After rebates, MEXC and Gate cost almost the same for futures takers. Bound through Fee Otter, MEXC rebates 60% and Gate 70%, so the net taker fee is 0.04% × (1 − 60%) = 0.016% on MEXC and 0.05% × (1 − 70%) = 0.015% on Gate, just 0.001 points apart; for maker orders and spot, MEXC's lower listed fees make it the cheaper one (fees checked September 2026). The two sit at opposite extremes: MEXC has among the lowest listed fees (futures 0.01% maker and 0.04% taker, 0% spot maker), while Gate has among the highest fee rebates. Which referral code you bind moves your costs far more than which of the two you pick. The common KOL codes you find online mostly pay 20% or 25%, while MEXC's 60% is 3 times 20%, and Gate's 70% is 3.5 times. On 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical 20% code returns 200 USDT; ours returns 600 on MEXC and 700 on Gate. The codes differ: mexc-FEEOTTER on MEXC, FEEOTTER on Gate, and our links fill in the right one.
Quick verdict
- More than double what common KOL codes pay: MEXC's 60% is 3 times a typical 20% code and Gate's 70% is 3.5 times.
- MEXC's listed fees are lower across the board: futures 0.01% / 0.04% vs 0.02% / 0.05%, spot 0% / 0.05% vs 0.10% / 0.10%.
- Gate's rebate is 10 points higher: 70% vs 60% on futures (65% vs 60% on spot).
- Net futures cost is nearly a tie: taker is 0.016% on MEXC and 0.015% on Gate; maker is lower on MEXC (0.004% vs 0.006%); Gate only edges ahead when more than two-thirds of your volume is taker.
- BTC, ETH and spot are MEXC's home ground: BTC and ETH perps currently charge 0.02% taker, and about 125 contracts are fee-free; on BTC and ETH, net spot taker after the rebate is about 60% of Gate's.
- Tokenized stocks and existing accounts: we have only measured Gate's tokenized stocks (183 listed); MEXC lets you add a code yourself within 30 days of signup, while Gate does not, so you sign up again with a new email.
Listed fees: MEXC is lower in every cell
| Trade type | MEXC | Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Spot maker / taker | 0% / 0.05% (BTC, ETH) | 0.10% / 0.10% |
| Spot with platform token | None (MX deduction currently 0%) | GT → 0.09% (about 10% off) |
| USDT-M futures maker (standard) | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| USDT-M futures taker (standard) | 0.04% | 0.05% |
| Promotional low-fee contracts | BTC and ETH 0% / 0.02%; about 125 contracts 0% / 0% | None |
| Tokenized US stocks (TradFi perpetuals) | Not yet measured by us | Separate schedule, 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker |
Fees verified on 2026-09-24 (each exchange's official fee schedule). · Methodology
On list price alone, MEXC is, with Ourbit, the cheapest of the exchanges we cover: its futures taker fee is a fifth below Gate's, its maker fee is half, and spot maker orders are free. MEXC's fee page loads with JavaScript, so the figures come from MEXC's public API as returned on 2026-10-18; about 560 of its 1,194 contracts sit at the standard 0.01% / 0.04%, the most common rate, and about 490, BTC and ETH among them, at 0% / 0.02%. On spot, BTC and ETH are 0% / 0.05%, but about 1,100 of 1,864 pairs, mostly smaller coins, charge 0.08% taker.
The rebate is a share of the fee you actually pay, so on a low-fee exchange the same rebate rate is worth less money. That is why this pair has to be compared on the net fee after the rebate. For current rates, see the official pages: MEXC fee schedule · Gate fee schedule.
Rebate rates: Gate pays 10 points more
| Item (bound through Fee Otter) | MEXC | Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Referral code | mexc-FEEOTTER | FEEOTTER |
| Layer 1 (exchange, automatic) | 20% | 20% |
| Layer 2 (Fee Otter extra rebate) | 40% | 50% futures, 45% spot |
| Total | 60% | 70% futures, 65% spot |
On both exchanges the first layer is the 20% the exchange returns automatically, and Fee Otter settles the second layer. Gate's affiliate share is higher to begin with, so on futures it pays 10 points more than MEXC. For how the two layers work, see automatic vs extra rebate.
More than double what common KOL codes pay. When you bind through Fee Otter, MEXC pays 60% and Gate 70%. On 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical 20% code returns 200 USDT, while Fee Otter returns 600 USDT on MEXC and 700 USDT on Gate, 4,800–6,000 USDT more a year.
If you are already a VIP on an exchange and want to rebind or sign up on another one, contact support and we can help you apply for special trading benefits or a higher rebate rate.
