Best Brokers With Perpetual Futures in 2026
A growing number of crypto exchanges and online brokers have started offering perpetual futures, also known as perps. Similar to futures contracts, platforms let you speculate on an underlying asset, such as Bitcoin, but with no expiry. They’re proving popular with active traders looking to go long or short without owning the crypto or traditional asset, while providing leverage to speculate on short-term price moves, including in markets like pre-IPO stocks.
Dig into our selection of the top brokers with perpetual futures. We’ve pinpointed the best providers in the market by running hands-on tests of their perps, comparing their offerings to competitors, and documenting our findings.
Top Brokers For Trading Perps
Based on our firsthand tests and analysis, these brokerages are the best for trading perps in 2026:
Why Are These Brokers and Exchanges The Best For Trading Perps?
Here’s why we rate these platforms as the top providers for traders looking to buy and sell perpetual futures:
- Nexo is the best perpetual futures broker in 2026 - Nexo offers fewer perpetual futures than other brokers in this list with around 150+ contracts covering key tokens like Bitcoin and Dogecoin, but makes up for it elsewhere. The platform is highly intuitive, while leverage can reach 100x on around 30 perp contracts, making it a great fit for experienced, active traders with disciplined risk management. Fees on perps come in at 0.06% when you open or close a contract and collateral is flexible with a choice of BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, USDT, USDC and EURC. Unlike other firms, perps aren’t labeled as clearly in the platform, but if you go Dashboard, Exchange, Futures, you’re looking at Nexo’s roster of perpetual futures contracts.
- Kraken - Kraken has one of the largest selections of perpetual futures with over 300 assets, including crypto tokens and pre-IPO equities. Up to 50x leverage is available on perpetuals, with fast execution that enables short-term traders to exit positions at or close to desired prices. What we particularly liked during our tests was the simplicty of buying a perpetual contract - open the app, which can be downloaded with a QR code, select ‘Perps’, find an asset like SOL, enter the amount in fiat or crypto, and punch in the leverage. You can also ‘cash out of the position’ in one tap.
- Pionex - Pionex is geared towards perp traders wanting to use bots, including Futures Grid and Futures DCA strategies, making it one of the better options for algo traders. It launched perpetual futures in 2023, starting with major cryptos like BTC and ETH, but has since added USDT-margined perps, tokenized stocks and more. Leverage up to 100x was available during our tests and trades placed on BTC/USDT went through cleanly at our desired price and order quantity without notable slippage. However, fees on perpetual futures trail some alternatives if you only have an entry-level account, with 0.020% maker and 0.050% taker fees.
- Coinbase - Coinbase offers a more modest range of perpetual futures than other providers on the list, with 180+ available in the platform during our tests. However, it has one of the most user-friendly platforms and apps we’ve seen amongst perp providers, making order entry and trade management smooth for newer users. It also provides useful social intelligence on individual perps, including the number and value of contracts open. The entry barrier is also low with a 1/100th of a Bitcoin for a BTC perpetual, alongside a 0.0009% funding rate.
Compare Perpetual Futures Brokers in Key Areas
Compare the key tools available to active perp traders and the ratings our experts assigned:
| Broker | Perpetual Futures Rating | Platform | Fast Execution | API | Proof of Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexo | / 5 | / 5 | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Kraken | / 5 | / 5 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Pionex | / 5 | / 5 | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Coinbase | / 5 | / 5 | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Compare Detailed Ratings Of The Top Perp Futures Providers
See how the top perp trading providers performed in each key testing area:
| Broker | Trust | Platforms | Assets | Mobile | Fees | Accounts | Research | Education | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexo | |||||||||
| Kraken | |||||||||
| Pionex | |||||||||
| Coinbase |
How Popular Are The Top Perpetual Futures Trading Platforms?
