Understand the core fee model used by crypto exchanges, including how limit orders add liquidity and how market orders remove it. This page is written around the core ideas behind maker and taker activity: liquidity, order-book depth, execution timing, and fee differences.

What maker and taker mean

Why fees are different

Makers add liquidity and usually pay less, while takers remove liquidity and usually pay more for immediate execution.

The maker and taker model affects every active trading strategy. A trader who repeatedly uses taker orders may pay noticeably more over time than a trader who enters with patient limit orders. On high-volume accounts, fee tiers, loyalty programs, or exchange-specific discounts can reduce both sides, but the maker-versus-taker gap still matters.

If speed matters most, taker orders are useful. If cost control matters more, maker orders are often the better choice. Good traders understand when to prioritize immediate execution and when to prioritize lower fees.

Key differences at a glance: makers normally use non-immediate orders, often limit orders, to add liquidity to the book. Takers normally use immediately matching orders, often market orders, to remove liquidity. Makers are typically linked with lower fees or rebates, while takers are typically linked with higher fees and faster execution.