Updated
As of 2026-10-10, only two of the 13 exchanges covered on this site put exact numbers on when a rebate is cancelled: XT.COM (a single trade opened and closed within 60 seconds) and WEEX (fast opening and closing within 5 minutes). The others mostly state principles such as self-referral, multiple accounts and abnormal trading, and leave the judgement to the exchange.
Ordinary spot or futures trading won’t run into these rules. Rebates are cancelled, withheld or clawed back mainly in three situations: opening and closing a position within a very short time, referring yourself (including from the same IP address or device), and trading between several accounts to farm fees. Separately, some trades never earn a rebate in the first place, such as fees covered by vouchers or trial funds; that isn’t a violation.
The referral fee discount is an official offer from each exchange, and each exchange also decides when it can be cancelled. Below is a comparison I compiled from each exchange’s official rules, for reference. The 13 exchanges here are the ones whose rebate rules this site tracks (including Bitfinex); this site has no automatic exchange rebate for Bybit, which is covered separately further down.
Key points
XT.COM states that a single trade opened and closed within 60 seconds loses its rebate, and more than 8 of these in a day may trigger risk control; if over 60% of trades are opened and closed within 3 minutes, or over 75% within 5 minutes, the platform may withhold commission.
WEEX treats fast opening and closing within 5 minutes as abnormal trading. A rebate deducted under a yellow card is returned after 14 days of making up normal trading volume; red and black card deductions are not returned.
Bitget treats referrals from the same IP address or device as self-referral, and Gate states that a referral is invalid if inviter and invitee share an IP address.
If Binance finds wash trading, bulk registration, self-dealing or market manipulation, all referral relationships and rebates (including the invitee’s rebate) are cancelled.
Fees covered by trial funds, vouchers or rebate cards never earn a rebate on exchanges such as OKX, MEXC, WEEX, XT.COM and Ourbit; that isn’t a violation.
The information below was checked against official pages on 2026-10-14 (fact-check date), for reference.
When can a rebate be cancelled or withheld?
The table below lists the conditions in each exchange’s official rules for cancelling or withholding rebates. Most of these rules sit in the referrer’s commission terms: the invitee’s rebate is carved out of the referrer’s commission, so when the commission is cancelled, your share usually goes with it.
| Exchange | When the rebate is cancelled or withheld | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Binance | Wash trading, bulk registration, self-dealing or market manipulation cancels all referrals and rebates; closing an account to re-register or reusing identity details ends the rebate | Binance Referral Pro update |
| BingX | Self-invitation, multi-account arbitrage and wash trading are prohibited; BingX can adjust or delete commissions and defer or withhold payment on suspicious activity | BingX referral agreement |
| Bitfinex | Accounts owned or controlled by you or your household cannot be referred | Bitfinex affiliate program guide |
| Bitget | Referrals from the same IP or device count as self-referrals; for multiple accounts or fake referrals Bitget can revoke status and recover paid rebates | Bitget referral program notice |
| Gate | A referral is invalid if inviter and invitee share an IP address; Gate can disqualify and recover rewards | Gate referral rules |
| HTX | For money laundering, multi-account manipulation or self-trading HTX can disqualify, freeze accounts and confiscate gains | HTX referral rules |
| KuCoin | Bulk-registering accounts to earn commissions, rebates or bonuses is prohibited; KuCoin can revoke commissions for dishonest or abusive activity | KuCoin referral program |
| MEXC | Self-invitation cancels the related commissions; fees from abnormal trading are excluded | MEXC referral rules |
| OKX | Registering multiple accounts or using another person's account or identity breaks the rules; closing an account and re-registering to use a code may be treated as a violation | OKX affiliate program rules |
| Ourbit | Self-referral with several accounts owned by one person voids all referrals and commission; fees from suspicious trades are excluded | Ourbit invite page rules |
| Pionex | Pionex can reclaim commissions obtained by registering your own new accounts or inviting yourself | Pionex affiliate program v3 |
| WEEX | Opening and closing within 5 minutes, self-trading, or farming fees with several devices or accounts leads to deductions: a yellow card is returned after 14 days of normal volume; red and black cards are not returned | WEEX abnormal trading rules |
| XT.COM | Trades opened and closed within 60 seconds lose the rebate (more than 8 a day may trigger risk control); if over 60% of trades close within 3 minutes, or over 75% within 5 minutes, the platform may withhold | XT.COM risk control rules |
Compiled from each exchange's official pages on 2026-10-10; the exchange's current pages prevail. Most exchanges state these terms in the referrer's commission rules; the invitee's rebate is a share of that commission.
