Futures Trading

One-Way Position Mode

Last updated: 12/30/2025
In futures trading, the position mode determines how you manage positions in the same trading pair. KuCoin Futures provides One-Way Position Mode, which allows you to hold a position in only one direction (long or short) on the same trading pair. This mode is suitable for trend trading and simple trading scenarios.

1. What is One-Way Position Mode (Buy/Sell Mode)?

In One-Way Position Mode, only one directional position can exist for a given contract trading pair. If you are bullish, you open a long position; if you are bearish, you open a short position. The operation logic is simple and intuitive.
  • If you already hold a long position, opening another long position will merge with the existing long position;
  • If you already hold a long position, opening a short position will offset the existing position (partially or fully);
  • It is not possible to hold both long and short positions at the same time.
Applicable scenarios:
  • Trending markets (only bullish or only bearish views)
  • Users who do not need hedging and only trade with a clear directional bias
  • Simplified position management and reduced calculation complexity

 

2. Core Rules of One-Way Position Mode

(1) Automatic merging in the same direction
Existing long + open another long → merged into a larger long position
Existing short + open another short → merged into a larger short position
(2) Opposite-direction orders will offset positions
Existing long + open short → the short order will first reduce the existing long position
Existing short + open long → the long order will first reduce the existing short position
Offsetting rule: the system offsets the existing position first, then determines whether any remaining quantity should open a new position in the opposite direction.

 

3. KuCoin One-Way Position Examples

3.1 Example 1: BTCUSDT One-Way Long Position

  • Mark price: 50,000 USDT
  • Margin used to open long: 5,000 USDT
  • Leverage: 5×
  • Position value: 5,000 × 5 = 25,000 USDT (approximately 0.5 BTC)
If the price rises to 55,000:Profit = (55,000 – 50,000) × 0.5 = 2,500 USDT
If the price falls to 45,000:Loss = (50,000 – 45,000) × 0.5 = 2,500 USDT
Characteristics: clear direction, easy-to-understand profit and loss.

3.2 Example 2: Opposite-Direction Offsetting in One-Way Position Mode

Assume the user already holds a long position of 1,000 BTCUSDT contracts, and then places a short order for 600 contracts.
System handling:
  1. The 600 short contracts are used to close the long position first
  2. Remaining position: 1,000 – 600 = 400 contracts long
  3. No new short position is created
If the user continues to open a short position exceeding 1,000 contracts, the net position will turn into a short position.

 

4. Features of One-Way Position Mode

Category One-Way Position Description
Position Direction Only one direction is allowed (long or short)
Trading Logic Same-direction orders are merged; opposite-direction orders offset existing positions
Capital Efficiency Simple calculation and relatively lower margin usage
Risk Management Single directional exposure with clear and transparent risk
Applicable Scenarios Trending markets, light trading, and simple strategies

 

5. FAQ

Q1: Can I hold both long and short positions at the same time? No. One-way position mode only allows holding positions in a single direction. If you need to hedge with both long and short positions, you can switch to Hedge Mode.
Q2: Why doesn’t my position increase when I place an order in the opposite direction? Because in one-way position mode, the system will first use the opposite-direction order to offset your existing position. This is the default logic of one-way positions.
Q3: Does one-way position mode affect the liquidation process? No. The liquidation logic is determined by Isolated Margin Mode / Cross Margin Mode and is independent of the position direction mode.

 

6. How to Enable (WEB & APP)

WEB Click Settings in the upper-right corner of the page, then go to Preferences → Position Mode → One-Way Mode.
APP
On the Futures trading page, tap the “…” icon in the upper-right corner, go to Trading Preferences, and select One-Way Position Mode under Position Mode.