Many C2C traders only know that "buying USDT is free," but they don't know that even for selling USDT, the fee rates for making and taking orders are worlds apart. These two roles determine whether you are the party paying the fee or the one getting a free ride from the platform. Understanding this clearly can help you earn thousands more per month. To get started, it's recommended to first register an account on the Binance Official Website and upgrade to KYC2. Use the "Post Ad" function in the Binance Official APP to experience the maker mode. iPhone users can refer to the iOS Installation Guide to install the app. Core answer: Makers pay a 0.35% fee, while takers are completely free; VIP0 fee is 0.35%, and VIP9 is as low as 0.09%.
I. Who Exactly are Maker and Taker?
Step 1: Understand Maker
A Maker is the party that "creates liquidity." In C2C:
- You post a buy/sell ad, setting the price, amount, and payment method.
- The ad is listed in the market waiting for others to click.
- You need to wait for the other party to place an order, pay (if you are the seller), or pay (if you are the buyer).
- After the transaction is completed, you pay a 0.35% fee.
Step 2: Understand Taker
A Taker is the party that "consumes liquidity." In C2C:
- You open the market list and see ads posted by others.
- You click the "Buy" or "Sell" button directly for immediate execution.
- You don't need to wait; the transaction speed is fast.
- 0 transaction fee.
Step 3: Quickly Determine Which Party You Are
Open the Binance C2C interface:
- The default "Express/P2P" list at the top → Any transaction you click here makes you a Taker.
- Click "Post Ad" in the top right → The ad you post makes you a Maker.
- Or click "My Ads" to view your active listings.
II. Why Did the Platform Design It This Way?
The asymmetric fee rate for makers and takers is not due to Binance being lazy, but is a classic design of market mechanisms (the same applies to spot and futures).
Reason 1: Encourage Liquidity Supply
If takers weren't free, no one would want to actively place orders—because makers have a price advantage, everyone would wait to be clicked by others. Making it free for takers is to stimulate trading volume, so liquidity can flow.
Reason 2: Makers Bear the Risk
When making an order, you lock in the price, amount, and payment method. If market conditions change, you might lose out. For example, if you list to sell at 7.05 CNY/USDT and the price rises to 7.10 after 3 minutes, you still have to sell at 7.05, losing 0.05. To compensate for this "waiting cost," the fee is higher, but the profit is more stable.
Reason 3: Takers Only Bear Immediate Cost
Takers see the price and decide immediately; the information advantage is entirely in their hands. If the price isn't right, they don't click; if it is, they do. For the platform, takers have almost no cost, so no fee is charged.
III. Full Fee Comparison Table
| VIP Level | 30d Volume (USDT) | Maker Fee | Taker Fee | Fee for 10k USDT Maker Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP0 | 0 | 0.350% | 0% | 35 USDT |
| VIP1 | ≥1M | 0.330% | 0% | 33 USDT |
| VIP2 | ≥5M | 0.300% | 0% | 30 USDT |
| VIP3 | ≥20M | 0.280% | 0% | 28 USDT |
| VIP4 | ≥50M | 0.250% | 0% | 25 USDT |
| VIP5 | ≥100M | 0.200% | 0% | 20 USDT |
| VIP6 | ≥400M | 0.170% | 0% | 17 USDT |
| VIP7 | ≥800M | 0.140% | 0% | 14 USDT |
| VIP8 | ≥2B | 0.110% | 0% | 11 USDT |
| VIP9 | ≥4B | 0.090% | 0% | 9 USDT |
IV. Practical Strategies for Earning Spreads via Making Orders
Scenario 1: Basic Maker Arbitrage
The market buy-one price is 7.00 and sell-one is 7.05, with a 0.05 spread. You can post both buy and sell ads simultaneously:
- Post to buy at 7.01 (1 cent higher than buy-one, prioritized for execution).
- Post to sell at 7.04 (1 cent lower than sell-one, prioritized for execution).
If both sides are executed:
- Gross Profit: 7.04 - 7.01 = 0.03 CNY/USDT.
- Fee: 2 × 0.35% = 0.7% (about 0.049 CNY/USDT).
- Net Loss: 0.019—Not recommended for VIP0.
Scenario 2: Arbitrage for VIP5 and Above
With the same spread, VIP5 fee drops to 0.20%:
- Gross Profit: 0.03 CNY.
- Fee: 2 × 0.20% × 7.025 ≈ 0.028 CNY.
- Net Profit: 0.002 CNY/USDT.
- Earn 20 CNY per 10,000 USDT; only meaningful with large volume.
Scenario 3: Premium Maker Orders (Intermediate/Advanced)
Many professional C2C merchants don't do instant arbitrage but post sell orders slightly higher than the market / buy orders slightly lower, waiting for urgent orders:
- Market price 7.00, you post to sell at 7.08.
- Wait half an hour for an urgent buyer willing to pay a high price to sweep the order.
- 800 CNY spread for 10,000 USDT, minus 28 CNY fee, net profit 772 CNY.
Scenario 4: Specific Payment Method Premium
Certain scarce payment methods (WeChat Pay, ICBC large amounts, specific regional banks) can command higher prices:
- Alipay market price: 7.00.
- ICBC large amount: 7.05.
- Reason: Many merchants don't accept ICBC or handle large amounts; when demand exceeds supply, you can charge a premium.
V. FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I'm a small user; is it necessary to study Maker/Taker? A: For regular buying and selling, just use Taker; 0 fee is most cost-effective. Maker strategies are for users with large USDT inventory who want to earn spreads through "C2C arbitrage." For those with daily volume <10,000 USDT, it's not worth the effort.
Q: Is there a fee if the maker order is not executed? A: Unexecuted orders are completely free. You can post and cancel ads at will without any charges. Fees are only deducted when the order is actually executed (coin release completed).
Q: Is taking an order really 0 cost? A: Platform fee is 0, but you pay a "hidden spread." Makers usually list prices 0.5%-1% more expensive than the mid-market price; when you sweep an order, it already includes profit for the maker. So "zero fee" is relative.
Q: Can maker fees be deducted with BNB? A: No. C2C fees can only be deducted directly from the transaction currency; BNB deduction and vouchers are not supported. This is a major difference from spot trading.
Q: How can I quickly upgrade VIP to lower maker fees? A: C2C volume counts towards VIP points at a ratio (about 20%); upgrading through C2C alone is slow. To quickly reach VIP3+, it's recommended to combine with large spot trades; 20 million spot volume in a month can reach VIP3, after which C2C maker fees drop from 0.35% to 0.28%, saving tens of thousands annually.