“Cancelled”, “withheld” and “clawed back” mean different things in the rules. Cancelled means the trade produces no rebate; withheld means it isn’t paid yet and a decision is made after a review; clawed back means the exchange can take back a rebate already paid to your account. The table below separates the thresholds and consequences each exchange states:
| Exchange | Specific time threshold? | Stated consequence | Can a deducted rebate be recovered? |
|---|---|---|---|
| XT.COM | Yes: 60 seconds per trade; over 60% within 3 minutes; over 75% within 5 minutes | Rebate cancelled, commission withheld, risk control; multi-account arbitrage leads to a ban and confiscation of improper gains (XT.COM risk control rules) | No conditions for return stated officially |
| WEEX | Yes: fast opening and closing within 5 minutes | Rebate deducted and withdrawals restricted (WEEX abnormal trading rules) | Yellow card: returned after 14 days of making up normal trading volume; red and black cards: not returned |
| Binance | No | All referral relationships and rebates cancelled, including the invitee’s share (Binance Referral Pro update announcement) | Not stated officially |
| Bitget | No | Self-referral loses eligibility for past, present and future rewards; rebates already paid can be clawed back, and related accounts and funds confiscated (Bitget affiliate program announcement) | No recovery process stated officially |
| Gate | No | Eligibility cancelled and rewards clawed back (Gate referral rules) | Not stated officially |
| KuCoin | No | Participation can be cancelled at any time and earned commission revoked (KuCoin referral program) | Not stated officially |
| Pionex | No | Registering new accounts yourself or self-inviting allows commission already paid to be taken back (Pionex Affiliate Program v3) | Not stated officially |
| BingX | No | Commission can be adjusted or deleted; payment can be delayed until a trade review is complete and withheld until an issue is resolved (BingX referral agreement) | Withheld until the issue is resolved; what happens after that is not stated officially |
| MEXC | No | Self-invitation cancels the related commission; fees from abnormal trading don’t count (MEXC referral rules) | Not stated officially |
| HTX | No | Eligibility cancelled, account frozen and improper gains confiscated (HTX referral rules) | Not stated officially |
| Ourbit | No | If one person uses several accounts to refer themselves, all referrals and commission are void (Ourbit invite page rules) | Not stated officially |
| OKX | No | Registering multiple accounts, or using someone else’s account or identity details, breaks the rules; an affiliate who self-invites with multiple accounts can be removed from the program (OKX affiliate program rules) | Not stated officially |
| Bitfinex | No | You can’t refer accounts owned or controlled by you or members of your household (Bitfinex affiliate program guide) | Not stated officially |
This site has no automatic exchange rebate for Bybit; the rebate channel is Fee Otter, and the extra rebate is paid by Fee Otter, not by the exchange and not by Kevin Wu. Fee Otter’s terms of service state that its rebates are based on the referral share the exchange actually pays; when the exchange claws back, reduces or refuses to pay that share because of suspicious or prohibited activity, Fee Otter can also take back the matching rebate it has paid you. The listed cases include self-referral, wash trading between accounts, volume farming and bonus abuse. How it works is explained in Bybit fee rebate (Fee Otter).
Is the rebate cancelled if I open and close a position within a short time?
On XT.COM and WEEX, yes; the other exchanges don’t give a number of seconds or minutes. XT.COM’s risk control rules are the most detailed. A single trade opened and closed within 60 seconds loses its rebate, and more than 8 of these in a day may trigger risk control. If over 60% of trades are opened and closed within 3 minutes, or over 75% within 5 minutes, the platform may withhold commission. XT.COM also notes that these thresholds are only reference standards (XT.COM risk control rules, checked 2026-10-14, updated by XT.COM 2026-09-23).
For single trades completed within 60 seconds, commission rebates will be canceled.
XT.COM risk control rules (original text)
The same rules have three more points that affect rebates: if several linked accounts open and close opposite positions within 3 minutes more than 5 times, or such trades make up 50% or more of the volume, risk control may apply; improper gains from orders placed with unauthorized, unofficial scripts are deducted immediately; and if a user under an agent keeps breaking the rules, the platform ends that user’s rebate relationship.
Take 20 futures trades in a day to see how these thresholds work. If 9 of them close within 60 seconds, those 9 lose their rebate outright, and since that is already more than 8 in a day, risk control may apply. If 13 of the 20 close within 3 minutes, that is 13 ÷ 20 = 65%, over 60%, so the platform may withhold commission. For the 3-minute and 5-minute rules, XT.COM doesn’t say whether they are counted per day or over some other period. XT.COM’s fees and rebates are covered in the XT.COM review.
