What are TradFi Perpetuals on Bybit? Trading traditional markets 24/7

Traditional financial markets close, but the news cycle doesn't. A rate decision, an earnings report or a geopolitical event over the weekend can move gold, oil or equity prices before any brokerage is open. TradFi Perpetuals on Bybit address that gap, giving traders 24/7 price exposure to traditional assets, settled in USDT from your existing Unified Trading Account (UTA).

Key Takeaways:

• TradFi Perpetuals are USDT-settled perpetual contracts that track traditional assets including gold, silver, crude oil and major stocks. Trading runs 24/7, even when the underlying market is closed.

• They use the same margin, funding rate and liquidation mechanics as standard USDT Perpetual contracts on Bybit. No separate account is required.

• These are leveraged instruments with real liquidation risk. Understanding margin, funding costs and gap risk is essential before opening any position.

What are TradFi Perpetuals on Bybit?

A perpetual contract is a derivative — a contract that tracks an underlying asset without you owning it. TradFi Perpetuals apply this model to traditional markets: USDT-denominated, USDT-settled perpetual contracts covering commodities (gold, silver, crude oil) and stocks (major US-listed equities). Positions can be opened long or short with no expiration date. Trading runs 24/7, including weekends and holidays when the underlying market is closed.

The contract price tracks spot through an index price mechanism, updated every second as a weighted average of all components. An anchor price caps the index within a defined band to prevent abnormal deviations.

When the underlying market is closed, stale components may be temporarily excluded. A smoothing mechanism handles the open/closed transition. A funding rate, identical in structure to standard USDT Perpetual funding, applies periodically. Traders pay or receive it based on their position direction and the prevailing rate.

How TradFi Perpetuals compare to other Bybit products

Versus crypto perpetuals: Identical structure. No expiration, USDT-settled, 24/7, long or short. The difference is the underlying: digital assets vs. traditional market instruments.

Versus Bybit CFD: Both trade traditional assets. TradFi Perpetuals use your existing UTA with no separate account. CFD supports MT5, requires a separate MT5 CFD Account and offers 400+ instruments with up to 500x leverage. For a detailed comparison, see CFD vs. TradFi Perpetuals.

Versus Bybit xStocks: xStocks are tokenized, on-chain equity instruments with 24/7 transferability but no leverage or short selling. TradFi Perpetuals are off-chain, leveraged derivatives with no tokenization component.

Why do traders use TradFi Perpetuals?

The use cases below describe mechanics, not strategies. Every position carries the risk of liquidation.

Speculating on price direction: A trader expecting the S&P 500 to fall after a rate decision can short SPX500 Perpetuals with no equity sale or options account required. Profit settles in USDT.

Accessing leverage on traditional assets: A $1,000 USDT margin position at 10x leverage gives $10,000 of price exposure on NVDA. The same exposure via a traditional brokerage requires $10,000 upfront or an approved margin account.

Reacting to events outside market hours: Because TradFi Perpetuals trade 24/7, a trader can respond to a weekend geopolitical event or an after-hours earnings surprise without waiting for the underlying market to open.

Trading across asset classes from one account: Equities, commodities and crypto are all accessible from a single USDT-settled UTA, with no separate brokerage needed.

Getting started with TradFi Perpetuals

TradFi Perpetuals are accessed from the TradFi section on both the Bybit App and website. Since they use your existing UTA, no separate account setup is required.

Requirements before trading:

• Complete KYC verification on your Bybit account

• Accept the TradFi risk disclosure (one-time step for first-time TradFi users)

• Complete the metals agreement (required for XAUUSD, XAGUSD, etc)

• Ensure your UTA has sufficient USDT to cover initial margin

• Geo-restriction check: TradFi Perps are unavailable in certain regions

Accessing TradFi Perpetuals:

• On the Bybit App (v5.22.5+, from Jul 30, 2026): Tap TradFi in the bottom navigation bar, then select Futures

• On the Bybit website (from Jul 30, 2026): Hover over TradFi in the top navigation bar and select Futures from the dropdown

*Note: On the Bybit platform, TradFi Perpetuals are listed under Futures in the navigation. On the trading page, the Futures category includes both perpetual and expiry-dated contracts for crypto, while only perpetual contracts are available under TradFi.

What are the risks?

TradFi Perpetuals are not entry-level instruments. The following risks apply to every position.

Leverage amplifies losses: A 5% adverse move at 20x leverage results in 100% margin loss and full liquidation.

Funding rate accumulation: The funding rate accrues at regular intervals for as long as a position is open. Holding over weekends or holidays adds more intervals and, in an unfavorable rate environment, erodes the margin balance.

Gap risk at market open: A price gap at market open can push through a stop-loss before it executes. This is a structural risk that cannot be fully mitigated.

Reduced liquidity outside market hours: When the underlying market is closed, spreads widen and execution quality may decline.

No asset ownership: You receive no dividends, voting rights or physical delivery of commodities.

The bottom line

TradFi Perpetuals extend Bybit's perpetual contract model to traditional assets. Gold, crude oil and major stocks across the globe are accessible with leverage, in both directions, 24/7, from a single USDT-settled account that you may already use for crypto trading.

The same mechanics that introduce potential profit also introduce real risk. Leverage, funding rate accumulation, gap risk and thinner off-hours liquidity can all work against a position. Traders who understand these dynamics will find TradFi Perpetuals a practical addition to their toolkit. If you're new to leveraged trading, start with small positions before committing meaningful capital.



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