Crypto Arbitrage Trading: How to Make Low-Risk Gains

Crypto arbitrage trading is a great option for investors looking to make high-frequency trades with very low-risk returns.

Crypto arbitrage trading is a strategy where investors take advantage of small price differences of digital assets across different markets or exchanges. Essentially, it involves buying a digital asset on one exchange and then quickly selling it on another exchange where the price is higher. This allows investors to make a profit from the price discrepancy. The process is simple and can be done simultaneously, making it a low-risk option for investors looking to make high-frequency trades.

Crypto arbitrage trading is a technique where investors take advantage of small price differences of digital assets across various markets or exchanges. Essentially, it is the act of buying a digital asset on one exchange and almost immediately selling it on another where the price is higher, resulting in a profit with minimal risk. The best part is, anyone can participate in this strategy, regardless of their level of expertise or investment setup.

What is arbitrage trading?

Arbitrage trading in the crypto market is a popular strategy that allows investors to take advantage of small price differences of digital assets across various markets or exchanges. The process is simple – buy a digital asset on one exchange and sell it quickly on another where the price is higher. This results in gains with minimal or no risk. Unlike traditional financial markets, anyone can participate in crypto arbitrage trading, as it does not require a professional setup.

The crypto market is known for its high volatility, which leads to significant price differences over time. The 24/7 global trading of crypto assets across hundreds of exchanges further increases the opportunities for arbitrage traders to find profitable discrepancies. To execute a trade, all a trader needs to do is identify a difference in pricing of a digital asset across multiple exchanges and take advantage of the difference through a series of transactions. For example, if the price of bitcoin is $45,000 on Coinbase and $45,200 on Kraken, an arbitrage trader can buy bitcoin on Coinbase and sell it on Kraken to make a profit of $200.

Why are crypto exchange prices different?

Centralized exchanges

To understand crypto arbitrage trading, it’s important to know how prices of assets on centralized exchanges are determined. The pricing is based on the most recent bid-ask matched order on the exchange order book. This means that the most recent transaction price of a digital asset on an exchange is considered its real-time price.

For example, if a trader buys bitcoin for $60,000 on an exchange, this becomes the latest price of bitcoin on that platform. The next matched order will then determine the next price of the asset. This process of determining the market price of a digital asset through its most recent selling price is known as price discovery.

It’s also important to note that prices can vary across exchanges due to differences in investor demand for an asset.

Decentralized exchanges

When it comes to crypto pricing, there are two main types of exchanges: centralized and decentralized. Centralized exchanges use a system called an “order book” which matches buyers and sellers at a specific price and amount. Decentralized exchanges, on the other hand, use a system called an “automated market maker” which relies on liquidity pools and crypto arbitrage traders to keep prices in line with other exchanges.

In a liquidity pool, traders deposit their own crypto assets to provide liquidity for others to trade against, in exchange for a share of the pool’s transaction fees. The main benefit of this system is that trading can be executed at any time without having to wait for a counterparty.

The prices of assets in a liquidity pool are maintained by a mathematical formula that keeps the ratio of assets balanced. When a trader buys or sells an asset, it can change the ratio and cause the price of the assets to change. This is done to realign the prices with the rest of the market. However, in situations where a trader executes a large trade, it can create significant differences in the prices of the assets in the pool compared to their market value.

Types of crypto arbitrage strategies

There are several ways crypto arbitrageurs can profit off of market inefficiencies. Some of them are:

• Cross-exchange arbitrage: This is the fundamental concept of arbitrage trading, where a trader aims to make a profit by purchasing a digital currency on one exchange and then selling it on another exchange where the price is higher.
• Spatial arbitrage: This is another type of cross-exchange arbitrage trading, where a trader takes advantage of price discrepancies between digital assets on different exchanges located in different regions. For example, a trader could profit by buying bitcoin on an exchange in America and selling it on another exchange in South Korea, taking advantage of the difference in demand and supply.
• Triangular arbitrage: This is a method of utilizing price discrepancies within a single exchange by transferring funds between multiple digital assets. An example of this would be utilizing the difference in price between bitcoin and another cryptocurrency on the same platform, and utilizing that difference to generate profit by moving funds through a series of trades that ultimately ends with the original cryptocurrency.

