i What this calculator does
Quick answer: A leveraged crypto position is liquidated when losses eat the margin down to the maintenance margin; at 10x that is roughly a 9.5% move against you, at 50x about 1.5%. With the default inputs the calculator returns liquidation price: 63 351.41.
A perpetual future lets you trade a cryptocurrency with leverage and no expiry date. The exchange holds your margin, and when losses reduce it to the maintenance margin it closes the position, which is liquidation. The price at which that happens depends on the leverage, the maintenance margin rate for your position size, whether the margin is isolated to the position or shared across the account, and the fees and funding paid while you hold. This calculator applies the standard formula for USDT-margined linear contracts used by the major exchanges and shows how far price can move before the position is closed.
It also shows the bankruptcy price, where the whole initial margin is gone, and a table of liquidation distances from 2x to 125x. The basics of liquidation are in what liquidation means in trading.
This calculator is for educational purposes only. Results are estimates and may vary depending on market conditions, spreads, commissions, platform settings, and exchange rates. It should not be considered financial advice.
Common results
What the calculator returns as the leverage changes, with every other input at its default (direction Long, entry price 70000, position size 10000, margin mode Isolated, extra margin or wallet balance, usdt 0, maintenance margin rate 0.4, maintenance amount 0, taker fee 0.05).
| Leverage | Liquidation price | Move to liquidation | Initial margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2x | 35 238.96 | 49.66% | 5 000.00 USDT |
| 5x | 56 323.29 | 19.54% | 2 000.00 USDT |
| 10x | 63 351.41 | 9.50% | 1 000.00 USDT |
| 20x | 66 865.46 | 4.48% | 500.00 USDT |
| 50x | 68 973.90 | 1.47% | 200.00 USDT |
| 100x | 69 676.71 | 0.46% | 100.00 USDT |
Isolated against cross margin
In isolated margin only the margin assigned to the position can be lost, so a liquidation ends the trade but leaves the rest of the account untouched. In cross margin the entire wallet balance backs every open position, which pushes the liquidation price further away, but a liquidation can take the whole balance. Cross margin suits traders hedging several positions; isolated margin makes the maximum loss on each trade explicit. Enter your wallet balance in cross mode to see how much further away the liquidation price moves.
Maintenance margin tiers, fees and funding
Exchanges set a maintenance margin rate that rises with position size, in tiers, with a maintenance amount that keeps the calculation continuous between tiers. Look up the rate and amount for your position size on your exchange; the first tier for large coins is typically well under 1%. Opening fees and funding payments come out of your margin, so a long held for days at a positive funding rate drifts closer to liquidation even if price does not move. The leverage calculator shows effective leverage on the whole account.
Why liquidation is not your stop-loss
Exchanges liquidate at the mark price, which is designed to resist manipulation but can still gap in fast markets, and liquidation fees mean you lose more than the distance alone suggests. A stop-loss placed well before the liquidation price, sized from the amount you are willing to lose, controls the outcome; liquidation does not. The crypto position size calculator sizes a trade from its stop, and how much of a portfolio belongs in crypto covers the bigger picture.
Spotted an outdated figure? If a rate, limit or formula in this calculator no longer matches its source, email us the page and the source. A material correction is dated on the Updates Log.
Frequently asked questions
How is the liquidation price calculated?
For a USDT-margined position it is (wallet balance + maintenance amount − side × quantity × entry) ÷ (quantity × maintenance rate − side × quantity), where side is +1 for a long and −1 for a short.
How far can Bitcoin move before a 10x long is liquidated?
About 9.5% with a 0.4% maintenance margin rate and isolated margin, slightly less after fees and funding.
Is cross margin safer than isolated margin?
Cross margin moves the liquidation price further away, but if it is reached the whole account balance can be lost. Isolated margin caps the loss at the position’s margin.
Why was I liquidated before price reached my liquidation price on the chart?
Exchanges use the mark price, not the last traded price, and fees and funding reduce your margin over time. Both can bring liquidation earlier than a simple chart reading suggests.
Does funding affect my liquidation price?
Yes. Funding paid comes out of your margin, so paying funding moves the liquidation price closer; receiving it moves it away.
Is 100x leverage ever sensible?
At 100x a move of under 0.5% liquidates the position, which is ordinary noise in crypto. It is used for very short, small positions; for most traders it guarantees liquidation.
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