Introduction
Starting crypto trading can feel exciting—and intimidating. You deposit $100, place a few trades, and then wonder: “Wait, why is my balance lower even though my coin didn’t drop?” The answer is simple: fees.
For beginners, trading fees can quietly eat into your balance before you’ve made a single profit. That’s why understanding how fees work is just as important as learning how to buy your first coin.
In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of crypto trading and show how using platforms with 0% maker fees—like MEXC—helps beginners start with less pressure.
What Is Cryptocurrency (Beginner’s View)?
At its core, cryptocurrency is digital money on a blockchain. Unlike traditional money, it’s:
- Decentralized – no single bank in charge.
- Borderless – you can trade anytime, anywhere.
- Transparent – transactions are visible on the public ledger.
Examples you’ll hear most often:
- Bitcoin (BTC): the original cryptocurrency.
- Ethereum (ETH): powering smart contracts and decentralized apps.
- Stablecoins (USDT, USDC): pegged to fiat, popular for trading pairs.
Spot vs Futures: Which Path Do Beginners Usually Take?
- Spot Trading: The simplest way—you buy or sell at current price, and you own the asset.
- Futures Trading: You trade contracts on price movements, often with leverage. It’s powerful but risky.
Here’s why fees matter:
On many exchanges, spot maker fees are 0.1%. Let’s say you place 50 trades with $100 each: that’s $5 gone to fees—money that could have been your first profit.
On MEXC, spot maker fees are 0%, and taker fees are just 0.05%. Futures also come with 0% maker fees. For beginners, that means your learning curve is cheaper—you’re not punished by fees while practicing.
Here is a fee comparison guide across various platforms (Update by Sept.2025)
| Exchange | Maker Fee (Spot) | Taker Fee(Spot) | Maker Fee(Future) | Taker Fee(Future) | Discount/notes |
| Mexc | 0% | 0.05% | 0% | 0.02% | Holding ≥500 MX for 24h → up to 50% discount on spot & futures fees (eligibility-based). – MX Deduction feature → up to 20% fee discount. – Discounts cannot be combined; the system applies the better option. – Some pairs excluded, Check live Schedule |
| Binance | ~0.1% | ~0.1% | ~0.02% | ~0.05% | – Rates shown are VIP0 baseline. – Using BNB for fee payment → ~25% discount (spot), ~10% discount (futures). – Actual fees vary by VIP tier & region. |
| OKX | ~0.08% | ~0.10% | ~0.02% | ~0.05% | – Actual fees tiered by trading volume & holdings; some VIP levels lower. |
| Bitget | ~0.10% | ~0.10% | ~0.02% | ~0.06% | – Discounts may apply with BGB holdings, VIP level, or promotions. |
Maker Fee Vs Taker Fee ：What is the difference?
Every crypto exchange uses two types of fees—maker and taker—depending on how you place your order.
- Taker fees: You’re a taker when you buy or sell instantly at the current market price. This removes liquidity from the order book, and that’s why taker fees are usually higher.
- Maker fees: You’re a maker when you place an order that doesn’t fill right away, like a limit order. This adds liquidity to the market, so maker fees are generally lower (and sometimes even 0%).
Let me take 100U to illustrate this （Taker Fee)
| Exchange | Spot Taker Fee Rate | Fee on 100 USDT | Notes |
| MEXC | 0.05% | 0.05 USDT | Limit orders = 0% maker fees. MX token holding/deduction can reduce costs further. |
| Binance | ~ 0.10% | ~ 0.10 USDT | Paying with BNB gives a 25% discount → ~$0.075. |
| OKX | ~ 0.10% | ~ 0.10 USDT | Tiered discounts available based on trading volume. |
| Bitget | ~ 0.10% | ~ 0.10 USDT | BGB token holdings or VIP level can lower fees. |
A $100 market trade costs about $0.10 on Binance or OKX, but only $0.05 on MEXC. With limit orders, that cost drops to zero.
Ready to trade with lowest fee?
Setting Up Your First Account (Quick Reality Check)
The process is simple on most exchanges, including MEXC:
- Sign up with email or phone.
- Verify your identity (KYC).
- Enable 2FA for protection.
Reality check: Don’t skip step 3. Most beginner hacks happen because accounts didn’t use two-factor authentication.
Placing Your First Spot Trade (BTC/USDT Example)
Here’s how a beginner trade might look:
Go to the Spot Trading page.
For example , try to Select BTC/USDT.
Choose Limit Order (this is how you get 0% maker fees).
Enter the amount.
Confirm.
With this, a $100 test trade = no maker fee. On other platforms, the same trade might cost $0.10 or more.
Fee Mistakes Beginners Commonly Make
- Clicking Market Order every time. It feels easier, but you’ll always pay taker fees.
- Not checking fee tables. Some platforms advertise low fees but add hidden costs.
- Overtrading. Beginners often click around too much; even small fees pile up quickly.
By starting with 0% maker fees, you get more freedom to test strategies without worrying about losing money to fees alone.
What’s Next?
Once you’ve tried a few spot trades:
- Consider small futures trades—but keep leverage low, and a cool feature about mexc is demo trading for futures.
- Explore staking or airdrops for passive income.
- Highly recommend keeping learning with MEXC Learn, which has beginner-friendly tutorials and market insights.
Conclusion
Your first step into crypto shouldn’t feel like you’re paying tuition fees to the exchange. By choosing a platform with 0% maker fees, you can keep more of your balance while you learn.
For beginners, minimizing costs is key. Exchanges like MEXC make it easier to practice, test, and grow—without hidden charges draining your account.
