you won't get the same protections if something goes wrong.
• Mobile or desktop. If you're on the go a lot, it's worth looking into a futures exchange with a full-featured mobile app. This way, you can plan set-ups and execute trades confidently without rushing back to your computer. Just check that futures trading is available in the app in Australia, as some platforms only offer it on desktop or a separate pro platform.
• Demo mode. Demo trading or trading simulators are a helpful way to start experimenting with leverage. You can test all the regular exchange functionality, practice set-ups and plan risk management without risking any assets.

Risks of trading crypto futures

• Amplified losses. Trading on leverage means that you're susceptible to greater losses than typical spot trades. Always plan your trade and allow for a well-placed stop loss.
• Over-leveraged positions. Calculating how much leverage is appropriate to use on a trade is essential. Higher leverage does not always equate to higher profits. Always consider market volatility and price swings when calculating your position size. Indicators such as the Average True Range (ATR) can help you gauge how much the market is moving at any given time.
• Slippage and liquidity. Low-volume trading pairs often have low liquidity. If you place a large market order, it may fill at a worse price than you expected, which means your position can start out at a loss. Scale into positions or use limit orders when trading low-volume markets.
• Liquidation. Liquidation occurs when your collateral balance falls below a maintenance margin. Remember to monitor your maintenance margin and add collateral or size down if needed. Some platforms will reduce your position in stages before closing it completely, while others close it all at once. Depending on position size and leverage, liquidations can happen quickly.
• Trading style and time frames. Know your trading style before opening a trade and watch the charts within the appropriate time frame – a large move on a 1-minute chart will often look small on a 4-hour chart. Swing traders hold positions for longer periods and profit from more significant trends, while day traders and scalpers capitalise on short-time price swings. If you're holding long-term, it is recommended to use lower leverage.
• Stop losses. Always calculate where to place a stop loss or close your position. Trading without one can lead to liquidation and the loss of your collateral. Keep in mind that in fast-moving markets, your stop loss may be filled at a worse price than you set.
• Regulatory uncertainty. Before signing up for a futures exchange, make sure it holds, or operates under, an AFSL. You can check this by searching the licence holder's name or number on ASIC's Professional Registers.

Bottom line

Crypto futures trading is a high-risk, high-reward style of investing that is only recommended for advanced traders.

Because of the amplified risk of losses, ASIC warns Australians about the risks of trading crypto derivatives through unlicensed providers, so it's best to stick with platforms that hold, or operate under, an AFSL.

Before you start trading, make sure you understand all of the risks involved, have a robust risk management strategy in place and have done some demo trading first. A common derivatives entry point is a Bitcoin futures pair like BTC/USDT, which typically has higher liquidity and less volatility than some lower market cap trading pairs.

If you're not quite ready to trade futures, you can explore other trading platforms and spot exchanges in our round-up of the best cryptocurrency exchanges in Australia.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I trade futures on Binance?

  No, you can't trade futures on Binance in Australia. ASIC cancelled the Australian financial services licence of Binance's Australian derivatives business (Oztures Trading, trading as Binance Australia Derivatives) at the company's request in April 2023. In March 2026, the Federal Court also ordered Binance Australia Derivatives to pay a $10 million penalty for wrongly classifying more than 500 retail clients as wholesale clients.

• Can I trade futures on Coinbase?

  Yes, but only if you're a wholesale investor. Coinbase Australia received an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) in April 2026 and launched perpetual futures for eligible wholesale clients in August 2026, with up to 50x leverage. Coinbase plans to add more derivatives, such as futures and options, but hasn't said when retail clients will be able to access them.

Yes, but only if you're a wholesale client. Kraken offers futures in Australia through Kraken Pro, under an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) held by Beaufort Fiduciaries. Futures aren't available in the Kraken App in Australia.

Written by

Kylie Purcell

Investments Analyst

Add to Preferred Sources

Kylie Purcell is an experienced investments analyst and finance journalist with over a decade of expertise in a wide range of financial products, including online trading platforms, robo-advisors, stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. She is a sought-after commentator and regularly shares her insights on the AFR, Yahoo Finance, The Motley Fool, SBS and News.com.au. Kylie hosts the Investment Finder video series and actively contributes to the investment community as a judge and panellist. She holds a Master of Arts in International Journalism, a Graduate Diploma in Economics, and ASIC-recognised certifications in securities and managed investments. See full bio

Kylie's expertise

Kylie has written 166 Finder guides across topics including:

• Investment strategies
• Financial platforms
• Stockbrokers
• Robo advisors
• Exchange traded funds (ETFs)
• Ethical investing
• ASX stocks
• Stock and forex markets

Co-written by

Billy Endres

Cryptocurrency writer

Billy Endres was the cryptocurrency writer for Finder. He has a passion for Web3 and decentralisation technologies as well as cryptocurrencies. Billy’s background in software development helped open the door to the world of decentralised technologies, financial markets and technical writing. See full bio

Billy's expertise

Billy has written 14 Finder guides across topics including:

• Web3 and decentralised technologies
• Front-end development
• Cryptocurrency futures trading and technical analysis
• DeFi and on-chain analysis