Understanding Order Liquidation: How It Works on Trading Platforms

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In unified trading accounts, margin levels play a critical role in determining when your positions get liquidated. This guide explains the mechanics, common misconceptions, and risk management protocols used by platforms like OKX.

Key Factors Triggering Liquidation

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Calculating Your Liquidation Price

Platforms provide estimators (like OKX's derivative trading calculator) to help traders anticipate liquidation triggers. Important notes:

  1. Multi-Position Accounts: Liquidation prices vary when holding multiple assets in unified accounts.
  2. Real-Time Updates: Market volatility affects actual liquidation prices versus estimates.

Account Mode-Specific Calculations

Margin level computations differ by account type:

Account ModeCalculation Method
Single-Currency MarginCollateral value vs. position size
Cross-Margin TradingPortfolio-wide collateral evaluation
Isolated MarginPosition-specific collateral only

For detailed methodologies:

Risk Mitigation Strategies

  1. Maintain Healthy Margin Levels (Always >110%)
  2. Use Stop-Loss Orders to preempt automatic closures
  3. Diversify Collateral to reduce single-asset volatility risks

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FAQ: Order Liquidation Explained

Q: Why does liquidation occur above 0% margin?
A: To protect both traders and the platform from cascading market impacts during extreme volatility.

Q: Can I recover funds after liquidation?
A: No - once executed, closures are irreversible. Focus on prevention via margin management.

Q: How often are liquidation prices recalculated?
A: Continuously, based on real-time market data and collateral value fluctuations.

Q: Are there alternatives to forced liquidation?
A: Some platforms offer margin top-up alerts or auto-collateral transfer features.


Legal Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Digital assets involve substantial risk - consult a professional before trading. ยฉ 2025 OKX. All rights reserved.