Perpetual Futures Basis Trade

Basis

The perpetual futures basis represents the difference between the price of a perpetual futures contract and the spot price of the underlying asset, typically a cryptocurrency. This discrepancy arises from funding rates, which are periodic payments exchanged between longs and shorts to keep the futures price anchored to the spot market. Analyzing the basis provides insights into market sentiment and potential arbitrage opportunities, reflecting the relative supply and demand dynamics between the perpetual futures and spot markets. A consistently positive basis suggests strong bullish sentiment, while a negative basis indicates bearish pressure.