This article addresses our spot margin offering. Learn more about Coinbase’s spot margin experience.
Margin trading is high risk and is not suitable for everyone. Leverage amplifies losses as well as gains, and you could lose all of your collateral, or more. If your margin reaches the liquidation threshold, we may sell your collateral without further notice. Depending on where you live, margin loans may be unregulated, with no regulatory recourse. Before you start, read the spot margin risk disclosures and who provides your spot margin services.
Fund your margin portfolio by transferring collateral. Buying power depends on the collateral you hold and the market you trade.
Fund your margin portfolio
You can fund your margin portfolio in two ways:
Transfer from other portfolio: You can transfer eligible collateral from your Primary or other portfolio into your margin portfolio.
Deposit crypto directly: You can deposit crypto onchain directly into your Margin portfolio.
Advanced
To transfer crypto from another portfolio:
Sign in to Coinbase.com or the Coinbase app.
Select the Advanced toggle.
Open your Margin portfolio.
Select Transfer.
Select the collateral asset to transfer.
Enter an amount and confirm the transfer.
To deposit crypto onchain:
Sign in to Coinbase.com or the Coinbase app.
Select the Advanced toggle.
Open your Margin portfolio.
Select Deposit.
Select the collateral asset to deposit.
Copy the deposit address and send the crypto.
Collateral value
Each asset has a collateral weight (haircut). Meaning, $100 of an asset may count as less than $100 toward your margin. Collateral haircuts get added as an additional Initial Margin charge. For example, a deposit $100 of SOL is deposited to your Margin portfolio:
SOL Haircut: 15%
Margin Balance: $100
Initial Margin: $15
Available Margin: $85
Buying power
Buying power differs by market because available leverage and haircuts differ by asset.
Available balance: The amount of the spendable asset you hold. When you buy Bitcoin (BTC), this is USD Coin (USDC). When you sell BTC, this is BTC.
Available to borrow: How much more you can borrow on this market, dependent on leverage and collateral haircuts. Learn more about borrow limits below.
Total buying power: Available plus available to borrow. For example, $100 available plus $900 available to borrow gives you $1,000.
Borrow limits
Three limits can stop you from borrowing more: a limit for each asset, a limit for your account across all assets, and an overall limit for the asset across all customers.
Available balance
After funding your portfolio and opening a position, your available balance to withdraw depends on your outstanding loans and margin requirements.
Total balance: The value of all assets in your margin portfolio.
Margin balance: The value of the assets that count as collateral.
Available to withdraw: Total balance minus loan proceeds and initial margin.
Related articles