"Long" and "short" are terms commonly used in the context of trading and investing, referring to the directional exposure a trader or investor has to a financial asset. "Long" implies a bullish position where the trader expects the value of the asset to rise, while "short" implies a bearish position where the trader expects the value of the asset to fall.
On the other hand, the term "funding" is often associated with the cost or benefit of maintaining leveraged positions, particularly in the cryptocurrency market. In this context, "funding" refers to the periodic interest payments that traders pay or receive for holding leveraged positions, such as futures contracts, over a specified period.
Here's how "long funding" and "short funding" work in the context of leveraged positions:
Long Funding:
When a trader goes long on a leveraged position, it means they are buying a futures contract or another derivative with the expectation that the underlying asset's price will rise. In the context of cryptocurrency trading, if the market is bullish and there are more traders taking long positions than short positions, long traders might need to pay a funding fee.
The funding fee is typically paid by long traders to short traders. It helps balance the market by aligning the incentives of traders with the prevailing market sentiment. Long funding is incurred when the demand for long positions exceeds short positions.
Short Funding:
Conversely, when a trader goes short on a leveraged position, it means they are selling a futures contract or another derivative with the expectation that the underlying asset's price will fall. In the context of cryptocurrency trading, if the market is bearish and there are more traders taking short positions than long positions, short traders might need to pay a funding fee.
The funding fee is typically paid by short traders to long traders. This fee helps balance the market by aligning the incentives of traders with the prevailing market sentiment. Short funding is incurred when the demand for short positions exceeds long positions.
It's important to note that long and short funding is specific to certain derivative markets, particularly those that involve leverage, such as cryptocurrency futures. The funding rate is determined periodically, often every eight hours, and is influenced by the imbalance between long and short positions in the market. The goal is to encourage equilibrium in the market and discourage one-sided positioning.