Capital Depletion

Definition

Capital depletion refers to the erosion of an investor’s principal balance resulting from sustained losses, aggressive margin calls, or excessive transaction costs within high-velocity cryptocurrency derivatives markets. It manifests when account equity falls below the threshold required to maintain open positions, effectively limiting an actor’s ability to participate in further market movements. This process often accelerates during periods of extreme volatility where slippage and liquidation penalties aggressively reduce available collateral.