"Arbitrage" isn't one strategy — it's a family of them. They all chase the same idea (the same value priced inconsistently in two places) but differ in where the gap lives and what it takes to capture it.
Here are the three you'll hear about most, what each is good for, and where the catches are. ArbiHunt focuses on the first one.
Cross-exchange (spatial) arbitrage
This is the classic version, and the one most people mean by "crypto arbitrage": a coin trades cheaper on one exchange than another at the same moment. You buy where it's cheap, sell where it's expensive, and keep the difference after costs.
The gap exists because each exchange runs its own order book — there's no single global price for a crypto asset. Fragmented liquidity, regional demand, and slow capital movement between venues all let prices drift apart. For the fuller picture, see What is crypto arbitrage?.
When it applies
- You hold (or can move) balances across more than one exchange.
- You want a strategy that's relatively easy to understand and act on manually.
- You're comfortable waiting on transfers, or you pre-position funds on both venues.
The trade-offs
- Transfer time and cost. Moving a coin between exchanges takes minutes to hours, and you pay a network withdrawal fee. The spread can close while your transfer is in flight.
- Network compatibility. The coin's blockchain network must be supported for withdrawal on the sending exchange and deposit on the receiving one — otherwise funds can be lost.
- Same-asset risk. Two coins sharing a ticker aren't automatically the same asset. The contract can be different, migrated or wrapped.
Verify the contract before you move funds
A matching symbol does not guarantee a matching asset. ArbiHunt shows the contract address per exchange (a PRO feature) so you can confirm both legs are the same coin on a network both venues support. Always check before initiating a transfer — never assume.
This is the type ArbiHunt scans for across ~23 exchanges, refreshing about every 30 seconds. Rather than show you raw gaps, it ranks opportunities by true net profit — after trading fees on both legs, the withdrawal fee, and live order-book liquidity. (Net profit is the only number worth acting on; see Spread vs. net profit.)
Triangular arbitrage
Triangular arbitrage stays on a single exchange and exploits a pricing inconsistency between three trading pairs. You convert through a loop — for example BTC → ETH → USDT → BTC — and if the exchange rates don't line up perfectly, you finish with slightly more than you started.
Because everything happens on one venue, there's no withdrawal and no cross-exchange transfer. That removes a whole category of risk.
When it applies
- You want to avoid moving coins between exchanges entirely.
- You can act fast — these loops are usually closed within seconds by automated traders.
- You're comfortable juggling three pairs and the fees on each leg.
The trade-offs
- Three sets of trading fees. A loop means three fills, so three taker fees. The inconsistency has to beat all of them combined before there's anything left.
- Speed. Triangular gaps are typically tiny and vanish almost instantly, which is why bots dominate this space. Doing it by hand is hard.
- Execution risk. If one leg fills at a worse price than expected, the loop can turn negative before you complete it.
ArbiHunt does not scan for triangular opportunities — it focuses on cross-exchange spreads. We mention triangular here so you know the difference.
Skip the manual math
ArbiHunt costs out every cross-exchange spread across ~23 exchanges and ranks them by net profit, so you only see opportunities that survive the fees.
Funding-rate / spot-perpetual arbitrage
This one lives in derivatives rather than plain spot trading. A perpetual futures contract is designed to track the spot price, and it uses a periodic funding rate — a payment between long and short holders — to keep the two close.
A delta-neutral trader can hold spot and an offsetting perpetual position to collect the funding payment while staying hedged against the coin's price moves. The "profit" is the funding stream, not a one-off spread.
When it applies
- You understand perpetual futures, margin, and liquidation — this is more advanced.
- You want a position you can hold over time rather than a quick in-and-out trade.
- You can monitor margin and funding rates, which change continuously.
The trade-offs
- Funding can flip. A rate that's paying you today can reverse, turning the carry against you.
- Liquidation risk. Leverage and margin add a failure mode that spot arbitrage doesn't have.
- Complexity and fees. Maintaining two positions means more moving parts, more fees, and ongoing attention.
This is the most complex of the three and sits well beyond a first trade. ArbiHunt doesn't track funding-rate opportunities.
Quick comparison
| Type | Where the gap is | Transfer needed? | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-exchange (spatial) | Same coin, two exchanges | Yes (or pre-positioned funds) | Beginner-friendly |
| Triangular | Three pairs, one exchange | No | Hard (usually bot-driven) |
| Funding-rate / perpetual | Spot vs. perpetual futures | No | Advanced |
Which should a beginner start with?
Cross-exchange is the most approachable, and it's what ArbiHunt is built around. You can see the route, the network and the net-profit math laid out before you act, and you stay in full control of your own exchange accounts.
Whichever type you explore, remember that ArbiHunt is an information tool: it finds and ranks opportunities but does not execute trades or move your funds — you trade on the exchanges yourself. Spreads can close in seconds and not every opportunity is executable, so re-check the live numbers on the exchange before committing. None of this is financial advice, and crypto trading carries risk.
See it live
ArbiHunt scans 23 exchanges in real time and ranks every spread by true net profit — after fees, withdrawals and live liquidity.