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While margin trading unlocks the door to amplified gains, it also introduces another layer of complexity - funding requirements. Often overshadowed by margin requirements, understanding funding rates is crucial for responsible leveraged trading on Helix. What are Funding Rates? In traditional futures contracts, the price on the exchange converges with the spot price over time. In contrast, perpetual futures on Injective never expire, creating a potential disconnect between the contract price and the underlying asset’s spot price. To keep these prices in sync, a mechanism called funding payments kicks in. Funding rates are essentially periodic fees exchanged between long and short positions. The direction of these payments depends on the prevailing market sentiment:
  • Positive Funding Rates : If a significant majority of traders are long, long positions pay funding fees to short positions. This incentivises trading activity that could potentially bring the contract price down towards the spot price.
  • Negative Funding Rates : Conversely, if most traders are short, long positions receive funding fees from short positions. This encourages trading activity that could potentially push the contract price up towards the spot price.
The specific calculation of funding rates is a formula that considers the difference between the contract price and the index price (a reference point representing the spot price), along with an interest rate component. While these rates may seem small at first glance, they can accumulate over time and significantly impact your trading experience. For long position holders, positive funding rates represent an additional cost. You’ll be paying funding fees to short positions on each funding interval (e.g. at the top of the hour, each hour). Conversely, negative funding rates translate to receiving payments, essentially earning passive income on your open position. For short position holders, the funding dynamic flips. Positive funding rates become a source of income, while negative funding rates translate to periodic payments you owe to long positions. Therefore, it’s crucial to factor potential funding costs into your margin calculations and risk management strategies.

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How Funding is Calculated

Funding is calculated as: FundingRate=cap(TWAP+HourlyInterestRate)\mathrm{FundingRate = cap(TWAP + HourlyInterestRate)} where TWAP=Cumulative Price(LastTimestamp+3600−NextFundingTimestamp)∗24\mathrm{TWAP = \frac{Cumulative\ Price}{(LastTimestamp + 3600 - NextFundingTimestamp)*24}} and Cumulative Price is the sum of the deltas of the last traded price and the mark price, as described herein. The system constantly calculates a Premium, which represents how far the contract is trading from the mark price. This is calculated as a percentage difference: Premium=Trade Price−Mark PriceMark Price\text{Premium} = \frac{\text{Trade Price} - \text{Mark Price}}{\text{Mark Price}} where Trade Price is the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of trades in a particular block. Using this figure, a Cumulative Price is accumulated throughout the hour. As each trade occurs, the current Premium is multiplied by the time passed (in seconds) since the last update: New Cumulative Price=Old Cumulative Price+(Premium×Δt)\text{New Cumulative Price} = \text{Old Cumulative Price} + (\text{Premium} \times \Delta t) Example : Let’s say you are long 10,000 USDT notional of INJ/USDT PERP (regardless of leverage), and the funding rate is +0.02%, at the top of the hour, you will make a funding payment of 2 USDT. Conversely, if you are short 10,000 notional of INJ/USDT PERP with the same funding rate, you will receive a funding payment of 2 USDT. Let’s say you are short 20,000 USDT notional of BTC/USDT PERP, and the funding rate is -0.0035%. At the top of the hour, you make a funding payment of 0.7 USDT. Conversely, if you are long the same amount, you will receive a funding payment of 0.7 USDT. Note, in some rare cases of extreme price volatility, there may be a small discrepancy between the estimated funding rate that you see on Helix, and the actual funding fee billed at the top of the hour.