How to Set Take Profit Orders on Binance, Coinbase & Kraken

How to Set Take Profit Orders on Binance, Coinbase & Kraken

How to Set Take Profit Orders on Binance, Coinbase & Kraken

Lock in your crypto gains automatically with the right order types on every major exchange

Knowing when to take profit is only half the battle. The other half is knowing how to actually set the orders on your exchange so your exits execute automatically, even when you are asleep or away from your screen. Every major crypto exchange supports take profit orders, but the interfaces, terminology, and available order types differ significantly between platforms.

This tutorial walks you through the exact steps for setting take profit orders on the three most popular exchanges: Binance, Coinbase Advanced, and Kraken. You will learn how to use limit sell orders, OCO (One-Cancels-the-Other) orders, conditional orders, and trailing stops on each platform. By the end, you will have automated take profit orders protecting your positions no matter which exchange you use.

What You'll Need

  • A verified account on Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken with crypto holdings you want to protect
  • An understanding of limit orders and how they differ from market orders
  • Your take profit price targets already calculated based on your trading strategy
  • Access to the advanced or pro trading interface on your chosen exchange

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1

Understand the Key Take Profit Order Types

Before diving into each exchange, it is important to understand the core order types used for take profit. A limit sell order is the simplest: you specify the price at which you want to sell, and the order fills when the market reaches that price. This is the foundation of any take profit order on crypto exchanges.

An OCO order (One-Cancels-the-Other) pairs a take profit limit order with a stop-loss order. When one side executes, the other is automatically cancelled. This is essential for managing both your upside target and downside protection simultaneously. A conditional order or trigger order is similar but lets you set more complex conditions, such as placing a limit order only after a specific price is reached. Trailing stop orders automatically follow the price upward and trigger a market or limit sell if the price reverses by a specified percentage.

Not every exchange offers all of these order types, and the naming conventions vary. Binance calls them OCO orders, Coinbase Advanced uses "Bracket" or "Good til canceled" limit orders, and Kraken offers conditional close orders attached to your opening trades. Understanding the terminology for your specific exchange is the first step to setting effective take profit orders.

Step 2

Set Take Profit Orders on Binance

Binance offers the most comprehensive take profit order options of any major exchange. Log in to Binance and navigate to the Spot trading interface. Select your trading pair, such as BTC/USDT. On the right side of the order panel, you will see tabs for Limit, Market, Stop-limit, and OCO order types.

To set a simple take profit, select the Limit tab. Enter your sell price target in the Price field and the amount of the asset you want to sell in the Amount field. Click Sell and confirm. Your limit sell order is now live and will execute automatically when the market price reaches your target. You can place multiple limit sell orders at different price levels to scale out of your position incrementally.

For a more advanced approach, select the OCO tab. This lets you set both a take profit price and a stop-loss price simultaneously. In the Price field, enter your take profit target. In the Stop field, enter the trigger price for your stop-loss, and in the Limit field, enter the execution price for the stop-loss. When you submit the OCO order, Binance will execute whichever condition is met first and automatically cancel the other. This is the recommended approach for any active trade where you want both upside and downside protection.

Step 3

Set Take Profit Orders on Coinbase Advanced

Coinbase Advanced (formerly Coinbase Pro) provides take profit capabilities through its limit order system. Open the Coinbase Advanced trade page and select your trading pair. On the order panel, select the Limit order type. Switch to the Sell tab, enter your target price and the amount you want to sell, and set the time-in-force to GTC (Good Til Canceled) so the order remains active until it fills or you cancel it.

Coinbase Advanced does not currently offer a native OCO order type on the spot market. To simulate OCO behavior, you will need to place your take profit limit sell order and then separately monitor your stop-loss level using a TradingView alert or the Coinbase price alert feature. When your stop-loss alert triggers, manually cancel the take profit order and execute a market sell. This is less convenient than a true OCO but is the best available approach on Coinbase for spot trading.

For a more automated experience on Coinbase, consider using the Coinbase Advanced API with a trading bot or tool like 3Commas or Cornix, which can manage both take profit and stop-loss orders simultaneously and integrate directly with your Coinbase account. These tools fill the OCO gap and provide trailing stop functionality that is not available natively on the Coinbase interface.

Step 4

Set Take Profit Orders on Kraken

Kraken offers a powerful conditional close feature that lets you attach a take profit order directly to your entry order. When placing a new buy order on the Kraken Pro trading interface, click the "Conditional Close" dropdown below the main order form. Select Limit as the order type and enter your take profit price. When your buy order fills, Kraken automatically places the corresponding sell limit order at your target price.

If you already hold an asset and want to set a take profit, navigate to the trading pair and place a standalone sell limit order. Select Limit as the order type, enter your target sell price, specify the amount, and submit. For stop-loss protection alongside your take profit, place a separate stop-loss order from the order form by selecting Stop Loss or Stop Limit as the order type.

Kraken also supports trailing stop orders on certain trading pairs. To set a trailing stop, select the Trailing Stop order type from the order form, enter the trailing distance as either a fixed amount or a percentage, and submit. The stop will follow the price upward and trigger a sell when the price reverses by your specified distance. This is an excellent take profit tool for capturing gains during strong trends while limiting downside.

Step 5

Set Multiple Take Profit Levels for Scaling Out

The most effective way to take profit on any exchange is to set multiple sell orders at different price levels. This approach, often called scaling out or laddering, ensures you capture some gains early while leaving a portion of your position open for larger moves. It is the strategy used by most professional traders and crypto funds.

