External Collateral

Mechanism

Assets held outside the immediate smart contract environment serve as off-chain security to back derivative positions, mitigating systemic risk within decentralized ecosystems. By decoupling the collateral from the execution layer, traders maintain liquidity and operational control while satisfying stringent margin requirements. This arrangement ensures solvency through transparent custodial verification or escrowed third-party arrangements, preventing catastrophic loss during periods of extreme market volatility.
Death Spirals A visual representation of the intricate architecture underpinning decentralized finance DeFi derivatives protocols.

Death Spirals

Meaning ⎊ A recursive feedback loop where falling prices trigger forced liquidations and selling that further depress asset value.