Net cost after the rebate: taker edges to Gate, maker goes to MEXC
| How you are bound | MEXC net maker | MEXC net taker | Gate net maker | Gate net taker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| List price | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.02% | 0.05% |
| Through Fee Otter (60% / 70%) | 0.004% | 0.016% | 0.006% | 0.015% |
Formula: net fee = listed fee × (1 − rebate rate). For example, MEXC taker: 0.04% × (1 − 60%) = 0.016%; Gate taker: 0.05% × (1 − 70%) = 0.015%; MEXC maker: 0.01% × (1 − 60%) = 0.004%; Gate maker: 0.02% × (1 − 70%) = 0.006%. Gate's net taker fee is 0.001 points lower, and MEXC's net maker fee is lower.
The tipping point: your taker share
Few people trade 100% taker. Call your taker share t: net fee = [t × taker + (1 − t) × maker] × (1 − rebate rate). After the rebate, MEXC = 0.004% + 0.012% × t and Gate = 0.006% + 0.009% × t; the lines cross at t = 2/3, so Gate's net cost only drops below MEXC's once more than two-thirds of your volume is taker. With a common 70% taker / 30% maker mix, the blended list rate is 0.031% on MEXC and 0.041% on Gate, giving net rates of 0.0124% vs 0.0123%, practically equal.
In money: one order and one month
One order: 2,500 USDT margin at 20x leverage
Notional = 2,500 × 20 = 50,000 USDT. Opening as taker costs 50,000 × 0.04% = 20 USDT on MEXC and 50,000 × 0.05% = 25 USDT on Gate. After the rebate you pay 20 × (1 − 60%) = 8 USDT on MEXC and 25 × (1 − 70%) = 7.5 USDT on Gate. Opening as maker instead, the fee is 5 USDT on MEXC (2 USDT net) and 10 USDT on Gate (3 USDT net).
500,000 USDT a month, all taker
| How you are bound | MEXC rebate | MEXC net cost | Gate rebate | Gate net cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical 20% code | 40 USDT | 160 USDT | 50 USDT | 200 USDT |
| Fee Otter (60% / 70%) | 120 USDT | 80 USDT | 175 USDT | 75 USDT |
Monthly fees are 500,000 × 0.04% = 200 USDT on MEXC and 500,000 × 0.05% = 250 USDT on Gate; rebate = monthly fees × rebate rate, and net cost = monthly fees − rebate. The two exchanges are only 5 USDT a month apart, but switching codes on the same exchange moves your cost by 80–125 USDT: on Gate, net cost falls from 200 with a typical 20% code to 75, saving 1,500 USDT a year; on MEXC it falls from 160 to 80, saving 960 USDT a year.
Choosing the right code matters more than choosing the exchange. Bound through Fee Otter, 500,000 USDT a month of taker volume costs 75–80 USDT net on either MEXC or Gate; bound to a typical 20% code, it costs 160–200 USDT. If you already trade on one of them, check which code your account is bound to before you think about moving.
BTC, ETH and zero-fee contracts: MEXC's extra edge
Everything above uses MEXC's standard rates, but its two most-traded contracts are not at the standard price right now. On 2026-10-18, BTC and ETH perpetuals were 0% maker and 0.02% taker, and about 125 other contracts were 0% on both sides (see the MEXC zero-fee page). If you only trade BTC or ETH perps, MEXC's net taker fee after the rebate is just 0.008%, about half of Gate's 0.015%. Zero-fee contracts charge nothing, so there is nothing to rebate on them. These are promotions: MEXC's announcements set the end date, after which the standard 0.01% / 0.04% applies again.
Spot: free maker orders on MEXC, and cheaper taker too
| How you are bound | MEXC net taker | Gate net taker | Gate net taker with GT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Fee Otter | 0.02% (60% rebate) | 0.035% (65% spot rebate) | 0.0315% |
Working: MEXC = 0.05% × (1 − 60%) = 0.02%; Gate = 0.10% × (1 − 65%) = 0.035%; Gate with GT = 0.09% × (1 − 65%) = 0.0315%. On smaller MEXC pairs at 0.08% taker, MEXC nets 0.032%, about level with Gate. On 100,000 USDT a month of spot taker trades, MEXC charges 50 USDT (20 USDT net) and Gate charges 100 USDT (35 USDT net). Spot maker orders cost 0% on MEXC, while on Gate they still cost 0.035% after the rebate, so spot-first traders save most on MEXC. For more on spot, see fee rebates for spot investors.
Tokenized stocks: we have only measured Gate
Our tokenized-stock tests cover six exchanges. Gate is one of them and MEXC is not, so this section can only give Gate's numbers. Gate lists 183 TradFi perpetuals (matched against Binance's 198 as the baseline), at 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker; measured 24-hour volume on 2026-09-20 was 34.6M USDT for CL crude oil, 11.4M for MSTR, 2.6M for NVDA and 0.2M for SPY. At 500,000 USDT a month, all taker, the net cost after a 70% rebate is 75 USDT. We have not yet measured MEXC's tokenized stocks, so if you want to trade them with a rebate backed by data, choose Gate for now. The full comparison is in tokenized stock perpetual fees compared.
