Crypto Futures Margin Calculator
How much initial margin a perpetual position locks up, plus the opening fee. Inputs: size, mark price and leverage.
Enter size, price and leverage
Initial margin formula
Initial margin is the collateral you lock to open a position. It equals the full notional value divided by your leverage. The exchange also charges a taker fee on the notional at the moment of opening.
Example: 0.1 BTC at $94,200, 10× on Binance → Notional $9,420, Margin $942, Fee $4.71, Total $946.71.
Margin modes explained
Choose the right margin mode before opening a position — switching after entry is not always possible.
Only the margin allocated to this position is at risk. The loss cannot exceed the amount you put in. Best for speculative, high-leverage positions.
The entire wallet balance backs all open positions. A losing position can draw from the same balance as a winning one — and wipe the whole account.
Frequently asked questions
What is initial margin in crypto futures?
Initial margin is the collateral the exchange locks when you open a perpetual futures position. It equals the notional value (size in base asset multiplied by mark price) divided by your chosen leverage. A 1 BTC position at $94,200 with 20x leverage requires $4,710 of initial margin. Once posted, this amount is reserved against the position and is released only when the position is closed or the leverage is reduced.
What is the difference between cross and isolated margin?
In isolated margin, only the amount you assign to a position can be lost; if the price reaches the liquidation level, the position closes and the rest of your wallet is untouched. In cross margin, the entire wallet balance backs every open position; gains on one trade extend the buffer of another, but a single liquidation can drain the whole account. Use isolated for testing or asymmetric bets, cross for hedged or directional books.
How is margin different from leverage?
Leverage is the ratio between notional position size and posted margin; margin is the actual dollar amount locked. They are two views of the same number: 10x leverage on a $10,000 notional means $1,000 of margin; 20x means $500 of margin. Higher leverage means lower margin and a closer liquidation price, but the size of the position (and so its dollar PnL per move) is unchanged.
What happens if I don't have enough margin to open a position?
The exchange rejects the order with an insufficient margin error before any fill happens. The minimum required is the initial margin plus the opening taker fee, computed against the order's notional. To unlock more buying power, either deposit funds, increase the position's leverage, or close other positions to free their margin. The calculator shows the exact dollar requirement so you can size against your free balance.
Is the opening fee deducted from the margin or from the free balance?
The opening fee is deducted from the free wallet balance, not from the position's initial margin. So the total amount your account needs is initial margin plus opening fee. For a $10,000 notional at 10x on Binance: $1,000 of initial margin plus $4.50 of taker fee equals $1,004.50 of free balance required. The calculator shows both lines separately.