Why do futures feel way more rewarding than spot trading?

Been on spot for a while, but lately I’ve been testing futures. Between leverage, shorting, and reward systems on some platforms, it feels like I’m getting way more out of it than just holding bags.
Am I missing something, or is futures just the natural upgrade from spot?

For example, on VDEX, my trades don’t just count for P&L, they also stack points toward a weekly reward pool ($1k–$5k). So even when I break even, I feel like I’m still gaining something.