Let me talk about this treasure trove of gold hidden just in front of you that few traders have access to. I’ve been a part of the world of crypto for some time since then, and frankly, the arbitrage trade has become my main strategy through bear and bull markets. If you’re searching for ways to earn cryptocurrency as you learn, this approach could be the way to earn consistently profitable profit.
Table of Contents
- 1 Crypto Arbitrage Earnings: The Basics
- 2 Why Prices Get Out of Whack
- 3 Getting Started: My Exchange Setup
- 4 Hunting for Golden Opportunities
- 5 Reading the Room: Volume, Price, and Liquidity
- 6 Real Talk: An Actual Trade Breakdown
- 7 Fast maths:
- 8 Hard-Earned Wisdom: Avoiding the Traps
- 9 The Bottom Line: Is It Worth Your Time?
- 10 Final Thoughts: Earn Crypto While Learning
Crypto Arbitrage Earnings: The Basics
What’s the problem with crypto arbitrage? It’s incredibly simple once you break it. There are times when exchanges do not sync well. For instance, Bitcoin might sell for $21,371 at Coinbase, however Kraken is listed as $21,385. This $14 gap? Profit for those smart enough to see it quickly and react.
Why Prices Get Out of Whack
At first, when I first started, I still remember feeling puzzled regarding the issue. What is the reason why all exchanges don’t display the same prices? The answer is that every exchange operates its ecosystem. If you purchase Bitcoin through Coinbase this exchange keeps the price paid by you for the transaction as “the price” until someone else trades. In the meantime, on Kraken, completely different merchants have set prices that are completely different.
This creates what finance nerds call “market inefficiencies”–little cracks in the system where money is just sitting there waiting to be scooped up. What’s more interesting is that they could be eliminated rapidly in a well-functioning market; however, crypto remains an unregulated Wild West compared to traditional finance.
Getting Started: My Exchange Setup
The first thing to do is create accounts all over the world. That’s right, everywhere. It’s ok to start by focusing on the top players:
- Coinbase
- Binance
- Crypto.com
However, don’t stop there. There is a lot of value at smaller exchanges where fewer traders are looking for opportunities like these:
- Bitstamp
- Bitfinex
- Gate.io
- KuCoin
Many of the major exchanges will require users to prove their identification (that KYC headache we all dislike) However, many smaller platforms do not bother about that bureaucratic process. In addition, they usually have lower costs, meaning that more money stays at your fingertips.
At first, I had just three exchanges. Now I’m operating accounts on nearly a dozen. Every new exchange can be described as a fishing rod in the ocean. This is the way you earn cryptocurrency while you learn–by extending the reach of your network and seeing the inefficiencies that are present in more locations.
Hunting for Golden Opportunities
The hustle is in. You must find out where you can search and how to pull the trigger. I’ve been spending hours on CoinMarketCap by clicking the “Markets” tab on different coins and scouring the market for price gaps. It’s monotonous, but it’s profitable.
The main load is often triggered whenever coins are listed at major exchanges. I made money after a small-cap coin was added to Binance last year. As everyone watched the price rise on Finance I sat back buying it from smaller exchanges, where it had not moved, before selling it at a 15% with the fees.
The news releases can be another great spot for scouting. If big announcements are made in the market, certain exchanges respond faster than other exchanges. The lag time represents your time to capitalize.
There are alerts I’ve set up all over the world. When there’s a 5 percent or more price differential on any of the top 100 coins the phone explodes and I quit what I’m working on. The opportunities won’t last at all.
Reading the Room: Volume, Price, and Liquidity
However, prices vary, and not all are equal. This was something I had to learn through experience after becoming trapped with a bag of an obscure coin that I was unable to get rid of.
What do I consider before pulling the trigger?
- The price difference is the starting point. Then, check the volume.
- Liquidity score is the true key. I don’t touch anything lower than 500 in liquidity. I was in a tense situation when a cryptocurrency that seemed lucrative, however, it turned out to be almost impossible to trade without tanking its value.
- It’s nearly always an inverted relation between the volume of sales and the price gap. Lower volumes often mean bigger price differentials (more profit opportunities) however, it also means greater risk. It’s important to locate that perfect price point.
Real Talk: An Actual Trade Breakdown
I’ll walk you through an experiment I played using Venus (XVS).
It was trading on the exchange for $4.86 on a less reputable exchange that had a 0.49 percent fee to trade. On AEX It was listed at $5.00 flat, with only the 0.05 per cent charge.
Fast maths:
- Purchase in: $4.86 + 0.49% cost
- Sale for $5.00 + 0.05% cost
- Net profit: Around 2.18 percent after all expenses
I decided to throw $10,000 into this and made an average of $218 after just 30 minutes of effort. This isn’t a huge amount, but put up five or six of these per day, and you’ll be looking at a serious amount of money.
Hard-Earned Wisdom: Avoiding the Traps
I’ll save you a few costly lessons.
- Beware of ERC-20 tokens! High Ethereum gas fees will lower your profits. I only use Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, Polygon, and other cheap networks for transactions. Uniswap is out of the question for arbitrage. Their fees are ridiculous and the price difference can be your undoing.
- Your time is a thief. Some promising strategies have failed as I continued to transfer funds between different wallets. Markets are becoming faster and more effective every day. Big players are operating sophisticated bots that can detect and exploit the holes in just a few seconds.
The Bottom Line: Is It Worth Your Time?
Honestly? It all depends on your start money and tech skills.
- If your budget is under $5,000, returns won’t warrant the time and effort. The game grows with the amount of capital. My friend makes six figures a year using a $300k account.
- It is essential to feel at ease with managing multiple accounts, and calculating fees quickly as well as moving quickly. It’s not passive earnings; it’s actively trading.
To myself? It’s been worth it. The initial investment was small. I then reinvested my earnings and accumulated enough money that a percent win is a big deal. The best part is that it operates regardless of market conditions. It doesn’t matter whether Bitcoin has been soaring or falling and price gaps are still evident.
It’s not as sexy and interesting as finding the next altcoin that’s 100x however it is a consistent and lower risk in an extremely volatile market. This isn’t about making money fast, it’s about becoming rich slowly.
Ask yourself what you are looking for: Do you want excitement and adrenaline from betting on moonshots or would you like to be the house that slowly, but surely prevails? In crypto arbitrage, traders are most like the house.
Final Thoughts: Earn Crypto While Learning
If you’re interested in crypto earning arbitrage, the best method to begin is setting up accounts with several exchanges, keeping track of prices daily, and reworking your strategy. There is no guarantee of making it rich in a day. However, you’ll develop the ability to make money under any conditions of the market.
If you’re looking to get started, learn these tips and begin implementing–because chances are everywhere and waiting for somebody smart enough to recognize these opportunities.