Hedging
Hedging is a risk management strategy used to offset potential losses in an investment by taking an opposite position in a related asset. In the context of cryptocurrency and derivatives, this might involve holding a long position in a spot asset while simultaneously opening a short position in a futures contract.
If the price of the asset drops, the loss on the spot position is partially or fully offset by the profit on the short position. Hedging does not eliminate risk, but it helps to manage it by reducing the impact of adverse price movements.
Traders often use stop loss orders in conjunction with hedging to define the maximum loss they are willing to sustain on a hedged position, providing an extra layer of protection against unexpected market events.