A funding rate is a small payment that long and short traders exchange directly with each other, on a schedule, to keep a perpetual contract's price tethered to spot. It is not a fee the exchange keeps. It is also the quiet way a correct directional read still loses money: hold a position through enough funding and the drift can outweigh the move you got right. This piece explains what funding is, why it exists, walks the cost through real numbers, and debunks the most seductive myth in perps trading - that collecting funding is free money.

Funding Rates Explained: The Real Cost of a Perp

Leverage does not raise your expected return - it scales your profit, your loss, and the odds of being force-closed by the same factor. On a perpetuals exchange your liquidation price is the level where the platform closes your position because your equity can no longer cover the maintenance margin, and at high leverage that price can sit inside the stop-loss you carefully set. This piece explains leverage, margin, and liquidation honestly, walks a real trade through the numbers, debunks the "I was liquidated on a wick" complaint with how mark price actually works, and shows what the regulators found about who wins and loses on leverage.
The previous part of this series taught you to set a stop at your invalidation level and to risk a small, fixed slice of your account per trade. It ended on a clean promise: put your stop where the read is wrong, size the position so a loss costs 1% to 2%, and one bad trade cannot end you.

Liquidation Price and Leverage on Perps, Explained

The last eight is done, and the chaos is over. After a Round of 16 that buried Brazil, Portugal, and all three hosts, the quarter-finals went almost exactly to seed. France, Spain, England, and Argentina are through, and for the first time in World Cup history the four highest-ranked teams in the tournament all reached the semi-finals. What we get is two blockbusters: France against Spain in Dallas, a collision of the two title favorites, and England against Argentina in Atlanta, a rivalry with real history behind it. On the ApeX side, the World Cup Survival campaign is down to its final, highest-pressure calls, where a single result now decides everything. Below we recap all four quarter-finals, break down both semis, and call who reaches the final in New Jersey.

Who Will Win the Semi-Finals? World Cup Quarter-Final Wrap-Up

Another busy week on ApeX Omni. Fiat deposits now work without KYC, staying true to the non-custodial, KYC-free approach that defines the platform. Two new TradFi Perpetuals went live with round-the-clock trading. We also delisted nine trading pairs to keep markets healthy, and brought fiat deposit support to the mobile web (H5) experience. On mobile, the app moved to Version 3.60.0 with a prediction account fix, refreshed World Cup visuals, and KYC-free fiat deposits. Here is everything in one place.

ApeX Omni Weekly Update: KYC-Free Fiat Deposits and New TradFi Perpetuals

This is a study guide, not a trade recommendation. SOXL and KORU are two leveraged exchange-traded funds now listed on ApeX as TradFi Perpetuals, and both reward a careful reading before any position is taken. SOXL seeks 300% of the daily move in the NYSE Semiconductor Index, home to NVIDIA, Broadcom, Micron, and AMD. KORU seeks 300% of the daily move in the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, where Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix alone carry more than 40% of the weight. Both funds sit on top of the same engine: the AI-driven chip cycle that has pushed projected 2026 global semiconductor revenue above 1.3 trillion dollars, according to Gartner. Our view is simple: these are among the most demanding instruments a trader can hold, and the reward for understanding them is knowing exactly when not to size up. The sections below explain how daily leveraged funds work, give a plain prospectus for each, set out the main risks, and note the listing details on ApeX.

Leveraged ETFs on Semiconductors and the Korean Market (SOXL and KORU)

The Round of 16 did not just trim the field. It tore the heart out of it. All three host nations are gone, knocked out in the space of three days. Brazil are gone too, ambushed by Norway and an Erling Haaland masterclass. Portugal are gone, and with them the last World Cup of Cristiano Ronaldo. Eight teams remain, and the survivors are a mix of giants, one fearless underdog, and a Norway side that suddenly looks like nobody wants to play them. On the ApeX side, the World Cup Survival campaign is heading into its most punishing stretch, where a single upset can end a run that took weeks to build. Below we recap every Round of 16 result, size up the four quarter-final ties, and call who advances.

World Cup Round of 16 Wrap-Up: Who Wins the Quarter-Finals Next?

This week moved fast across web and app. Fiat Deposit reached Phase 1 and is now live for a first group of users. The World Cup Points Redemption feature went live and officially opened the R16 Knockout Stage. We listed GRAM following the TON rebrand and delisting. We also made two separate delisting decisions to protect trading quality and safeguard user assets during a volatile stretch. On mobile, the app moved to Version 3.59.0 with fiat deposit support and improved network connectivity. Here is the full rundown in one place.

ApeX Omni Weekly Update: Fiat Deposits, GRAM, and Trading Pair Changes

The first knockout round of the 2026 World Cup is in the books, and it did not hold back. In the expanded 48-team format, the Round of 32 is the opening knockout stage, and it sent three genuine contenders home while all three host nations survived. Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan are all out. Egypt reached this stage for the first time since 1934, Belgium clawed back from two goals down, and Argentina needed extra time to escape Cape Verde. On the ApeX side, our World Cup Survival campaign has grown to 390 participants, and the leaderboard is getting serious: the top spot now sits above 50,000 points on the back of 49 correct predictions and a best streak of 43. There is a full rack of exclusive World Cup merch waiting in the points shop. Below we run through the results, the standings, and the Round of 16 matchups the whole world is arguing about.

World Cup Round of 32 Wrap-Up: Who Wins the Next 8 Matches

You can now fund your ApeX Omni account with everyday money. Deposit fiat straight from your bank card or mobile wallet, then trade without sourcing crypto somewhere else first. The feature is live across Web and app, runs on Alchemy Pay, and covers more than 40 currencies. Most deposits arrive within a minute. This first phase is open to anyone who created an Omni account by email.

ApeX Team