This is a form of intra-exchange arbitrage trading, where a trader profits by moving funds between multiple digital assets on a single exchange. The process involves converting one cryptocurrency to another, capitalizing on price discrepancies within the exchange. An example of this would be trading bitcoin for ether, then trading ether for Cardano’s ADA token, and finally converting the ADA back to bitcoin. By executing these transactions within a single exchange, the trader can avoid the need for transferring funds between multiple exchanges, while still taking advantage of price discrepancies.

• Decentralized arbitrage: This type of arbitrage trading involves taking advantage of price discrepancies between different crypto assets on the same exchange. For example, a trader may exchange bitcoin for ether, then trade the ether for Cardano’s ADA token, and then convert the ADA back to bitcoin. If there are discrepancies in the prices of these trading pairs, the trader can end up with more bitcoin than they started with. This type of arbitrage is commonly found on decentralized exchanges or AMMs, which use smart contracts to determine the prices of crypto trading pairs. When prices on these platforms differ significantly from those on centralized exchanges, arbitrage traders can execute trades on both types of exchanges to capitalize on the discrepancy.
• Statistical arbitrage: This approach utilizes advanced techniques such as econometrics, statistics, and computation to perform arbitrage trading on a large scale. Traders who employ this method typically utilize mathematical models and automated trading software, known as trading bots, to execute numerous high-frequency arbitrage trades and optimize profits. These bots are programmed to perform a high volume of trades quickly, executing predefined trading strategies.

Why is crypto arbitrage considered a low-risk strategy?

Unlike day traders, crypto arbitrage traders do not need to forecast the prices of digital assets, nor do they engage in trades that take a prolonged period before generating returns. They capitalize on price discrepancies by spotting arbitrage opportunities and executing trades quickly, without the need for market analysis or other forecasting techniques. This reduces the risk involved in the trading strategy and allows for trades to be completed in a matter of minutes, minimizing exposure to market risk.

By identifying and taking advantage of arbitrage opportunities, traders make decisions based on the expectation of earning a fixed profit without the need for analyzing market trends or utilizing other forecasting methods. Additionally, with the right resources, trades can be completed quickly, often in seconds or minutes. This means that:

1. The level of risk involved in crypto arbitrage trading is generally lower compared to other trading strategies as it does not depend on predicting future prices.
2. The risk of exposure to market fluctuations is minimized as trades are executed in a relatively short period of time.

Crypto arbitrage trading risks

Are lower compared to other trading strategies as it does not require predictive analysis. Additionally, the short duration of trades means that the exposure to risk is reduced. Instead of predicting future prices or entering trades that take hours or days, arbitrage traders focus on identifying and capitalizing on price discrepancies in the market. This allows for quick, profitable trades that can be executed in seconds or minutes, minimizing risk and maximizing potential gain.

Fees

It’s important to keep in mind that when engaging in arbitrage trading across multiple exchanges, there can be various fees that may eat into potential profits. For example, in our previous example, if the withdrawal fees from one exchange, deposit fees to another exchange, and trading fees on that second exchange add up to 2% of the total trade value, it could result in a loss for the trader, as the potential profit is only $200.

To reduce the chances of losing profits due to high fees, arbitrage traders can opt to only use exchanges with low fees. They can also keep their funds deposited on multiple exchanges and adjust their investments to take advantage of market discrepancies.

An alternative strategy to avoid incurring losses due to high fees in arbitrage trading is to limit trading activities to exchanges with lower fees. Another option is to have funds deposited on multiple exchanges and rearrange portfolios to take advantage of market inefficiencies. One example is when an trader, named Bob, identifies a price difference between Bitcoin on Coinbase and Kraken. Instead of transferring funds between the two exchanges, Bob already has funds in Tether (USDT) on Coinbase and 1 BTC on Kraken. He can then sell his 1 BTC on Kraken for $45,200 and buy 1 BTC on Coinbase with $45,000 USDT. This way, he still makes a profit of $200 and avoids paying withdrawal and deposit fees. The only fee to consider in this scenario is the trading fee, which are typically lower for traders executing high volumes of trades.

