Cost of carry

Cost of Carry in Crypto Futures: A Beginner’s Guide

Introduction

The world of cryptocurrency futures trading can seem complex, filled with jargon and intricate mechanisms. One crucial concept that often trips up beginners, and even some experienced traders, is the “cost of carry.” Understanding cost of carry is vital for anyone looking to profit from futures contracts, especially in the volatile crypto market. This article aims to provide a comprehensive and accessible explanation of cost of carry, its components, how it impacts futures pricing, and its implications for trading strategies. We will focus specifically on its relevance within the crypto space, but the underlying principles apply to all asset classes with futures markets.

What is Cost of Carry?

At its core, the cost of carry represents the net cost of holding an asset over a specific period. It encompasses all expenses associated with storing, insuring, and financing the asset, less any income generated from it. Think of it like this: if you were to buy physical gold and store it in a secure vault, you'd have costs for vault rental (storage), insurance against theft or damage, and you'd forgo any potential interest earned if that money were invested elsewhere (financing cost). If the gold yielded a dividend or rental income, that would *reduce* the cost of carry.

In the context of futures contracts, cost of carry isn’t about physically holding an asset (though it reflects those costs for deliverable contracts). Instead, it's the theoretical cost of replicating the payoff of a futures contract by physically owning the underlying asset. This theoretical cost influences the pricing of the futures contract relative to the spot price of the underlying asset.

Components of Cost of Carry

The cost of carry is comprised of several key components:

• **Storage Costs:** These are the expenses associated with physically storing the asset. For commodities like oil or grain, this is a significant factor. In crypto, as we deal with digital assets, direct storage costs are minimal (though not zero, considering the cost of secure digital wallets and infrastructure).
• **Insurance Costs:** Covering the asset against loss or damage. Again, for crypto, this translates to the costs of insurance policies protecting against hacks, theft from exchanges, or loss of private keys.
• **Financing Costs:** This is the interest expense incurred from borrowing funds to purchase the underlying asset. It represents the opportunity cost of tying up capital. This is a substantial component of the cost of carry.
• **Income (Convenience Yield):** This is any income generated by holding the asset, such as dividends for stocks, rental income for real estate, or, in some cases, staking rewards for cryptocurrencies. This *reduces* the overall cost of carry. For many cryptocurrencies, the potential for staking rewards plays a crucial role in the cost of carry calculation.
• **Spoilage/Obsolescence:** This applies more to perishable goods or assets that depreciate over time. It's less relevant to most cryptocurrencies, although the risk of a cryptocurrency becoming obsolete due to technological advancements could be considered a form of obsolescence.

Cost of Carry and Futures Pricing

The relationship between spot price, futures price, and cost of carry is fundamental to understanding futures markets. The theoretical relationship is expressed as:

Futures Price = Spot Price + Cost of Carry

Let's break this down:

• **Contango:** When the futures price is *higher* than the spot price, the market is said to be in “contango”. This typically occurs when the cost of carry is positive. In a contango market, traders are willing to pay a premium for future delivery, reflecting the costs of storage, insurance, and financing. Crypto markets frequently exhibit contango, especially for longer-dated futures contracts.
• **Backwardation:** When the futures price is *lower* than the spot price, the market is in “backwardation”. This usually happens when the cost of carry is negative, often due to a high convenience yield (e.g., high demand for immediate delivery, or significant staking rewards). Backwardation is less common in crypto, but can occur during periods of high demand and limited supply.

Cost of Carry in Crypto Futures: Specific Considerations

While the general principles of cost of carry apply to crypto futures, several factors make the crypto market unique:

• **Lack of Physical Storage:** Unlike commodities, cryptocurrencies don't require physical storage. However, the cost of secure digital storage (wallets, cold storage solutions, security audits) should be considered.
• **Staking Rewards:** This is a major differentiator. Many cryptocurrencies offer staking rewards, which act as a convenience yield and reduce the cost of carry. The higher the staking rewards, the lower the overall cost of carry. Different blockchains offer varying staking APRs, directly affecting the calculation.
• **Funding Rates:** In perpetual futures contracts (common in crypto), the concept of "funding rates" is closely related to cost of carry. Funding rates are periodic payments exchanged between long and short positions, designed to keep the perpetual contract price anchored to the spot price. Positive funding rates essentially function as a cost of carry for longs, while negative funding rates represent a cost of carry for shorts. See Perpetual Swaps for more details.
• **Volatility:** Crypto markets are notoriously volatile. This volatility increases the perceived risk and, therefore, the financing costs component of the cost of carry. Higher volatility often leads to wider contango.
• **Regulatory Uncertainty:** The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies is constantly evolving. This uncertainty adds risk and can influence financing costs.

