What Are Perpetual Futures?

Perpetual futures contracts (or perps) are crypto derivatives that allow traders to speculate on the price of an asset without owning it. Unlike traditional futures, they don’t have an expiration date and instead use a funding rate mechanism to tether their price to the spot market.

Key Features:

β€’ Trade long or short with leverage

β€’ No expiry β€” hold positions indefinitely

β€’ Settle in SUI/USDC

β€’ Funding fees paid between traders to balance long/short positioning

πŸš€ Spot vs. Perpetual Futures at a Glance

Spot Trading
Perpetual Futures

Ownership

Direct asset ownership

No ownership β€” you're trading a contract

Settlement

Immediate

No expiry; settled through margin/funding

Leverage

None (unless using margin)

High leverage available (up to 100x on some platforms)

Volatility Impact

1:1 with price

Gains/losses amplified via leverage

Liquidation Risk

None

High (if margin < maintenance level)

Market Risk

Exchange halts can isolate you

Index pricing avoids manipulation

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