Bybit Stocks comparison: Stocks vs TradFi Perps vs Stock CFDs
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Bybit provides three separate methods to obtain US stock exposure on one platform. This piece contrasts Stocks, Stock TradFi Perpetual Contracts and Stock CFDs so you can see each product’s strengths and compromises.
Each offering employs a distinct structure, account model and trading mechanism, catering to different trader types. Knowing how they vary in trading hours, fees, leverage, account layout and settlement will help you select the appropriate tool for your approach.
Bybit’s Stocks product delivers genuine equity ownership with no trading commission, tapping into US exchange liquidity and settling in USD
Stock TradFi Perpetuals give 24/7 leveraged exposure—up to 100×—settled in USDT, but they involve periodic funding charges and carry liquidation risk.
Stock CFDs operate through a dedicated CFD account, offering up to 20× leverage, overnight swap fees and pricing from liquidity providers during weekday sessions, with trading available.
What are Stocks, Stock TradFi Perps and Stock CFDs?
Bybit’s Stocks product lets you buy and sell real US equities using your existing Bybit login. Orders are routed through Infra Capital Limited, Bybit’s regulated introducing broker, to Alpaca and executed on NASDAQ or NYSE. You obtain actual economic interest in the shares, receive dividends and benefit from corporate actions such as stock splits. No leverage or liquidation risk is involved.
Stock TradFi Perpetuals are USDT‑settled derivative contracts that mirror stock prices without an expiry date. They employ the same margin, funding rate and liquidation mechanics as standard USDT perpetual contracts. You do not own the underlying shares and have no rights to dividends or voting. Positions can be leveraged up to 100× and trade continuously around the clock.
Stock CFDs are contracts for difference accessibleon stock price movements with moderate leverage of up to 20×. Eligible assets such as Tether (USDT) and BYUSDT appear under the MT5 CFD Account’s USDx Balance, while profits and losses settle in USDT. You do not hold any ownership stake in the underlying company, although dividend adjustments may be applied according to contract terms
Stocks vs Stock TradFi Perps vs Stock CFDs at a glance
Eligible as beneficial owner, subject to applicable tax
Dividend adjustments may apply per contract terms
Extended weekday access (~24 h/day); closed weekends and US public holidays
Weekday sessions follow the relevant trading schedule
Leverage up to 100× (dynamic risk‑limit model)
Margin below maintenance threshold allowed
Margin closeout at 50 % margin level
0 % commission; 0.5 USDC fee for orders ≤ $500; 10 bps spread for orders ≥ $500
0 % maker fees; 50 % discount on taker fees (current promo)
Zero‑Fee mode: spread includes cost; Tight‑Spread mode: $0.02 per lot (minimum $0.20 per order)
Overnight swap fee applied daily
Small exposure possible via contract sizing (minimum ~5 USDT notional)
Small exposure possible via contract sizing
Trading hours, liquidity and spreads
Trading availability is the most obvious distinction among the three products:
Stocks trade roughly 24 hours on weekdays, covering pre‑market, regular, post‑market and overnight sessions. No trading occurs on weekends or US public holidays.
Stock TradFi Perps trade continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This enables trading around earnings releases or breaking news even when the underlying exchange is closed, though liquidity and spreads may vary during those times.
Stock CFDs follow weekday trading schedules set by the applicable CFD session and are unavailable on weekends.
Trading hours directly influence liquidity and spread behavior. Each product also:
Stocks obtain underlying US equity‑market liquidity through the executing broker (Alpaca), which routes to NASDAQ and NYSE. Spreads generally mirror the prevailing bid‑ask spreads in the US equity market during regular hours but can widen in pre‑market and post‑market periods.
Stock TradFi Perps draw liquidity from Bybit’s order book, supported by dedicated market‑maker partners. While tradable around the clock, spreads may expand when the underlying stock market is closed due to reduced participant activity.
Stock CFDs receive pricing and fills on the chosen account mode: Zero‑Fee mode shows a broader all‑inclusive spread, whereas Tight‑Spread mode offers raw spreads with a separate commission
Across all three products, spreads and slippage can differ based on the specific stock, trading session, market conditions and order size.
