As the cryptocurrency market rapidly develops, spot trading has gradually become the preferred entry point into the digital asset world for many investors, especially beginners. Spot trading offers advantages such as low entry barriers, transparent transactions, and real-time fund settlement, making it suitable for long-term holdings and steady investment strategies. MEXC, as a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, provides high liquidity, a wide range of trading pairs, and a user-friendly interface to help users efficiently participate in digital asset trading. For newcomers to MEXC Spot trading, understanding basic concepts, mastering order placement, and familiarizing themselves with order types and fee structures are key to entering the market safely. This article systematically explains common core questions in spot trading, helping you fully grasp MEXC Spot trading rules and take your first step in crypto investment with confidence.
Spot trading refers to buying or selling digital assets like BTC, ETH, and MX at the current market price, with assets delivered immediately upon transaction completion. In the spot market, traders actually own the purchased crypto assets and can freely store, transfer, or hold them long-term. The core feature of spot trading is instant execution and real-time settlement. This means once a trade is completed, the buyer immediately receives the corresponding crypto, while the seller simultaneously receives an equivalent amount in fiat or stablecoins (e.g., USDT).
Spot trading is especially suitable for:
Example:
If the MX/USDT market price on MEXC is 2.25 USDT, buying 1 MX token costs 2.25 USDT, and selling 1 MX will receive 2.25 USDT. After the transaction, assets are settled immediately and distributed to the user's Spot account.
Spot trading and futures trading differ fundamentally in trading mechanisms, risk profiles, and asset ownership.
In Spot trading, traders own the underlying assets, and buyers and sellers exchange quotes and token assets. Therefore, Spot trading involves the direct transfer of cryptocurrency between market participants. Spot trading does not involve leverage; the transactions represent a real transfer of asset ownership, making it suitable for conservative investors or medium- to long-term investment strategies.
Futures trading involves buying and selling contracts that represent the value of a specific cryptocurrency. When you purchase a futures contract, you do not actually own the underlying cryptocurrency. Instead, you hold a contract that obligates you to buy or sell the cryptocurrency at a predetermined price on a specific future date. This allows you to anticipate price movements in advance and choose to go long by buying the contract or go short by selling it, thereby participating in the cryptocurrency's price fluctuations and potentially earning profits.
Example: If you predict BTC will rise, you open a long position in BTCUSDT perpetual Futures. If BTC rises, you profit; if BTC falls, you face losses and potentially liquidation due to leverage.
Feature | Spot Trading | Futures Trading |
Asset Ownership | Real ownership | Contracts only |
Settlement | Immediate | Cash-settled based on price changes |
Leverage | No | Yes (adjustable) |
Risk Level | Relatively low | High, requires position management |
Profit Method | Sell after asset appreciation | Profit from price difference via long/short positions |
When spot trading on the MEXC platform, the system automatically deducts fees based on the order type and trading pair at a fixed rate. Here's a detailed explanation of spot trading fees: Calculation of Fees in Spot Trading.
Spot trading fees are charged according to the following rules:
Fees are charged in the currency of the market you are trading. For example, in the BTC/USDT pair, buying BTC incurs a fee in BTC, while selling BTC incurs a fee in USDT.
Fees are calculated as executed amount × applicable rate, where the executed amount is determined by the transaction price and quantity.
No fees are charged for unfilled or canceled orders; only the portion that is actually executed is subject to fees.
Type | Fee Rate | Discount Available |
Maker | 0% | Yes (default 0%) |
Taker | 0.05% | Supports MX discount |
Examples:
If a user places a Maker order in the MX/USDT trading pair to buy 1 MX for 5 USDT, the fee = 0% × 5 = 0 USDT. The user effectively uses 5 USDT to buy 1 MX.
If a user places a Taker order in the MX/USDT pair to sell 1 MX for 5 USDT, the fee = 0.05% × 5 = 0.0025 USDT. The user receives 4.9975 USDT after the fee.
Currently, MEXC is running a 0-Fee Trader's Fest, allowing users to significantly reduce trading costs and allowing users to spend less, trade more, and earn more. On MEXC, users can enjoy low-cost trading while staying closely aligned with market trends, capturing every fleeting opportunity, and starting a journey to financial independence.
In cryptocurrency spot trading, the system automatically classifies orders as Taker or Maker based on whether they are executed immediately. These two roles differ significantly in trading logic and fee structure.
Maker: A Maker order is a limit order that cannot be matched immediately with existing market orders and waits for other users to fulfill it. Maker orders provide liquidity to the market, so the trading fee is 0%.
Example:
You place a limit order to buy 1 MX at 2.00 USDT, while the current best sell price is 2.27 USDT. Since your buy price is lower than the market price, the order cannot execute immediately. The system places it on the order book, waiting to be filled. You are a Maker and pay no fee.
Taker: A Taker order is one that matches immediately with existing orders in the market, consuming liquidity. Taker orders are charged a 0.05% fee.
Example:
The current MX/USDT market sell price is 2.25 USDT. You place a market order to buy 1 MX. The system immediately matches your order with existing sell orders. You are a Taker.
