Liquidation Cascade Modeling
Liquidation cascade modeling is the simulation of how a series of automatic liquidations in a lending protocol can lead to a broader market crash. When an asset's price falls below a certain threshold, automated smart contracts begin liquidating the collateral of borrowers to cover their loans.
If the liquidations are large enough, they create further downward pressure on the price, triggering even more liquidations. Modeling this process involves analyzing the distribution of loan-to-value ratios, the depth of liquidity, and the speed of the liquidation process.
This analysis is critical for protocol developers to design more resilient margin engines and for risk managers to anticipate the potential for market-wide instability during sharp downturns.