Kalshi trading fees explained for 2026: Costs and commissions for trading event contracts

Kalshi is a great prediction market with thousands of markets available to trade on various topics. But one thing that can sometimes trip traders up is Kalshi trading fees. So I’m gonna tell you exactly how they work.

Every trade that you make will come with a fee, but it’s not a set amount per trade. Trading fees are an overly complicated formula that Kalshi uses. Essentially, the more contracts you purchase and the higher the price, the higher your fees will be. Simple enough, right?

An overview of Kalshi trading fees

When you trade any order at Kalshi, there are usually fees included. These fees are not hidden at all; you can see them in the total price of your order before you confirm it. The site’s fees are generally lower than those of other prediction markets, but it’s still good to know exactly how Kalshi works. There are different types of fees at Kalshi, and a specific formula the site uses to sort them all out.

Kalshi trading fees = round up (0.07 x C x P x (1-P))

• P = the price of a contract in $ (e.g., 50 cents is $0.50)
• C = the number of contracts being traded
• Round up = rounded up to the nearest cent

As you can see, the higher the cost of your contract and the more you trade, the higher your fees are likely to be. This formula is used regardless of which markets you’re trading on,  which keeps it fair but also means that there’s no opportunity to minimize costs with specific markets.

Now it’s important to remember that these are trading fees, which is a result of trading on various markets. There are also different types of fees, like Kalshi marker fees, which are completely different.

What are Kalshi marker fees?

Whereas trading fees are charged on every order, marker fees are only charged on orders that aren’t immediately matched. This means that they get left as ‘resting orders’ and occur in markets with low liquidity. So for example, you’re less likely to experience this trading on Kalshi sports contracts, but something more niche will mean that the trade can’t be matched straight away. And before you ask, yes, there is a formula for working these out, too.

• Fees = round up(0.0175 x C x P x (1-P))

You won’t be charged with marker fees until your trade has been executed. If you decide that it’s taking too long to put your order through, then you can cancel it with no Kalshi fees at all. There’s another policy at Kalshi in relation to marker fees worth mentioning. If you pay more in marker fees because of the rounding up prices, you'll actually be reimbursed if it exceeds $10.

Learn more about Kalshi prediction markets and fees

Predict seamlessly on your mobile device at Kalshi

Does Kalshi charge fees for deposits and withdrawals?

When you deposit funds at Kalshi, you’ll need to pay fees depending on your chosen payment method. If you’re just sticking to the classic debit card, then you’ll pay a maximum of 2% on top of your deposit. If you want to make a wire transfer deposit, then there will likely be some fees for this, but Kalshi doesn’t charge them directly. These tend to come directly from your bank, so it’s worth double-checking with them before using this deposit method. Kalshi is a legal platform, so it has to adhere to all of the rules and regulations laid out.

Now let’s talk about some more niche payment methods like crypto. So it’s quite well known - or at least, I think it is - that cryptocurrency transactions are subject to blockchain fees. These aren’t controlled by Kalshi at all; they’re all decided by the blockchain itself. However, the good news is that when you make a crypto deposit, you’ll see the fees quite clearly, meaning you can then decide whether to go ahead or not. When it comes to Kalshi payouts, the same type of rules apply. So card withdrawals could be subject to up to 2% fees, and crypto withdrawals will come with blockchain fees.

Pros and cons of Kalshi fees

Final thoughts on Kalshi trading fees

So when it comes to Kalshi trading fees, you should feel pretty confident with how it all works. The trading fees that you are charged will vary a lot based on the size of your trade, but you’ll see this clearly on the payment page. The good news is that the fees are the same no matter what market you’re trading on, so you’re welcome to make any predictions that you like.

If you feel like heading over to Kalshi and making some trades, we've popped all the links you need in this guide. It’s free to sign up, simply make a deposit, and happy trading.

Kalshi trading fees FAQs