Enter the position value and the leverage. The calculator returns the margin you must lock, how much balance is left and where liquidation sits.
Initial margin = position value ÷ leverage
Maintenance margin = position value × maintenance rate
Long liquidation ≈ entry × (1 − 1 ÷ leverage + maintenance rate)
Short liquidation ≈ entry × (1 + 1 ÷ leverage − maintenance rate)
Margin is the collateral the exchange locks to keep a leveraged position open. Leverage does not change how much you gain or lose per unit of price move. It changes how much of your balance is tied up and how close liquidation sits.
This is the isolated-margin view. With cross margin the whole balance backs the position and liquidation is further away, but a losing trade can drain everything. Fees, funding paid so far and the exchange's margin tiers all move the real number, so check the figure your exchange shows before relying on it.
Questions people ask
What is initial margin?
The collateral the exchange locks when you open a leveraged position. It equals the position value divided by the leverage: a $10,000 position at 10x needs $1,000.
What is the difference between initial and maintenance margin?
Initial margin is what you lock to open the trade. Maintenance margin is the minimum the position must keep. If your equity on the trade falls to that level, the exchange liquidates it.
Does higher leverage mean more profit?
No. Profit per unit of price move is the same. Higher leverage lets you open a larger position with the same margin, which magnifies both gains and losses and brings liquidation closer.