Fee Calculation:
Executed price: 2.25 USDT
Quantity: 1 MX
Fee rate: 0.05%
Fee = 2.25 × 0.05% = 0.001125 MX
Net received = 1 - 0.001125 = 0.998875 MX
On the MEXC Spot trading platform, users can choose from different order types based on their trading strategies and market conditions, allowing for more flexible control over buying and selling. The currently supported order types include the following four:
A limit order allows users to set their desired buy or sell price and quantity. The order will only execute when the market price reaches the specified price. This is suitable for users who want to enter or exit at a specific price.
Example: The current BTC/USDT market price is 110,000 USDT. You set a limit order to buy BTC at 100,000 USDT. The order will only execute if the price drops to 100,000 USDT.
A market order is executed immediately at the best available price in the market. This type of order is suitable for users who prioritize speed of execution, though the actual execution price may vary slightly due to market fluctuations.
Example: You want to buy ETH at the market price. The system will automatically match your order with current sell orders in the market, executing immediately.
A stop-limit order allows users to set a trigger price and a limit price to automatically realize profits or limit losses. Once the market reaches the trigger price, the system automatically submits a limit order.
Example: You hold BTC and set a trigger price of 110,000 USDT and a sell price of 100,000 USDT. When the market price falls to 110,000 USDT, the system will place a limit sell order at 100,000 USDT, realizing the stop-limit.
An OCO order combines a stop-limit order with a limit order. When one of the orders is triggered or executed, the other is automatically canceled. If one order is manually canceled, the other is also canceled. This is useful for users who want to set both a stop-loss and a target price to manage risk while aiming for optimal execution.
Example: You currently hold ETH, and the market price is 30,000 USDT. You can set:
A limit sell order: sell when the price rises to 32,000 USDT
A stop-limit order: sell when the price drops to 28,000 USDT
These two orders together form an OCO order. When either order is triggered, the other is automatically canceled to avoid duplicate executions or multiple trades.
By choosing order types flexibly, users can better respond to market fluctuations, manage risk, and implement personalized trading strategies. For a more detailed tutorial, please read "Different Types of Spot Orders."
You can view your executed order history in the Order History section at the bottom of the order book. Alternatively, you can click Orders → Spot Orders in the top-right corner to see all your orders.
If your funds are tied up in open orders and you want to trade other assets but have insufficient balance, you can check your Open Orders to see any unfilled orders. Click Cancel to release the funds, making them available for new trades.
If your account has no funds, you can make a deposit by following these steps:
Click Wallets in the upper-right corner → Select Spot account → Click Deposit.
In the search bar, enter the token you wish to deposit (e.g., USDT, ETH, etc.).
Select the corresponding network (e.g., ERC20, TRC20, BEP20, etc.).
Click to generate the address
Copy the generated address (for some tokens, you may also need to copy a Memo or Tag).
In your external wallet or another exchange, paste the copied deposit address.
Enter the deposit amount, select the same network as on MEXC, and confirm before submitting the transfer.
Once the deposit is successful, the asset will appear in your MEXC Spot account, first shown as Pre-crediting.
After blockchain confirmations are complete, the status will be updated to Credited.
To help users better identify different project attributes and risk levels, MEXC divides the Spot market into several zones:
Features: Stable, mature, offers many mainstream coins
Includes cryptocurrencies with high market capitalization, strong liquidity, and stable project operations, such as BTC and ETH. Suitable for long-term holding and steady investment.
Target users: Conservative investors and beginners
Spot Main Zone
Features: Emerging popular projects, high growth potential, high volatility
Focuses on cutting-edge technology and trending new projects, such as newly launched public chains, GameFi, and AI-related tokens. While these assets offer substantial potential, they also come with higher volatility and risk.
Target users: Traders with a certain degree of market fluency and judgment
Spot Innovation Zone
Features: High risk, low liquidity, projects under observation
Includes projects still in the early stages of development or with relatively low market activity. MEXC regularly evaluates projects in this zone, and those that fail to meet standards may be delisted. Users should fully understand project details and associated risks before investing.
Target users:
High-risk investors: Willing to bear potential delisting or extreme volatility risks in exchange for the possibility of high returns.
Users with project research skills: Able to analyze fundamentals, team background, community activity, and other factors to judge project quality.
Early-stage speculators: Looking to position early in projects before they gain wide attention, aiming for significant returns.
Spot Assessment Zone
Yes. According to MEXC's spot trading rules, each trade is subject to both a minimum order quantity and a minimum total order amount. The exact thresholds vary by market. For example, the USDT market has a minimum of 1 USDT per order, while the ETH market has a minimum of 0.0001 ETH per order. If the order amount is below the required threshold, the system will not accept it.
Open Orders: Shows orders that are still pending execution or waiting for trigger conditions.
Order History: Shows the historical record of orders that have been executed or canceled.
Trade History: Shows transactions that have been successfully executed. If a large order is filled in multiple trades, all these trades will appear under Trade History.
Spot trading is not only the first step into the world of crypto assets, but also the foundation for building a solid investment strategy. With MEXC's platform advantages and ultra-low trading costs, you can reduce risks while gaining more control.
Start your MEXC Spot trading journey today and open a new chapter in your crypto wealth!
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Disclaimer: This information does not provide advice on investment, taxation, legal, financial, accounting, consultation, or any other related services, nor does it constitute advice to purchase, sell, or hold any assets. MEXC Learn provides information for reference purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and exercise caution when investing. MEXC is not responsible for users' investment decisions.