Perptual Futures, as a popular cryptocurrency derivative, allow investors to profit from predicting price fluctuations without holding the actual assets. API3, as a project dedicated to providing secure and transparent Web3 data, and its tokens have also become one of the focuses of futures traders. This article will take the Gate platform as an example to detail the trading operations of API3 Perptual Futures.
Understand the API3 project and token
API3 is an Ethereum-based project aimed at building a scalable API service network to provide secure and transparent data for Web3 applications. Its solutions include Beacon (providing real-time cryptocurrency, stock, and commodity price data streams), Web3 APIs (directly invoked from smart contracts via Airnode), and the API3 Alliance (an association of API providers in the Web3 space).
API3 token is the governance token of the API3 DAO, used for insurance collateral pools and governance voting. As of August 29, 2025, the latest price of API3 on the Gate platform is approximately $1.54 (about ¥11.07), with a global market capitalization ranking of 327. Please note that cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile; for real-time prices, please refer to the latest data on the Gate platform.
Gate Perptual Futures Basic Concepts
Before starting trading, it is necessary to understand the following core concepts:
- Going Long and Going Short: Going long refers to predicting that prices will rise, buying first and then selling for profit; going short predicts that prices will fall, selling first and then buying back for profit.
- Margin and Leverage: Margin is the minimum amount of funds required to open a contract. Leverage can magnify the trading scale; for example, 10x leverage means that 100 USDT can control a contract worth 1000 USDT. High leverage amplifies profits while also significantly increasing risks.
- Transaction fees: Each time you open or close a position, a fee will be incurred. Different platforms have different charging standards, so it is necessary to understand in advance.
- Liquidation: When the account margin is insufficient to maintain the position, the system will force a liquidation to avoid greater losses. Liquidation is often caused by high leverage, severe market fluctuations, or failure to timely add margin.
Engaging in API3 Perptual Futures trading on Gate.
The following are the specific steps for API3 Perptual Futures trading:
- Select Contract and Trading Pair: Log in to the Gate website, click on "Futures Trading" in the top navigation bar, select "Perptual Futures", and then choose the API3/USDT trading pair in the top left corner of the page.
- Fund Transfer: In the classic account model, click the "Fund Transfer" button in the lower right corner to transfer funds from the spot account to the Futures Trading account, ensuring there is enough USDT as margin.
Set margin mode and leverage multiplier:
- Choose a margin mode: "Cross Margin Mode" (all cross margin trading pairs share the margin) or "Isolated Margin Mode" (each trading pair has independent margin, providing better risk isolation).
- Set Leverage Multiple: Gate’s API3 Perptual Futures typically support leverage of 1 - 20 times. Beginners are advised to start with low leverage (such as 3-5 times) to manage risk.
Place Order:
- Choose the order type, such as limit order (designated price and quantity), market order (quickly executed at the best market price), etc.
- Enter the price and quantity.
- According to API3 Price Trend Based on the judgment, click "Buy Long" or "Sell Short" to complete the order.
Close Position:
- Click on "Position" at the bottom of the page to view your position information.
- You can choose to close positions at market price, limit price, or with one click.
- It is strongly recommended to set take profit and stop loss orders to automatically lock in profits or control losses.
Risk Management Strategy
Futures Trading risks are extremely high, and effective risk management is crucial:
- Proper use of leverage: Do not blindly use high leverage. Beginners should start with low leverage and consider gradually adjusting after accumulating experience.
- Set Take-Profit and Stop-Loss: Plan your exit strategy before trading and strictly execute it using stop-loss and take-profit orders to avoid emotional decisions.
- Pay attention to the mark price: Gate uses the mark price to calculate profit and loss as well as the margin rate. Closely monitoring its changes helps to timely adjust strategies.
- Diversified Investment: Avoid putting all funds into a single contract, diversify investments to reduce risk.
- Timely margin addition: Pay attention to the platform’s risk warning alerts, and add margin in a timely manner when unfavorable market changes occur to prevent liquidation.
Summary
API3 Perptual Futures trading provides investors with the opportunity to profit from API3 price fluctuations, but it also comes with high risks. The key to successful trading lies in a deep understanding of the market, proficient mastery of platform operations, and strict execution of risk management strategies.
For beginners, it is recommended to practice on Gate through simulated trading or with small amounts of capital, and gradually increase investment after accumulating experience. Always remember: cautious operation and reasonable risk control are the fundamentals of long-term stable profits.