With perpetual futures trading climbing in popularity, here's how many users are choosing our top brokerages:
Nexo
"Nexo gives crypto traders the capability to trade, invest, lend and borrow digital assets in one place, and it’s especially good for its credit functions that pay out very high yields to lenders. However, its fees are relatively high and many day traders will prefer a more tightly regulated crypto broker."
Michael MacKenzie, Reviewer
Nexo Quick Facts
| Demo Account | No |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Cryptos, Perpetual Futures |
| Platforms | Nexo Pro |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 |
| Minimum Trade | $30 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP |
Pros
- Nexo’s crypto staking and credit features support crypto lending and borrowing, and the yields lenders receive are among the best going
- Traders benefit from bonuses and incentives including free trading funds paid to lenders and cashback in the form of the exchange’s native Nexo token
- Reputable crypto exchange that has been in business since 2018 and has taken some steps toward regulation
Cons
- High maker/taker fees mean day traders will pay more to trade derivatives than they would at some rival exchanges
- Very few educational resources are available, reducing its appeal to beginners who can find more helpful resources at category leaders like eToro
- Although Nexo has registered with some reputable watchdogs, it is riskier to trade with than established crypto brokers like AvaTrade and Vantage
Kraken
"Kraken will suit traders looking for a diverse list of cryptos including Bitcoin and a good security track record."
William Berg, Reviewer
Kraken Quick Facts
| Demo Account | Yes |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Cryptos, xStocks, Pre-IPO Perpetual Futures |
| Regulator | FINTRAC, AUSTRAC |
| Platforms | AlgoTrader, Quantower |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 |
| Minimum Trade | Variable |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF |
Pros
- 3D secure required
- Kraken, via Payward, secured VARA authorization in the UAE, so it can offer local clients Dirham funding and trading pair
- Low exchange fees on Kraken Pro
Cons
- Does not support many newer altcoins
- Insider data breach and extortion incident affecting customer data in April 2026
- Low leverage on spot trading
Pionex
"Pionex is an excellent option for crypto traders with an interest in cutting-edge AI like ChatGPT and automated trading."
Pionex Quick Facts
| Demo Account | Yes |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Cryptos, Perpetual Futures |
| Regulator | NMLS, CBI, AMF |
| Platforms | Own |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| Minimum Trade | 0.1 USDT |
Pros
- Expanded to support 280+ tokenized instruments, including U.S. stocks like AAPLX and TSLAX, traditional ETFs, and commodities like Gold with 24/7 trading and USDT settlement
- Powerful integrated AI chatbot 'PionexGPT' helps users programme trading bots on Pine script
- 16+ free integrated trading bots with no coding or programming requirements, which can also be deployed on tokenized U.S. equities and real-world assets, not just cryptocurrencies.
Cons
- Limited contact options
- Weak regulatory oversight raises safety concerns
- Withdrawal fees and limits may apply
Coinbase
"Coinbase is ideal for beginners looking for an intuitive platform to buy and sell a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, with robust security and regulatory compliance. However, its fees are higher compared to competitors in our tests, and it’s not as tailored for short-term traders."
Christian Harris, Reviewer
Coinbase Quick Facts
| Demo Account | No |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Crypto, Stocks, ETFs (US only), Pre-IPO Perpetual Futures (non-US) |
| Regulator | CSSF, CBI, CySEC, BaFin, MAS, OSC, ASIC, BMA |
| Platforms | Coinbase, Advanced Trade, Wallet, NFT, TradingView |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| Minimum Trade | $2 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR |
Pros
- Coinbase has teamed up with Chainlink DataLink so now premium exchange data, including spot prices, order books, and futures data, is accessible on-chain, enabling better DeFi pricing and risk management.
- Coinbase Advanced bolstered its leveraged trading offering with a suite of new futures products in 2025, including Ripple (XRP), Natural Gas (NGS), and Cardano (ADA), providing accessible ways to trade, hedge, or diversify.
- Coinbase supports 240+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and more recently listed altcoins like $Trump, giving early access to emerging tokens.
