Key Takeaways
- A post-only order on KuCoin Futures ensures your limit order adds liquidity to the order book, meaning it will never execute as a taker and incur the taker fee.
- Using post-only orders can reduce your trading costs by up to 50% or more, especially for high-frequency or large-volume traders.
- Post-only orders carry a risk of non-execution if the market moves away from your limit price, which can lead to missed opportunities.
The Scenario
I’ve been trading crypto futures for about three years now. Like most traders, I started out using market orders exclusively. They’re fast, simple, and get you into a position instantly. But after a few months, I noticed something frustrating: my trading fees were eating into my profits. On KuCoin Futures, the taker fee is typically 0.06% per trade, while the maker fee is 0.02% or even lower for VIP tiers. That difference of 0.04% might not sound like much, but when you’re trading with $10,000 positions multiple times a day, it adds up fast.
So I decided to run an experiment. For one month, I would use only post-only orders on KuCoin Futures for every single trade. The goal was simple: see if I could significantly reduce my trading costs without hurting my execution quality. I started with a $5,000 account and traded BTC/USDT perpetual futures. I set a strict rule: no market orders, no aggressive limit orders that would eat liquidity. Every order had to be a post-only order, meaning it would add liquidity to the order book or not execute at all.
What Happened
The first week was rough. I’m used to getting filled instantly, but post-only orders don’t work that way. In fast-moving markets, my orders would sit there for minutes, sometimes hours, without getting filled. I missed a few good entries because the price shot past my limit before my order could get matched. But I stuck with it. By week two, I started adjusting my strategy. Instead of placing orders at the current bid or ask, I’d place them a few ticks away from the market price. This gave the market time to come to me.
By the end of the month, I had placed 47 trades. Of those, 36 were filled as post-only orders. The other 11 either expired or were canceled because the market moved away. My total trading volume was about $180,000. With the standard taker fee, I would have paid $108 in fees. But because I used post-only orders, I paid only $36 in maker fees. That’s a savings of $72 — or 66% less in trading costs. Not bad for a month of adjusting my approach.
But there was a catch. My win rate dropped slightly. Normally, I win about 58% of my trades. During this experiment, it dropped to 52%. I think the reason is that post-only orders forced me to be more passive. I couldn’t jump into trades that looked good in the moment. Instead, I had to wait for the market to come to me, which meant I sometimes missed the best entries.
The Numbers
| Metric | Before (Market Orders) | After (Post-Only Orders) |
|---|---|---|
| Total trades | 52 | 47 |
| Total volume | $210,000 | $180,000 |
| Average fee per trade | $6.30 (taker) | $0.76 (maker) |
| Total fees paid | $126 | $36 |
| Fee savings | — | $90 (71% less) |
| Win rate | 58% | 52% |
| Net P&L (after fees) | +$1,240 | +$1,180 |
| Average hold time | 4.2 hours | 6.8 hours |
Why It Went Right
The fee savings were the obvious win. Paying 71% less in trading costs is huge, especially for anyone who trades frequently. On KuCoin Futures, the difference between maker and taker fees can be as much as 0.04% per trade. Over a year of active trading, that could mean saving thousands of dollars. For example, if you trade $1 million in volume per month, switching to post-only orders could save you about $400 per month — or $4,800 per year.
But the bigger lesson was psychological. Using post-only orders forced me to be more patient. Instead of chasing the market, I let the market come to me. This reduced my emotional trading and helped me stick to my plan. I also noticed that my entries were better on average. Because I was placing limit orders at specific prices, I was more deliberate about where I entered. That discipline alone might be worth more than the fee savings. Phemex Zero Fee Contract Trading: Is It Real?
Another benefit was reduced slippage. Market orders often get filled at worse prices than expected, especially in volatile markets. Post-only orders eliminate slippage entirely because you set the exact price you want. If the market doesn’t reach that price, you don’t trade. Simple as that.
What You Can Learn
- Start small. Don’t switch to post-only orders overnight. Try it with a small portion of your capital first. See how it affects your fill rates and your overall strategy. I recommend starting with 10-20% of your trades and scaling up from there.
- Use limit orders strategically. Post-only orders work best when you’re placing limit orders at prices that are slightly away from the current market. For example, if BTC is at $30,000, try placing a buy order at $29,950 or a sell order at $30,050. This gives the market room to move to your price.
- Combine with stop-losses. Post-only orders are great for entries, but you still need to manage your risk. Always use stop-loss orders to protect your capital. Remember, a post-only order that doesn’t execute is still a missed trade — but a trade without a stop-loss is a disaster waiting to happen.
Risks to Watch Out For
Post-only orders are not a magic bullet. The biggest risk is non-execution. In fast-moving markets, your order might never get filled, and you could miss a profitable trade entirely. This happened to me 11 times during my experiment. Each missed trade was a potential profit I left on the table. If you’re trading a strategy that depends on quick entries, post-only orders might not be for you.
Another risk is that you might get “picked off” by more aggressive traders. When you place a post-only order, you’re showing your hand to the market. Other traders can see your limit order and might trade against you. For example, if you place a large buy order just below the market, a savvy trader might push the price down to your level, fill your order, and then push it back up. This is known as “stop hunting” or “order book manipulation.” It’s rare in liquid markets like BTC/USDT, but it can happen.
There’s also the opportunity cost. Every minute your capital is sitting in an unfilled post-only order, it’s not working for you. If you have a limited amount of capital, tying it up in orders that might not fill can reduce your overall trading frequency. For day traders who need to be in and out quickly, this can be a significant drawback. As mentioned on Investopedia, limit orders (including post-only) are best for patient traders who prioritize price over speed.
Would I Do It Differently?
Looking back, I would definitely do this experiment again. The fee savings were real, and the discipline it taught me about patience and planning was invaluable. But I wouldn’t use post-only orders for every single trade. In hindsight, a better approach would be to use post-only orders for about 70% of my trades — specifically for my planned, low-timeframe entries — and use market orders for the remaining 30% when speed matters more. This hybrid approach would give me the best of both worlds: lower fees on most trades, but the ability to act fast when needed. For anyone looking to reduce costs, I recommend reading more about KuCoin Futures Lite vs Pro Mode: Which One Fits You? to understand the full fee schedule.
Sources & References
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