For example, if you hold 1 BTC purchased at 60,000, you might place three separate limit sell orders: 0.3 BTC at 90,000, 0.3 BTC at 120,000, and 0.4 BTC at 150,000. On Binance, simply place three separate limit sell orders. On Coinbase Advanced, place three GTC limit sells. On Kraken, place three individual limit sell orders from the trade interface.

When setting multiple take profit levels, ensure the total quantity across all your sell orders does not exceed your actual holdings. If your orders add up to more than your balance, the later orders will fail when the earlier ones fill and reduce your available balance. Double-check the quantities carefully before submitting.

Step 6

Use Price Alerts as a Safety Net

Even with automated take profit orders in place, set price alerts as a secondary notification system. TradingView allows you to create unlimited price alerts on the free tier that notify you via email, push notification, or SMS when a specific price level is reached. Set alerts slightly before each of your take profit targets so you are aware when the market is approaching your exit levels.

On each exchange, you can also set native price alerts. Binance offers price alerts in the app and on the web. Coinbase has a price alert feature in its mobile app. Kraken provides price notifications through the Kraken Pro app. Activate these alerts at your take profit levels, at your stop-loss level, and at intermediate levels where you may want to manually assess the situation.

Price alerts are especially important if you are using Coinbase Advanced where true OCO orders are not available. Your alert serves as the trigger to manually manage the stop-loss side of the trade if your take profit has not yet been reached.

Step 7

Manage and Monitor Your Open Orders

After placing your take profit orders, regularly review them to ensure they are still aligned with your current market analysis. On Binance, navigate to the Open Orders tab in the trade interface to see all active orders. On Coinbase Advanced, check the Orders section. On Kraken, review your open orders in the Orders tab of the trading interface.

Market conditions change, and your take profit targets may need adjustment. If a major support level breaks or a new resistance level forms, consider modifying your orders. To modify an order on most exchanges, you will need to cancel the existing order and place a new one at the updated price. Binance allows you to modify orders in place without canceling on some interfaces.

Set a weekly reminder to audit all your open orders across every exchange you use. Check that the order quantities still match your intended position sizing, that the prices are still at appropriate technical levels, and that no orders have been partially filled in a way that leaves an unintended residual position.

Step 8

Automate Take Profit for DeFi Positions

If you hold crypto in DeFi protocols or self-custody wallets rather than on centralized exchanges, you can still automate take profit orders. DeFi Saver is a powerful tool that lets you set automated take profit and stop-loss triggers for positions on Aave, Compound, and MakerDAO. It monitors your positions and executes transactions on your behalf when your conditions are met.

For tokens held in a MetaMask or hardware wallet, you can use decentralized limit order protocols like 1inch Limit Order or CoW Protocol to place on-chain take profit orders without depositing to a centralized exchange. These protocols use a network of solvers or keepers to fill your order when the price target is reached.

Another option is to use Gelato Network or Chainlink Automation to create custom automated strategies that trigger on-chain actions based on price conditions. While these are more technical to set up, they provide maximum flexibility and keep your assets in self-custody throughout the entire take profit process.

Tips & Best Practices

  • Always use the advanced or pro trading interface on your exchange, as the basic buy and sell interface often does not support limit orders, OCO orders, or the order types needed for proper take profit execution.
  • When placing take profit orders, set them as GTC (Good Til Canceled) rather than day orders so they remain active indefinitely until filled or manually cancelled.
  • Place your sell limit orders slightly below round-number resistance levels. For example, set your sell at 99,500 rather than 100,000, because heavy sell walls at round numbers can prevent the price from reaching your exact target.
  • Take a screenshot of your open orders after placing them and save it with the date. This creates a record of your plan and helps with tax reporting when the orders eventually fill.
  • If your exchange supports sub-accounts or portfolio margining, consider using a dedicated sub-account for your take profit strategy to keep your active trading and long-term exit orders separate and organized.

Important: Limit orders are not guaranteed to fill, especially during flash crashes or extreme volatility where the price can gap past your order. OCO stop-loss orders using stop-limit types carry the risk of non-execution if the price moves too quickly through your stop level. For critical stop-losses, consider using stop-market orders that guarantee execution at the cost of potential slippage. Always verify your order details, especially the quantity and price, before confirming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a take profit order and a regular limit sell order?

Functionally, a take profit order on a spot exchange is a limit sell order placed above the current market price. The term take profit specifically describes the intent of the order, which is to lock in gains at a predetermined level. On futures platforms, take profit is a distinct order type, but on spot exchanges like Binance and Coinbase, you implement take profit using standard limit sell orders.

Can I set take profit orders on crypto I hold in a wallet, not on an exchange?

Not directly, but you have options. You can use decentralized limit order protocols like 1inch Limit Order or CoW Protocol to place on-chain sell orders. Alternatively, tools like DeFi Saver and Gelato Network let you set automated triggers. The simplest approach is to set TradingView price alerts and manually transfer to an exchange and sell when your target is hit, though this requires you to be available when the alert fires.

Do take profit orders cost extra fees on exchanges?

Take profit limit orders are typically maker orders, meaning they add liquidity to the order book. Most exchanges charge lower fees for maker orders compared to taker orders. On Binance, maker fees can be as low as 0.01% with BNB discounts. On Coinbase Advanced, maker fees range from 0% to 0.4%. On Kraken, maker fees start at 0.16%. Your take profit orders will generally cost less in fees than market orders.

CryptoTakeProfit Research Team

Our team of analysts and traders covers the crypto market daily. We combine on-chain data, technical analysis, and fundamental research to bring you actionable insights.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk. Always do your own research and never invest more than you can afford to lose. This article may contain affiliate links.