Cons
- High crypto fees based on tests, especially compared to competitors like Kraken and BitMEX, and notably on the standard dealing platform.
- There are woeful research tools; Advanced Trade has TradingView charts but lacks features like news feeds, economic calendars, and AI market insights.
- Frustrating customer support during testing, with most help options hidden behind login, making it tough for locked-out users or non-account holders to get assistance.
How We Chose The Best Perpetual Futures Brokers
We didn’t judge from the sidelines – we got stuck into trading platforms, following a three-stage process:
- Went through our evolving directory of online brokers and cryptocurrency exchanges, finding all those that offer perpetual futures contracts.
- Opened trading accounts at each to expressly test their perp contracts, considering key factors like the range of underlying markets, trading fees, funding rates, liquidity, and the trading experience.
- Documented our findings and ranked providers by our expert-assigned ratings, showing the orders of brokers we’d trust with our own capital to trade perpetual futures.
What To Look For In A Brokerage With Perp Futures
Trading perpetual futures requires a provider with certain features, tools and trading conditions. We’ve broken the key factors to weigh up when considering firms:
| Factor | Why It's Important | What Good Looks Like | Brokers That Do This Well |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory access | Confirms whether the provider can legally offer perps to traders in your country. | Clear legal entity, eligibility rules and client restrictions, e.g. for retail vs pro traders. | Kraken: CFTC-regulated US perps; Coinbase: regulated US crypto perps; OKX: clear non-US access rules. |
| Liquidity | Determines how easily you can enter and exit without slippage. | Deep BTC/ETH books, strong open interest and visible market depth are key for active traders. | OKX: strong crypto markets; Bybit: excellent BTC/ETH liquidity; BitMEX: long-running BTC perp venue. |
| Spreads | A direct cost for short-term traders, especially scalpers. | Consistently tight bid-ask spreads on major perp pairs. | OKX: tight major-pair spreads; Bybit: competitive BTC/ETH spreads; Kraken: strong market execution. |
| Trading fees | Maker/taker fees affect every perp trade and compound quickly for active traders. | Low taker fees, maker discounts and transparent VIP tiers. | OKX: tiered fees; Bybit: active-trader pricing; BitMEX: maker/taker model. |
| Funding rates | Can become a major cost if positions are held for days, impacting e.g. swing traders. | Visible next funding rate, clear formula and funding history. | BitMEX: transparent funding; OKX: clear funding data; Bybit: visible funding countdowns. |
| Mark price/index | Liquidations are usually based on mark price, not last trade price. | Multi-source index pricing, outlier protection and published mark-price rules. | BitMEX: index/mark methodology; OKX: mark-price detail; Bybit: mark/index pricing. |
| Order types | Active traders need tools to control execution and manage risk. | Stop-loss, take-profit, reduce-only, post-only and conditional orders. | Bybit: strong order controls; OKX: advanced order types; Kraken: professional trading features. |
| Platform reliability | The platform needs to work during volatility, not just quiet markets, with many perps trading 24/7. | Fast matching engine, stable app/API and public status updates. | Kraken: status transparency; Coinbase: institutional infrastructure; OKX: high-volume exchange setup. |
| Collateral options | Margin currency affects risk, funding and account management. | USDT/USDC or multi-collateral margin, isolated margin and clear collateral rules. | Kraken: multi-collateral perps; OKX: flexible margin modes; Bybit: USDT/USDC contracts. |
| Counterparty risk | Your collateral sits with the platform, so solvency and withdrawals are key. | Proof of reserves, insurance fund detail and fast, reliable withdrawals. | Kraken: proof of reserves; OKX: proof of reserves; Coinbase: public-company transparency. |
| API | Important for active traders using algos, alerts or third-party terminals. | Fast REST/WebSocket API, clear limits and strong documentation. | OKX: extensive API docs; Bybit: active-trader API; Coinbase: institutional-grade API. |
The SpaceX Catalyst
Perpetual futures were primarily offered by crypto exchanges on digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, in 2026 we noticed many firms started offering them in other speculative markets. Most notably, there’s been a boom in pre-IPO and tokenized equity-linked contracts, driven in a large part by speculation around, and then the completion of, the SpaceX IPO.