Timing

Crypto arbitrage trading requires quick action, as the opportunities may not last long. When many traders take advantage of a specific arbitrage chance, the price difference between the two exchanges tends to vanish.

Consider the difference in profit between Bob and Sarah due to timing. In this scenario, Bob was the first to spot and take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity from our original example. Then Sarah tried to do the same.

• The profitability of Bob and Sarah’s trades may differ based on the timing of their execution. In this scenario, Bob spots and takes advantage of an arbitrage opportunity first, while Sarah follows suit. However, as more traders like Bob and Sarah capitalize on the same opportunity, the price difference between the two exchanges begins to decrease. As a result, when Sarah buys bitcoin on Coinbase for $45,005 and sells on Kraken for $45,015, the profit margin may be smaller compared to Bob’s trade. The convergence of prices on the two exchanges continues until there is no longer a significant price disparity for traders to profit from.

Below are some of the factors that could negatively impact the speed at which crypto arbitrage trades are executed:

1. The speed of the blockchain transactions: The time it takes to validate cross-exchange transactions on the blockchain can affect the success of your arbitrage trading strategy. For example, if it takes 10 minutes to an hour to confirm transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain, the market could have moved against you during that time. To avoid this, traders should focus on blockchains with faster transaction speeds or those that are not prone to network congestion.

2. The anti-money laundering (AML) policies of exchanges: When a trader moves large sums of money, it is common for exchanges to conduct AML checks. These checks can take weeks to complete and can negatively impact the timing of your arbitrage trades. To avoid delays, it is important to consider the AML policies of different exchanges before engaging in cross-exchange arbitrage trades.

3. Exchange outages: Crypto exchanges can sometimes experience outages or limit the withdrawal and deposit of certain digital assets, which can hinder a trader’s ability to capitalize on arbitrage opportunities quickly.

Security

One of the benefits of crypto arbitrage trading is that there are multiple platforms available that can automate the process of identifying and executing trades based on price discrepancies across different exchanges. These types of platforms, often referred to as “set it and forget it” options, can provide a convenient and low-risk option for traders looking for a hands-off approach to generating passive income. Some examples of such platforms include:

• Arbismart
• Pionex
• Cryptohopper

Further reading on crypto trading

Timing the Crypto Market With RSI (A Beginner’s Guide)

This guide on the RSI indicator aims to assist traders in making informed decisions and potentially achieving successful trades. Additionally, it delves into the factors that can cause fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin, both upward and downward movements.

What Makes Bitcoin Price Go Up … or Crash Down?

The price of bitcoin can fluctuate greatly depending on various factors such as supply and demand, market sentiment, and news and events. Supply and demand, for example, can be affected by the number of people buying and selling bitcoin, as well as the amount of bitcoin available for trade. Market sentiment, on the other hand, can be influenced by investor sentiment and perception of the cryptocurrency. Lastly, news and events can also have a significant impact on the price of bitcoin, such as regulatory changes or major announcements from companies in the industry. Understanding these fundamental drivers can help traders make more informed decisions when trading bitcoin.

How to Get a Job in Crypto

The crypto industry is experiencing significant growth. If you are interested in starting a career in this field, here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Learn the basics: Understand the technology behind crypto and blockchain, as well as the different types of digital assets and how they function.
2. Stay up to date: Keep abreast of the latest developments and trends in the crypto industry by reading industry news and following leading figures in the field on social media.
3. Network: Attend crypto conferences, meetups and events to connect with other professionals in the industry and learn about new opportunities.
4. Gain experience: Look for internships or volunteer opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the crypto industry.
5. Specialize: Consider focusing on a specific area of the crypto industry such as trading, mining, or blockchain development.
6. Consider formal education: Consider taking a course or earning a degree in a related field such as computer science, finance or economics.

By following these tips, you can increase your chances of success and break into the exciting world of crypto.