Margin Waterfalls

Mechanism

Margin waterfalls represent a structured hierarchy of liquidation procedures deployed by crypto derivatives exchanges to mitigate counterparty risk when a trader’s equity falls below maintenance requirements. This automated sequence dictates the precise order in which collateral is seized, positions are de-leveraged, and insurance funds are engaged to ensure market solvency. By prioritizing specific asset classes or sub-accounts for liquidation, these protocols prevent cascading losses from destabilizing the broader order book during periods of extreme volatility.