In fact, over 7% of our 140-strong database now offers perpetual futures, and we anticipate more will introduce these contracts to capitalize on the huge interest in major mega-cap AI IPOs, such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
Here’s a timeline of major firms that have added or expanded their perpetual futures offerings:
- BitMEX: Introduced crypto perpetual swaps in 2016, starting with Bitcoin/XBT contracts. It added SPCXUSDT SpaceX-linked pre-IPO perpetuals in June 2026.
- OKX: Launched crypto perpetual swaps in December 2018, initially supporting BTC. It added pre-IPO perpetuals on SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic in May 2026.
- Kraken: Has offered crypto perpetual futures through Kraken Futures since its derivatives expansion. It launched SpaceX/SPCX pre-IPO perpetual exposure in June 2026 and CFTC-regulated crypto perps for eligible US clients in the same month.
- Bybit: Added USDT perpetual contracts in March 2020, building on its existing crypto perp products. It launched SPCXUSDT SpaceX pre-IPO perpetuals in May 2026.
- Pionex: Offered crypto perpetual futures by March 2023. Like other firms, it added SpaceX/SPCX perpetual futures in May 2026.
- Coinbase: Launched BTC and ETH perpetual futures on Coinbase International Exchange in May 2023. It launched pre-IPO perpetual futures for eligible international customers, starting with SpaceX, in June 2026.
- Nexo: Launched crypto perpetual futures in December 2023, starting with markets including BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP and DOGE.
- PrimeXBT: Launched crypto perpetual swaps in December 2024, initially covering major crypto markets including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.
- Crypto.com: Expanded perpetual futures beyond crypto with commodity and US index perps in April 2026. It introduced pre-IPO perpetual contracts on OpenAI, SpaceX and Anthropic in May 2026. Though the OpenAI IPO is now likely to happen in 2027.
- Bitget: Already offered crypto perpetual futures. It launched SPCXUSDT pre-IPO perpetual futures in May 2026.
Note: Many firms that offered pre-IPO perpetuals on SpaceX have since transitioned those contracts into standard stock perpetual futures.
How To Place A Perp Trade
As part of our tests, we placed trades on perpetual futures contracts, including on Bitcoin and tokenized equities. Most platforms make it straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step run-through to help retail investors get started:
1. Open The Platform
Once you have chosen a broker or exchange, sign in to their platform or app. Most of the providers we tested let you log in from a web-based platform or mobile app, with several offering QR code sign-ins for fast access.
Navigate to the derivatives part of the platform rather than the spot buying crypto section. Next, look for ‘Perpetuals’ or ‘Perps’, but keep in mind we noticed some providers just call their perps ‘Crypto Futures’.
As an example, you can see below in the Pionex platform, we had to select ‘Markets’ from the top and then ‘Futures’ in the central menu to see an active list.
2. Analyze The Asset
Choose a perpetual contract to open up a chart and order book data. You can then run the technical or wider analysis you intend to do as part of your strategy.
You can see below I changed the chart type to ‘Heikin Ashi’ and the timeframe to ’15M’, and then overlayed Bollinger Bands as I find this indicator helpful for gauging the fast shifts in volatility that often feature in perps because they’re normally traded on volatile markets like crypto, and with high leverage.
3. Place A Trade
Once you’re comfortable with your planned trade, you can execute the position in the order panel, which sits either on the left or the right of the trading interface in virtually every platform we’ve tested.
Most of the platforms in our list offer a wide selection of trading parameters, including limit, market and conditional orders, take-profit, stop-loss, good-til-cancelled features, and basics like contract size.
Once the trade is open, you should be able to see it in the trade history/open orders section of the interface, which normally sits at the bottom of the platform interface, like below.