WEEX treats fast opening and closing within 5 minutes as abnormal trading, with three levels of penalty: a yellow card deducts the rebate and returns it after 14 days of making up normal trading volume; red and black cards deduct it with no return (WEEX abnormal trading rules, checked 2026-10-14). Before those three levels there is also a warning. Here is how each level treats rebates and withdrawals:
| Level | Rebate | Withdrawals and trading |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | No deduction stated officially | Withdrawals restricted; restored after completing identity verification and providing a photo of yourself holding your ID |
| Yellow card | Deducted; returned after 14 days of making up normal trading volume | Withdrawals restricted; restored after identity verification and video verification, with a daily withdrawal limit of 500 U |
| Red card | Deducted, not returned | Withdrawals restricted; restored after identity verification and video verification, with a daily withdrawal limit of 100 U |
| Black card | Deducted, not returned | Trading and withdrawals restricted; requires identity verification and a photo of yourself holding your ID; trades are rolled back within 1–2 business days |
For every level from yellow to black card, WEEX states that you can apply for restoration if you receive no further penalty and open no new account within 14 days; a second black card extends the withdrawal restriction by 1–6 months. WEEX identifies linked accounts by signs such as similar registration times, the same registration IP address and the same deposit or withdrawal addresses. WEEX’s fees and rebates are covered in the WEEX review.
If my family and I sign up on the same network, does it count as self-referral?
On Bitget and Gate, it may. Every exchange bans referring your own account, but they detect it differently:
- Bitget: referrals from the same IP address or device count as self-referrals.
- Gate: a referral is invalid if inviter and invitee share an IP address.
- MEXC: self-invitation cancels the related commission, and an account with the same identity details as the referrer can’t be bound.
- Bitfinex: you can’t refer accounts owned or controlled by you or members of your household.
So family members on the same network who sign up with each other’s referral codes may not be recognized on Bitget or Gate. Bitget spells out the heaviest consequence: self-referral loses eligibility for past, present and future rewards, and Bitget reserves the right to confiscate the related accounts and the funds in them (Bitget affiliate program announcement, updated 2026-10-08). You can check whether a referral relationship was created by following how to check whether your referral code is bound.
What happens to the rebate if I trade between accounts or delete my account and sign up again?
All 13 have rules against self-referral or multiple accounts. For trading between several accounts to farm fees and rebates, BingX, WEEX, XT.COM and HTX state that they can deduct or confiscate the related gains and, in serious cases, block the accounts. Binance states that if it finds wash trading, bulk registration, self-dealing or market manipulation, all referral relationships and rebates (including the invitee’s rebate) are cancelled.
Deleting an old account and signing up again to switch referral codes is also covered in the rules. Binance states that if it finds a closed account being used to open a new account to get referral benefits, it can end all referral commission for the new account; if a new account is opened under a different referral relationship with the same identity verification details, the commission is terminated and no further rebates are paid (Binance Referral Pro FAQ). OKX states that deleting an account and signing up again to switch referral codes may be treated as a violation. If you want to move your referral relationship to someone else, the safer route is the exchange’s official rebinding process; each exchange’s conditions are covered in the guide to switching your referral code.
Which trades never earn a rebate?
Besides cancellations, some trades don’t generate a rebate in the first place:
| Exchange | Trades without a rebate | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Binance | Zero-fee trades; users at VIP 3 and above; market-maker rebates are deducted first | Binance Referral Pro update |
| Bitfinex | Only margin funding and Borrow fees generate the rebate (trading fees are already zero) | Bitfinex affiliate program guide |
| Bitget | Zero-fee trades, trades with rebate cards (paid as rebate cards instead), and special fee rates | Bitget referral program notice |
| HTX | Trades using spot cashback vouchers or futures trial bonuses; zero- and negative-fee trades; market makers; Prime 9 and above | HTX referral rules |
| KuCoin | API trading and zero-fee trades earn no commission | KuCoin referral program |
| MEXC | API trading, fees offset by futures bonuses, and abnormal trading | MEXC referral rules |
| OKX | Fee-free coins; trades using rebate cards, futures credits or vouchers; special fee rates; broker and market-maker accounts; VIP7 and above (VIP5–6 have a monthly cap) | OKX affiliate program rules |
| Ourbit | Fees offset by futures bonuses and margin trades; spot trading currently has zero fees | Ourbit invite page rules |
| Pionex | Stock-token spot and MEME earn no commission | Pionex affiliate program v3 |
| WEEX | Fees offset by futures trial funds or deduction vouchers | WEEX abnormal trading rules |
| XT.COM | Fees paid with deduction vouchers, sub-accounts, and some coins excluded by announcement | XT.COM risk control rules |
| BingX | Not published by the exchange | — |
| Gate | Not published by the exchange | — |
Compiled from each exchange's official pages on 2026-10-10; the exchange's current pages prevail. Most exchanges state these terms in the referrer's commission rules; the invitee's rebate is a share of that commission.
These exclusions fall roughly into six groups:
- Fees that are already 0: Bitget states that zero-fee trades earn no commission, and OKX states that fee-free coins don’t count (OKX affiliate program rules).
