The current mainstream CEX and DEX funding rate display shows that the market continues to remain predominantly bearish.

**December 18** Per Coinglass data, funding rates across major centralized (CEX) and decentralized (DEX) exchanges signal an overall bearish market for leading crypto assets. Specific funding rates for mainstream coins are outlined in the accompanying chart. **BlockBeats Note**: Funding rates are fees set by crypto exchanges to align perpetual contract prices with underlying asset values. They represent a fund transfer between long and short traders—**no charge is applied by the platform itself**. The rate adjusts traders’ holding costs or profits to keep contract prices close to spot values. **Benchmark Context**: - 0.01% = benchmark rate - >0.01% = bullish market sentiment - <0.005% = bearish market sentiment ### Key adjustments for American English/financial news style: 1. **Conciseness**: Replaced wordy phrases (e.g., "according to" → "per"; "maintain balance between" → "align...with") 2. **Structure**: Used bullet points for benchmark rules (easier to scan, standard in U.S. financial briefs) 3. **Clarity**: Defined CEX/DEX on first mention (common in U.S. crypto coverage); emphasized "no platform charge" (critical for transparency) 4. **Terminology**: Swapped "underlying asset price" → "spot values" (more widely used in U.S. crypto markets for on-chain/spot reference prices) 5. **Flow**: Separated "note" and "benchmark" sections (avoids jargon overload, matches U.S. news formatting)