What Is Margin Ratio, and How Does It Affect Crypto Futures Transactions?

Margin Ratio measures how close your account is to liquidation, calculated as Total Maintenance Margin divided by the sum of Available Margin and Total Maintenance Margin. It rises on a scale from 0% to 100%+ as your margin balance shrinks relative to what's required, and it directly drives every warning stage your account can hit: an Initial Margin Call once it passes 50%, a Final Margin Call once it passes 75%, and liquidation at 100%. For example, if your Total Maintenance Margin is $60 and your Available Margin is $40, your Margin Ratio is $60 ÷ ($40 + $60) = 60% — already past the Initial Margin Call threshold. Margin Ratio ties directly into how you manage every open Crypto Futures position: it reflects both your margin balance and the live market price of your positions, so it moves independently of how much profit or loss you've actually realized, and it's the single number that tells you how much room you have left before your account faces forced action.

• At 50%, you receive an Initial Margin Call — a first warning that your ratio is climbing toward risk territory, and it's your cue to review your open positions before things escalate further.
• At 75%, you receive a Final Margin Call, at which point you can only close your position — opening new positions or adding to existing ones isn't allowed until the ratio comes back down.
• At 100%, liquidation occurs: all open positions are transferred to the Clearing Liquidation Account, your margin wallet balance goes to zero, and you don't get anything back from what remained.
• Because Margin Ratio moves with both your margin balance and the market price of your positions, it can climb quickly during fast, adverse price moves — checking it regularly, especially during volatile sessions, is the best way to stay ahead of a margin call.
• Adding margin and reducing position size both lower Margin Ratio directly, since the first increases Available Margin and the second reduces Total Maintenance Margin — either move widens your buffer.

Related questions:

Q: How is Margin Ratio calculated?
Total Maintenance Margin divided by the sum of Available Margin and Total Maintenance Margin — the higher the result, the closer you are to liquidation. For example, $60 Maintenance Margin against $40 Available Margin gives a 60% ratio, already past the Initial Margin Call level, which is why tracking both inputs matters more than watching price alone. Both figures update in real time as your open positions move, so the ratio itself is a live number, not a one-time calculation.

Q: What happens at a 50% Margin Ratio?
You get an Initial Margin Call, a first-stage warning telling you to add margin or reduce your position before the ratio climbs further. At this stage you can still open new positions and manage your portfolio normally — it's a signal to act, not yet a restriction, so treat it as an early opportunity to rebuild your buffer before the Final Margin Call stage arrives and limits your options.

Q: What happens at a 75% Margin Ratio?
You get a Final Margin Call — at this stage you can only close your position, not open new ones or add to it. This is a harder restriction than the Initial Margin Call, since Pluang is limiting your options specifically to reduce risk rather than let the position grow while it's this close to liquidation, giving you one last window to reduce exposure before the ratio reaches 100%.

Q: What happens if my Margin Ratio hits 100%?
Your positions are liquidated, transferred to the Clearing Liquidation Account, and your margin wallet balance drops to zero with nothing returned. This is the final and irreversible stage of the process, which is why acting during the Initial or Final Margin Call stages is the only way to avoid reaching it — once liquidation triggers, there's no way to reverse it or recover the margin that was in place.

Q: Can I reduce my Margin Ratio before it reaches a margin call?
Yes — adding margin or reducing your position size both lower your Margin Ratio and move you away from liquidation risk. Adding margin increases the Available Margin side of the formula, while reducing position size lowers the Total Maintenance Margin side, and either action can be taken proactively before any warning appears, well before your account approaches the 50% threshold.