Equity
Equity in a trading account is the total value of the account if all open positions were closed at the current market price. It is calculated by taking the sum of the account balance and the unrealized profit or loss from all open positions.
Equity represents the true net worth of the trader at any given moment. Unlike the cash balance, which only tracks settled funds, equity reflects the immediate impact of market volatility.
It is the primary metric used to determine whether a trader meets margin requirements. If equity drops significantly, it directly reduces the available margin, limiting the ability to open new trades.
Maintaining sufficient equity is the foundation of long-term survival in derivatives trading. It is the dynamic measure of account health.