A maker fee is a charge applied by cryptocurrency exchanges when a trader places an order that does not immediately match an existing order on the order book. Instead of filling right away, the order rests on the book and waits for a counterparty — it literally "makes" new liquidity available for other traders to take.
Because makers contribute depth to the exchange's order book, most platforms reward them with lower fees compared to takers. On Binance, the base maker fee is 0.10%, while on Kraken it is 0.25% for standard accounts. High-volume traders and those holding native exchange tokens can reduce these rates further — sometimes all the way to zero.
LIMIT ORDER
PLACEDOrder Enters the Book
You submit a limit buy order below the current market price. Because no existing sell order matches your price, the order rests on the book as an open offer.
WAITING
PENDINGLiquidity Added to Market
Your resting order now deepens the order book. Other traders can see it and choose to fill it. This improves market depth and tightens bid-ask spreads for everyone.
FILLED
EXECUTEDMaker Fee Charged
When another trader places a market order or aggressive limit order that matches yours, the trade executes and the exchange charges you the lower maker fee — typically 0.10% to 0.25%.
SAVINGS
BENEFITLower Cost vs Taker
Because maker fees are lower than taker fees, patient traders who consistently use limit orders accumulate meaningful cost savings over time, especially at high trading volumes.
