Stock perpetuals: exposure without share ownership
A stock perpetual gives you a contract linked to a share price, not the share itself. Understand the funding, margin and corporate-action terms before comparing it with another way to hold equity exposure.
What Arcus is- Type
- Perpetual derivatives across asset classes
- Markets
- Use the current displayed snapshot
- Hours
- Per-market session and operational rules
- Data
- Cached fields and observed history
The mechanics of the contract
Long and short positions trade on a venue order book. Funding helps link the contract to a reference, but price deviations remain possible. No scheduled expiry does not mean permanent availability: liquidation, delisting and contract events can end a position.
Initial margin governs opening or increasing exposure; maintenance margin governs liquidation eligibility. The absence of a share-delivery requirement does not remove collateral risk.
Compare the legal exposure, not just the ticker
A CFD is a broker contract; a tokenized equity product depends on its issuer and custody terms. Neither label alone proves voting, redemption or dividend rights. Review each instrument rather than transferring one product’s promises to another.
| Product | What you hold | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Stock perpetual | A margined derivative | Funding, liquidation and corporate-action adjustments |
| CFD | A contract with the broker | Broker pricing, financing and adjustment terms |
| Tokenized equity | Rights specified by the issuer | Custody, redemption, dividends and voting terms |
Funding is a cost to measure
Arcus describes a base rate plus a premium, with hourly settlement. Rates and the off-hours regime can change the cost of holding. An annualized displayed rate is a projection of a short interval, not guaranteed income or a fixed annual fee.
Include entry/exit fees, price moves and actual funding payments. A past category median is not today’s rate for the symbol or your account.
Dividends: no ownership, but check adjustments
A perp gives no shareholder entitlement. That does not justify saying there can never be an economic dividend adjustment. Arcus technical RWA documentation describes funding adjustments, while its help-center answer describes cash-dividend credits as a future feature.
These official sources disagree on implementation status. Check the current contract notice and actual settlement records before relying on compensation. This guide cannot establish which mechanism is live for a particular event.
Minimum order size and a usable next step
The official minimum-size answer says the minimum varies by market in underlying units. Check quantity step, minimum size and price tick for the selected symbol; a notional estimate also depends on price. There is no verified permanent universal dollar minimum.
Use the public board to shortlist markets, then verify current specifications at the venue. Account eligibility, margin and depth still determine whether an order can be accepted and filled.
Sources and observation limits
Reviewed 26 September 2026. Educational copy, not a trade recommendation or an audit of venue execution. Check current contract parameters and account eligibility; historical board observations are not live quotes.
Questions
Is a stock perpetual a share?
No. It is a margined derivative without shareholder ownership or voting rights.
Are dividends always lost or always compensated?
Neither universal claim is supported here. Official Arcus technical and help documents differ about implementation; verify the current event-specific terms and settlement.
What is the minimum order?
It is market-specific, denominated in underlying units. Check the venue’s current quantity and tick rules, then estimate notional at the relevant price.
Can I hold it indefinitely?
No scheduled expiry is not a guarantee: margin shortfalls, delisting, corporate actions or other contract rules can close or alter the position.