Intersango is trying, but BitFloor has the right formula.
At Intersango liquidity takers PAY 0.95% and liquidity providers PAY 0.35%.
At BitFloor liquidity takers PAY 0.4% and liquidity providers RECEIVE 0.1%
I trade BTC/USD at Mt Gox, Crypto X Change, Intersango, CampBX and BitFloor. Each one has their advantages, but when it comes to commission structure, BitFloor has shown the way.
This would be great. It's the beginnings of a bitcoin bank: a way for holders to make money simply by constantly offering their capital for sale.
Heh. Sure, we all want lower fees. BitFloor makes substantially less per transaction. It's their choice.
The amount made per transaction is independent of the principle of paying the liquidity provider. Mt.Gox make 0.65% * 2 per transaction. That can be split anywhere they like, and the percentage to provider can be anything they like. For example if the liquidity provider is paid 0.5%, then the liquidity taker has to pay that 0.5% plus the 1.3% trade fee = 1.8%. I'm not saying that would be good; but it's to demonstrate that paying the provider is a separate issue.
Personally, I'd like to see 0.2% to the provider, and 0.8% to Intersango; making the taker fee 1%. That would leave them comparable with Mt.Gox (when we consider a round trip with one provision, one take), but with a profit incentive to attract customers. Let's remember that it is the liquidity providers that matter; the liquidity takers will follow them. People are already talking about leaving capital at Bitcoinica now that it's paying interest. Intersango could achieve the same.
I really would like Intersango to succeed; but they don't seem to realise that being more expensive that the market leader with no unique selling point (other than some hand waving about trustworthiness) is not the way to entice customers.