Cross-Margin Liquidation Risk
Cross-margin liquidation risk occurs when a trader uses the equity from one profitable position to support a losing position in the same account. While this allows for greater capital efficiency, it creates a systemic risk where a single failing trade can trigger the liquidation of the entire portfolio.
In highly volatile crypto markets, a sharp move against one asset can quickly deplete the total account equity, forcing the closure of all positions regardless of their individual performance. This mechanism can lead to significant slippage and price impact if large portfolios are liquidated simultaneously.
Traders must understand the interconnectedness of their holdings to manage the risk of losing healthy positions due to the failure of a single high-leverage trade.