Adding a code later and rebinding: MEXC has 30 days, Gate needs a new email
| Item | MEXC | Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a code after signup | Self-service within 30 days of signup, main account, no referrer bound yet | Not possible |
| Changing referrer after binding | Not possible | Not possible |
| Main rebinding method | Sign up again with a new email | Sign up again with a new email |
| Accounts per KYC identity | 2 (counted per person; if both are used, close one first, which takes up to 15 working days) | 5 |
MEXC is one of the few exchanges with an official window: within 30 days of signup you can add the code mexc-FEEOTTER yourself, with no new account needed. The conditions are a main account, no referrer bound yet, and a referrer who signed up before you (see MEXC's self-service referrer linking guide). After 30 days, sign up again with a new email through the referral link; the steps are in the MEXC rebind guide. Gate has no way to add a code later, but rebinding is just as simple: sign up again with a new email through our link (code FEEOTTER). A phone number is not required, and a passkey or Google Authenticator can take its place; see the Gate rebind guide. On either exchange, finish by binding the new account's UID on Fee Otter; binding needs only the UID, never an API key or password.
The two codes differ. MEXC's is mexc-FEEOTTER, prefix included, and Gate's is FEEOTTER. A wrong code is the same as no code; signing up through the referral link fills in the right one for you. For code details, see the MEXC referral code and Gate referral code pages.
Which one should you choose
- Mostly BTC and ETH perps: MEXC. The promotional 0.02% taker fee on BTC and ETH drops to 0.008% after the rebate.
- Mostly limit orders, or under two-thirds taker: MEXC. Net maker is lower than Gate's (0.004% vs 0.006%).
- Heavy taker volume, over two-thirds taker: Gate. The 70% rebate brings net taker to 0.015%, just under MEXC's 0.016%.
- Mostly spot: MEXC. Maker is 0%, and net taker is 0.02% against Gate's 0.035%.
- Tokenized stocks: Gate. 183 TradFi perpetuals with measured volume data; we have not yet measured MEXC.
- Account less than 30 days old with no referrer yet: add the code through MEXC's self-service linking first; it is the least effort.
Next step: the net-cost gap between these two is small; do not settle for a 20% rebate. For MEXC, sign up with the code mexc-FEEOTTER through the link in the MEXC referral code guide, or add it yourself within 30 days as shown in the MEXC rebind guide. For Gate, sign up with the code FEEOTTER through the link in the Gate referral code guide, or re-register with a new email following the Gate rebind guide. Bind both and you see every rebate in one dashboard; once your UID is bound, your next trade starts earning.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, MEXC or Gate?
MEXC is cheaper at list price, but after the rebate the two are almost equal. Bound through Fee Otter, net futures taker is 0.016% on MEXC and 0.015% on Gate; for maker orders and spot, MEXC is cheaper.
Gate rebates 70% and MEXC only 60%, so why is the net cost so close?
Because the rebate is a percentage of the fee, and MEXC's fee is smaller. MEXC's 0.04% taker less 60% leaves 0.016%, and Gate's 0.05% less 70% leaves 0.015%; the 10-point higher rate is almost exactly cancelled by a fee that is a fifth lower.
What are the referral codes for MEXC and Gate?
MEXC's is mexc-FEEOTTER and Gate's is FEEOTTER. MEXC's code needs the mexc- prefix; signing up through our referral links fills in the right code automatically.
How much more do I get than with a typical 20% code?
Bound through Fee Otter, MEXC pays 60% and Gate 70%; on 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical code returns 200 USDT, MEXC 600 and Gate 700.
My MEXC account is more than 30 days old. Can I still get the rebate?
Yes, by signing up again with a new email. MEXC allows up to 2 accounts per KYC identity, so if you have one left, re-register through the referral link and confirm mexc-FEEOTTER is filled in; if both are used, close one first, which takes up to 15 working days.
My old Gate account has no referral code. How do I get the rebate?
Sign up again with a new email through our link (code FEEOTTER). Gate does not let you add a code later, but one KYC identity can register up to 5 accounts, and the new account is bound the moment it is created.
For BTC perpetuals, MEXC or Gate?
MEXC, for now. BTC and ETH perps on MEXC carry a promotional 0.02% taker fee, which is 0.008% net after the rebate against Gate's 0.015%; once the promotion ends and standard rates return, the two are close again on taker.
ⓘ Rates in this article are for futures; spot: Gate 65%.
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