Do fee rebates still work when you reach a VIP tier?

Usually yes — the two stack. A VIP tier lowers the rate the exchange charges you, and a fee rebate then returns a share of the fee you actually paid. Because the rebate is a share of a smaller fee, each trade returns fewer dollars, but your net cost is lower than with either one alone. The exception is the top of the ladder: some exchange affiliate programs stop paying commission on their highest VIP tiers or on market-maker accounts with special rates, so check the terms before counting on a rebate there.

How a VIP tier and a rebate stack

A VIP tier is a discount the exchange sets from your 30-day trading volume (on some exchanges, also your asset balance). It applies before the fee is charged. How VIP levels work →
A fee rebate returns a share of the fee that was charged, after the trade. Linking through a referral partner doesn't change the fee schedule; it decides who receives the exchange's commission on your fees.

So the net cost of a trade is: fee at your tier × (1 − rebate share). On loweef's partner exchanges the share is 50–65% of every fee, depending on the exchange.

Why the rebate looks smaller at higher tiers

The rebate share doesn't change when you climb a tier — the base does. If your new tier cuts the taker rate by a fifth, the fee on each trade is a fifth smaller, and so is the rebate calculated on it. That can read like "the rebate got worse", but your total cost still fell: you pay less up front and still get the same share of what you paid.

When a rebate can stop

The highest VIP or institutional tiers. Some exchange affiliate programs exclude them from referral commission altogether.
Market-maker programs and negotiated rates. Accounts on special fee arrangements are often outside the affiliate program.
Special order channels. Some exchanges treat API orders differently — see whether rebates cover API and bot trading.

The exchange's affiliate or referral terms say which accounts are eligible. Look for wording on VIP levels, market makers and eligible users.

Does a referral change how your VIP volume is counted?

No. The exchange counts your 30-day volume and sets your tier the same way whether or not the account was referred. One thing does reset: a new account starts at the base tier, so if you open one through a rebate link, your old account's tier doesn't carry over unless the exchange grants it through its own program.

Which one to go after first

Most retail traders never reach the first VIP threshold, and the ones who do get there through months of volume. A rebate starts on the first trade at any volume. If you trade enough to climb tiers, keep both — that is where your cost is lowest. Current rates by exchange:

Exchange	Total rate	Welcome boost	Effective taker
AlphaX	65%	—	0.0175%
BingX	60%	70%	0.0200%
OKX	50%	60%	0.0250%
MEXC	55%	65%	0.0180%

Exchange-specific details on VIP tiers and rebates: BingX · OKX · MEXC.

Figures are estimates based on published fee schedules and loweef's current partner rates; actual results vary with VIP tier and maker/taker mix.

Frequently asked questions

Does reaching a VIP tier cancel my fee rebate?

Not on the lower and middle tiers — the rebate keeps applying to the fee you pay at your new rate. Some exchanges exclude their highest VIP tiers or market-maker accounts from affiliate commission, so check the exchange terms if you trade at that level.

Why did my rebate drop after I moved up a VIP tier?

Because the fee it is calculated on dropped. The rebate share is the same; it now applies to a smaller fee. Your net cost per trade is still lower than before.

Will I keep my VIP tier if I open a new account through a rebate link?

Not automatically. Tiers belong to the account, so a new account starts at the base tier unless the exchange grants a tier through its own program.