The cost structure varies most noticeably in how each product charges for holding positions over time.
Stocks incur zero trading commission. A small‑order fee of 0.5 USDC applies to trades valued at $500 or less, while a 10 bps spread applies to trades above $500. Bybit currently imposes no account, settlement, broker, clearing, currency‑conversion, dividend‑processing or separate regulatory fees. U.S. dividend withholding tax is 30 % of the gross dividend, and American Depositary Receipt (ADR) fees range from $0.01 to $0.03 per share. There are no maintenance, inactivity or custody fees.
Stock TradFi Perps currently provide 0 % maker fees and a 50 % discount on standard taker fees as a promotional rate. The primary ongoing expense is the funding rate, charged every eight hours. Depending on the direction of the funding rate and your position, you either pay or receive funding each interval, making the total holding cost dynamic and market‑dependent.
Stock CFDs offer two fee models. Zero‑Fee mode eliminates a separate trading commission, embedding transaction costs in the spread. Tight‑Spread mode supplies raw spreads with a fixed commission of $0.02 per lot (minimum $0.20 per order). Both models levy a daily overnight swap fee on positions held beyond the trading day, expressed as a percentage of the position value.
Stocks use no leverage, so there is no margin‑liquidation risk, making them suitable for investors seeking unleveraged exposure.
Stock TradFi Perps allow leverage up to 100× through a dynamic risk‑limit model. Larger position sizes may lower the maximum available leverage for that contract. Positions are liquidated if your margin balance falls below the maintenance threshold. Sharp price moves around earnings releases or major news can also cause stop‑loss orders to fill at a price different from the trigger.
Stock CFDs provide up to 20× leverage on stock contracts. Leverage may be temporarily reduced around major economic events such as FOMC decisions or earnings releases. A margin closeout occurs when the account margin level reaches or falls below 50 %, prompting the platform to close the most loss‑incurring positions first.
Account structure and margin compatibility
Stocks and Stock TradFi Perps are both reachable through the Unified Trading Account (UTA), letting you manage them alongside crypto positions using the same Bybit login. However, their underlying account structures differ. Stocks are backed by a brokerage account with Infra Capital Limited and are unleveraged holdings that do not serve as margin collateral. TradFi Perps utilize the UTA’s margin framework, where eligible collateral and unrealized P&L can support margin across crypto and TradFi perpetual positions.
Stock CFDs operate through MT5, the Bybit App or the web. Funds must be transferred in and out, and margin is isolated from your main Bybit balance, meaning cross‑collateralization between crypto and CFD positions is not possible
Settlement currencies and timing
Stocks settle in USD under standard T+1 settlement conventions. Sale proceeds are immediately available for trading, while withdrawals become accessible after settlement. USDC is converted to USD for trade execution at no cost.
Stock TradFi Perps settle in USDT. Realized P&L is available instantly when a position is closed, and funding payments are processed every eight hours.
Stock CFDs settle trading profits and losses in USDT. Eligible assets such as USDT and BYUSDT held in the MT5 CFD Account appear as part of the USDx Balance for trading. Realized P&L is reflected upon position closure, and applicable swap fees accrue according to contract terms.
Which Bybit Stocks product fits your strategy?
Choose Stocks if you want genuine ownership, intend to hold for weeks, months or longer, value the absence of ongoing holding fees, and desire dividend eligibility. This option may suit users building a stock portfolio alongside crypto holdings.
Choose Stock TradFi Perps if you seek leveraged, 24/7 access to stock price movements, prefer USDT settlement and unified margin with your crypto positions, and are comfortable with funding costs that can accumulate while a position remains open.
Choose Stock CFDs if you prefer moderate leverage, are okay with a separate CFD account, and value the flexibility to trade
Stocks, Stock TradFi Perps and Stock CFDs each provide a distinct avenue to access US stock markets through Bybit. Stocks emphasize direct,
