The liquidation price is the price at which a crypto futures exchange force-closes a leveraged position. It is calculated before the trade opens, using four variables: entry price, leverage, maintenance margin rate, and position size. When mark price reaches that…
Kraken’s newly launched US spot margin product allows eligible retail traders to access up to 10x leverage through a CFTC-registered entity. The launch focused attention on leverage availability, borrowing costs, and access for retail traders. Less attention was given to…
A margin call is a warning from your exchange that your account equity has fallen below the maintenance margin threshold. A liquidation is what happens when you do not act. The exchange force-closes the position and takes the margin. The…
Every exchange sets a minimum equity requirement for keeping a leveraged position open. If your account balance drops below that level, the exchange closes the trade. That level is the maintenance margin, and it sits at the core of how…
Futures and margin trading are two of the most common ways traders use leverage in crypto markets. Both allow participants to control positions larger than their actual capital, amplify gains and losses, and both can trigger forced liquidations when risk…
In crypto futures trading, liquidation is a risk control mechanism. When you open a leveraged position, your margin acts as a buffer against losses. As the market moves against that position, your equity declines. If it falls below the required…
In the second half of 2025, data from Leverage.Trading’s risk calculators showed that U.S. retail crypto derivatives traders checked their liquidation risk about twice as often per trader as the global average during high-volatility periods. In practical terms, this means…
A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell an asset at a specific price on a specific date. Unlike the spot market, where you pay and take ownership immediately, futures allow you to lock in a price…
Margin in trading is your own capital that you set aside as collateral to open and keep a leveraged position alive. It’s the buffer that decides how long your trade survives when the price moves the wrong way. Most traders…
Leverage in trading allows a trader to open a position larger than the capital they commit upfront, using margin as collateral instead of fully funding the trade. In simple terms, leverage separates a trader’s exposure from their cash on hand.…