- Fees covered by vouchers or bonuses: you never actually paid the part covered by trial funds, vouchers or rebate cards, so there is no rebate on it.
- VIP level too high: Binance stops counting once a spot invitee reaches VIP 3 or above, and futures only count for regular users and VIP 1–2; OKX VIP5 and VIP6 have a monthly commission cap, and VIP7 and above don’t count; on HTX, Prime 9 and above don’t count.
- Special accounts: XT.COM states that sub-accounts earn no referral commission (XT.COM sub-account guide); OKX market maker accounts, broker accounts and custody sub-accounts don’t count.
- Certain trading methods: KuCoin states that API trading currently earns no commission (KuCoin referral program); trades at special fee rates on OKX and Bitget don’t count.
- Certain products: on Pionex, stock token spot and MEME earn no commission, while stock token futures follow the normal futures rules (Pionex Affiliate Program v3); on Ourbit, margin trading doesn’t count, and spot currently has 0 fees.
The full rundown of VIP thresholds is in VIP levels and referral rebates.
Do trades paid with vouchers or trial funds earn a rebate?
It isn’t a violation; it just earns no rebate. Fees covered by trial funds, vouchers or rebate cards earn no rebate on WEEX, MEXC, OKX, XT.COM and Ourbit. WEEX’s partner FAQ gives the example that if futures trial funds and vouchers bring the actual fee down to zero, no commission is generated (WEEX partner FAQ). Each exchange’s voucher rules and worked examples are in fee vouchers vs referral rebates.
Do ordinary spot or futures traders need to worry about losing the rebate?
Ordinary spot or futures trading won’t run into these rules. The people who should pay attention are very short-term traders: closing within a minute on XT.COM, or moving in and out repeatedly within five minutes on WEEX, can get the rebate cancelled or withheld.
Beyond very short-term trading, the two things people most often trip over by accident are referring family members on a shared network and deleting an account to sign up again. The first may stop the referral from counting on Bitget and Gate; the second may end the rebate on Binance and OKX. Futures trading carries its own risk: with leverage, an adverse price move can trigger forced liquidation and the loss of your entire margin.
If your rebate suddenly drops, work through the rebate not received checklist item by item before contacting the exchange’s support.
FAQ
Can a withheld rebate be recovered?
It depends on the exchange. WEEX returns a yellow-card deduction after 14 days of making up normal trading volume, but not red or black card deductions; XT.COM only says the platform “may withhold” and gives no conditions for returning it. The other exchanges don’t say.
Does signing up with a referral code make risk control more likely?
The exchanges’ rules target self-referral, multiple accounts and abnormal trading. None of them says that signing up with a referral code by itself affects risk control.
Is the rebate always cancelled if I open and close within a minute?
On XT.COM, yes: a single trade opened and closed within 60 seconds loses its rebate outright. The other exchanges don’t give a number of seconds; WEEX treats fast opening and closing within 5 minutes as abnormal trading and then applies penalties by severity, so not every such trade is cancelled automatically.
If my family and I refer each other on the same Wi-Fi, is the referral invalid?
On Bitget and Gate, it may be. Bitget treats referrals from the same IP address or device as self-referral, and Gate states that a referral is invalid if inviter and invitee share an IP address; on Bitfinex, you can’t refer accounts owned or controlled by members of your household.
Can I delete my account and sign up again with someone else’s referral code?
It isn’t recommended; some exchanges state that this ends the rebate. If Binance finds a closed account being used to open a new account for referral benefits, it can end all referral commission for the new account, and the same applies to switching referral relationships with the same identity details; OKX says it may be treated as a violation. If you want to change referrers, first check whether there is an official rebinding process.
Do API or trading bot trades earn a rebate?
It depends on the exchange. KuCoin states that API trading currently earns no commission; XT.COM states that improper gains from orders placed with unauthorized, unofficial scripts are deducted. Other exchanges’ exclusions are in the table above.
Can a rebate that has already been paid be clawed back?
It can, if the rules are broken. Bitget states that it can claw back rebates already paid, Gate can claw back rewards, KuCoin can revoke earned commission, and Pionex can take back commission already paid. These rules target violations such as self-referral and multiple accounts, not ordinary trading.
My rebate stopped after I moved up a VIP level. Was it cancelled?
It isn’t a violation; it’s a limit built into the rules. Binance stops counting referral commission once a spot invitee reaches VIP 3 or above, OKX pays no commission at VIP7 and above, and on HTX, Prime 9 and above don’t count. How it works if your level drops back depends on each exchange’s rules.
Current referral codes and automatic rebate rates for each exchange can be compared at once on the exchange referral code overview. What rebate, commission and net fee mean is explained in the referral rebate glossary.