Calculating Cost of Carry in Crypto Futures

Calculating the exact cost of carry for crypto futures can be complex. Here’s a simplified example:

Let's say:

• Spot Price of Bitcoin: $30,000
• 3-Month Bitcoin Futures Price: $30,900
• Annual Financing Rate (borrowing cost): 10%
• Annual Staking Reward: 5%

• • 1. Calculate the Financing Cost:**

• 3-Month Financing Cost: (10% / 12) * 3 = 2.5%
• Financing Cost in USD: $30,000 * 0.025 = $750

• • 2. Calculate the Convenience Yield (Staking Reward):**

• 3-Month Staking Reward: (5% / 12) * 3 = 1.25%
• Staking Reward in USD: $30,000 * 0.0125 = $375

• • 3. Calculate the Net Cost of Carry:**

• Net Cost of Carry: $750 (Financing Cost) - $375 (Staking Reward) = $375

• • 4. Verify the Futures Price:**

• Theoretical Futures Price: $30,000 (Spot Price) + $375 (Cost of Carry) = $30,375

In this example, the actual futures price ($30,900) is higher than the theoretical futures price ($30,375). This difference could be due to factors not included in our simplified calculation, such as insurance costs, market sentiment, or supply and demand dynamics.

Implications for Trading Strategies

Understanding cost of carry has significant implications for several trading strategies:

• **Cash and Carry Arbitrage:** This strategy involves simultaneously buying the underlying asset in the spot market and selling a futures contract. The goal is to profit from the difference between the spot price and the futures price, minus the cost of carry. This strategy is most effective when there’s a significant discrepancy between the theoretical and actual futures price. See Arbitrage Trading for more details.
• **Basis Trading:** Similar to cash and carry, basis trading exploits the difference between the futures price and the spot price (the “basis”). Traders analyze the cost of carry to identify opportunities where the basis is mispriced.
• **Roll Yield:** As futures contracts approach expiration, traders must "roll" their positions to the next contract month. The roll yield is the profit or loss incurred during this process. In a contango market, rolling futures contracts typically results in a negative roll yield (a loss), as you're selling a cheaper expiring contract and buying a more expensive future contract. In backwardation, the roll yield is positive. Understanding Futures Roll Strategy is crucial.
• **Long-Term Holding vs. Futures:** If you plan to hold an asset long-term, consider the cost of carry when deciding whether to buy the asset directly or use futures contracts. If the cost of carry is high (e.g., high financing rates, low staking rewards), it may be more cost-effective to buy the asset outright.
• **Funding Rate Arbitrage:** In perpetual futures, traders exploit discrepancies between the funding rate and the spot/futures price. For example, if the funding rate is consistently positive, shorting the perpetual contract and longing the spot market can generate a profit.

Technical Analysis and Volume Analysis

Cost of carry also intertwines with Technical Analysis and Volume Analysis. For example:

• **Contango Steepness:** A steep contango curve (large difference between spot and futures prices) can indicate strong bearish sentiment and potential selling pressure.
• **Backwardation Strength:** Strong backwardation can signal bullish sentiment and potential buying pressure.
• **Volume in Futures Contracts:** High trading volume in futures contracts can confirm the strength of the contango or backwardation signal. Analyzing Trading Volume patterns can provide valuable insights.
• **Open Interest:** Changes in open interest (the total number of outstanding futures contracts) can also indicate shifts in market sentiment and potential price movements.
• **Moving Averages and Futures Curves:** Applying moving averages to futures curves can help identify trends in contango or backwardation.

Risk Management

Trading futures contracts, and especially strategies based on cost of carry, involves significant risk. It’s crucial to:

• **Understand Margin Requirements:** Futures contracts are leveraged instruments, requiring only a small margin deposit. While this amplifies potential profits, it also magnifies potential losses.
• **Monitor Funding Rates (Perpetual Contracts):** Funding rates can change rapidly and significantly impact profitability.
• **Manage Roll Risk:** Negative roll yield can erode profits, especially in contango markets.
• **Diversify Your Portfolio:** Avoid concentrating your capital in a single futures contract or strategy.
• **Use Stop-Loss Orders:** Protect your capital by setting stop-loss orders to limit potential losses.

Recommended Futures Trading Platforms

Platform	Futures Features	Register
Binance Futures	Leverage up to 125x, USDⓈ-M contracts	Register now
Bybit Futures	Perpetual inverse contracts	Start trading
BingX Futures	Copy trading	Join BingX
Bitget Futures	USDT-margined contracts	Open account
BitMEX	Cryptocurrency platform, leverage up to 100x	BitMEX

Join Our Community

Subscribe to the Telegram channel @strategybin for more information. Best profit platforms – register now.

Participate in Our Community

Subscribe to the Telegram channel @cryptofuturestrading for analysis, free signals, and more!