How to trade futures: a step-by-step guide for beginners
This is the practical sequence for opening your first perpetual futures position: fund the account, choose a market, set margin mode and leverage, size the position around a stop-loss, and manage the trade to exit. Every step below matches the actual screens in Tonly.
Step 1 — Fund the account with USDT
Open Wallet and deposit USDT over the TON network through TON Connect, or top up with Telegram Stars. The credited balance is your margin for every market.
Deposit only what you can afford to lose entirely. Leverage does not require a large balance; discipline does not come from one.
Step 2 — Pick a market and read the chart
Choose a liquid market first — BTC, ETH or TON. Thin markets move more per order, which shows up as slippage on both entry and exit.
Note the funding rate and the current trend on a higher timeframe before you look for an entry. The Info tab next to the chart gives supply, market cap and project background for the asset.
Step 3 — Set margin mode and leverage
Choose isolated margin while learning: only the collateral attached to that position is at risk. One-way mode keeps a single net position per symbol; hedge mode allows a long and a short at once.
Set leverage low — 3x to 10x is plenty. Leverage decides how close liquidation sits, and position size decides how much you risk.
Step 4 — Size the position around your stop
Decide the price that invalidates the idea. Then size the position so that reaching it costs a fixed small share of the balance, for example 1–2%.
Attach take-profit and stop-loss when you submit the order. A stop that exists only in your head is not a stop.
Step 5 — Manage and close
Once in profit, move the stop toward the entry to protect the trade rather than adding to a winner at higher leverage.
Close with a reduce-only order, in part or in full. Then read the closed position: entry, exit, fee, funding and net PnL are all recorded in history.
Mistakes that cost beginners the most
Maximum leverage on the first trade; averaging down without a plan; trading illiquid markets during news; and ignoring funding on positions held for days.
The account that survives its first month is usually the one taking small, repeatable risk rather than the one that was right most often.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I open my first futures trade?
- Deposit USDT, pick a liquid market, set isolated margin with low leverage, size the position around a stop-loss, then submit the order with take-profit and stop-loss attached.
- What leverage should a beginner use?
- Between 3x and 10x. Higher leverage does not increase expected profit — it only moves liquidation closer to your entry.
- How do I avoid liquidation?
- Keep leverage low, set a stop-loss above the liquidation price, use isolated margin, and add margin instead of holding a position that has broken its invalidation level.
- Can I practise before risking real money?
- Trade the smallest allowed size for the first weeks. The mechanics are identical, and the cost of learning stays small.