Bybit Inverse contracts are different from USDT-margined futures. Before you start trading them with 3Commas, make sure your Bybit account is prepared correctly and that you understand how positions work on the exchange.
Step 1: Fund your Unified Trading account with the settlement asset
To trade Inverse contracts on Bybit, you must first deposit the settlement asset into your Unified Trading account.
Examples:
BTCUSD uses BTC
ETHUSD uses ETH
You need the required settlement asset in your Bybit account before you can trade that Inverse contract.
Step 2: Enable the asset as collateral
If you use Cross Margin, make sure the settlement asset is enabled as collateral in Bybit.
To do this:
Open Assets
Go to Unified Trading
Find the asset you want to use, such as BTC or ETH
Turn on Use as Collateral
If the asset is not enabled as collateral, 3Commas may return margin-related exchange errors. For Bybit Inverse Perpetual accounts using Cross margin, balance display can differ from what users expect, and collateral held in other currencies may not be reflected in 3Commas trading forms the same way.
Step 3: Connect your Bybit account to 3Commas
After your account is funded and the required asset is enabled as collateral, connect your Bybit account or sub-account to 3Commas.
You can then use:
DCA bots
Signal bots
Grid bots
SmartTrade
3Commas supports Bybit UTA connections. If you use manual API keys, you may need to manually add the Inverse Perpetual account if it is not connected automatically.
Important: Bybit Inverse works in One-Way mode only
Bybit Inverse perpetual contracts do not support Hedge Mode. These contracts use One-Way mode, which means:
the exchange keeps only one net position per pair
you cannot hold separate Long and Short positions at the same time on the same Inverse contract
This is different from Bybit USDT-M, where Hedge Mode support is available in 3Commas.
You can verify this on Bybit: Trade → Futures → Inverse → Settings → Margin Mode
Bybit explicitly states that: Hedge mode is supported for USDT-Perpetual contracts only.
3Commas does not support Bybit Portfolio Margin accounts. If Portfolio Margin is chosen in Bybit, change it before using 3Commas.
How this affects trading in 3Commas
Because Bybit Inverse uses a single net position per pair, automation in 3Commas behaves differently from Bybit USDT-M contracts.
DCA bots
A DCA bot can trade Long or Short, but not both at the same time on the same pair.
If two DCA bots try to open opposite trades on the same Inverse contract:
the first bot that opens the position can succeed
the opposite bot may fail because the exchange already has an open net position for that pair
If you want to switch direction:
close the current position first
then open a new trade in the opposite direction
If your strategy needs to switch direction automatically, use reversal logic instead of trying to keep both directions open at the same time.
Please review more details on how to set up the Reverse strategy with Custom Signals here: Reverse your position with TradingView custom signals
Signal bots
Signal bots follow the same One-Way exchange logic.
This means:
you cannot maintain simultaneous Long and Short trades on the same Bybit Inverse pair
the current position must be closed before the opposite one starts
If your strategy is designed to switch direction, use Reverse position in the Signal Bot advanced settings. When enabled:
a Long signal closes an active Short position and opens a new Long
a Short signal closes an active Long position and opens a new Short
This limitation still applies even if Beast Mode is enabled. Beast Mode does not allow Signal Bots to maintain simultaneous independent Long and Short positions on the same Bybit Inverse pair.
Signal Bots may return errors such as Position is already opened if an opposite position already exists.
If you want to switch direction, close the current position first or use Reverse position instead of trying to keep both directions open at the same time.
SmartTrade
SmartTrade also follows the same exchange-side limitation.
If you try to open a SmartTrade in the opposite direction while a position already exists on the same Inverse pair, the SmartTrade may receive a Failed status in 3Commas.
This is expected behavior because the exchange allows only one net position per pair.
Grid bots
Grid bots can be used on Bybit Inverse contracts, but only in one direction per pair at a time.
This means:
only one directional exposure can be active on the same pair
simultaneous Long and Short grid strategies on the same Inverse contract are not supported
Using Beast Mode (Advanced)
Some users may think they are running both Long and Short at the same time on Bybit Inverse, especially when Beast Mode is enabled.
Beast Mode allows multiple trades on the same Futures contract, but exchanges like Bybit still keep a single net position, not multiple independent positions. Opposite trades can reduce or reverse the net position, which may look like hedging from the 3Commas side, but it is still one exchange position.
With DCA bots, Beast Mode can make opposite trades appear to hedge, but the exchange still maintains one net position per pair.
Signal Bots do not support that same behavior on Bybit Inverse. Even with Beast Mode enabled, Signal Bots cannot maintain simultaneous independent Long and Short positions on the same pair. If an opposite position already exists, the bot may return errors such as Position is already opened.
If you want to switch direction with a Signal Bot, close the current position first or use Reverse position instead of trying to keep both directions open at the same time.
Important:
Beast Mode disables several checks in 3Commas
it increases liquidation risk
position tracking and statistics may no longer be accurate
it should be used only by advanced traders who fully understand the risks
3Commas also warns that Beast Mode can create complex net-position scenarios and can cause errors or leftover positions, especially in setups that use multiple Take Profit steps.