Arbitrage is the art of making risk-free profit by exploiting price differences for the same asset or outcome in different markets. It’s been popular for years in sports betting, often called arbitrage betting or sure betting, where bettors cover all outcomes of a game using different bookmakers’ odds to guarantee a return. In fact, arbitrage betting – sometimes nicknamed arbitrage gambling – involves placing bets on all possible outcomes of an event with various bookies so that no matter who wins, the bettor profits. Bettors often use an arbitrage betting calculator (also known as a betting ARB calculator) to determine the exact stakes for each outcome, especially in 3-way arbitrage scenarios, such as Win/Draw/Lose in soccer. This ensures each bet’s proportion is just right to lock in a profit margin. These tools are sometimes known as a betting arbitrage calculator or arbitrage calculator sports betting tools, and they exemplify how calculation is key to successful arbitrage betting.
Now, the ARB concept isn’t limited to gambling. Arbitrage trading in financial markets applies the same principle: buy low in one market and sell high in another simultaneously. Crypto arbitrage is a prime example, where traders capitalise on price discrepancies of cryptocurrencies across exchanges. Instead of odds and bookmakers, crypto arbitrageurs deal with coin prices on different platforms. The goal remains the same – a near risk-free profit. Sports betting arbitrage and crypto arbitrage share DNA in concept, but crypto markets require different tools and considerations, which is where our focus shifts.
“Doing so means making profits through a process that involves little or no risks.” – CoinDesk on arbitrage trading’s appeal.
In crypto, arbitrage is indeed famed for being a low-risk strategy. You’re not betting on the direction of a coin’s price; you’re leveraging a momentary imbalance. Let’s break down how crypto arbitrage works and how the BRICS Technology Arbitrage Calculator helps you seize these opportunities.
Crypto arbitrage involves taking advantage of a simple idea: the same cryptocurrency can have different prices on different exchanges simultaneously. For example, imagine Bitcoin is priced at $50,000 on Exchange A and $50,300 on Exchange B. A trader can buy 1 BTC on the cheaper Exchange A and immediately sell it on Exchange B for a $300 profit (minus any fees). That’s a guaranteed $300 gain without taking on the typical market risk of holding Bitcoin in the long term. Arbitrage opportunities like this can yield profit percentages ranging from under 1% to several percents per trade. In fact, a research study found that Bitcoin’s price spread across exchanges ranged from 8.67% to 15.69% between 2019 and 2023, illustrating how significant these gaps can be. Even more commonly, crypto traders find smaller spreads, such as 1–3%, which are still attractive for a practically risk-free trade executed in minutes.
There are a few flavors of crypto arbitrage:
Regardless of the type, arbitrage trading requires monitoring markets and calculating potential profits quickly. This is where an ARB calculator becomes essential for crypto traders.
BRICS Technology’s Arbitrage Calculator is a specialised tool designed for crypto arbitrageurs. It’s already live on our platform, allowing anyone to plug in numbers and instantly see the potential profit from an arbitrage trade. Here’s how our calculator empowers you:
For a simple illustration, consider the following scenario:
Exchange | BTC Price (USD) |
---|---|
Exchange A | $30,000 |
Exchange B | $30,300 |
In this case, buying 1 BTC on Exchange A at $30,000 and selling on Exchange B at $30,300 yields a $300 profit, roughly a 1.0% return on that trade. The arbitrage calculator would take these two prices (and your trade size, e.g. 1 BTC) and immediately show that profit figure and percentage. If you include, say, a 0.1% trading fee on each exchange, the calculator will adjust the net profit accordingly (about $240 in this example). By quickly computing these outcomes, the tool lets you decide at a glance if an arbitrage opportunity is worth executing.
Using the arbitrage calculator is half the battle – you also need a sound strategy and execution. Keep these tips in mind:
Arbitrage is a fantastic strategy for low-risk gains, but it’s not the only way to profit in crypto. To complement your trading, BRICS Technology offers other calculators and tools for planning and analysis. For instance, you can project returns on individual trades or investments with our Crypto Profit Calculator. If you’re focused on specific coins, check out the Bitcoin Profit Calculator for BTC or our XRP Profit Calculator for Ripple’s XRP. These tools let you input buy and sell prices, amounts, and see your potential profit or ROI, helping you make informed decisions beyond arbitrage scenarios. By integrating our arbitrage calculator and profit calculators into your toolkit, you’ll cover both risk-free arbitrage opportunities and longer-term trade planning.