What Should I Do If I Get a Margin Call on Crypto Futures?

When you receive a margin call on Crypto Futures, you have two effective responses: add balance to your USDT margin wallet to bring your Margin Level back down, or close some or all of your open positions to cut your exposure directly. Both actions restore room between your current Margin Level and the liquidation threshold, but they solve different problems — adding margin keeps the position open and only makes sense if you still want that exposure and can afford to fund it, while closing positions locks in your current result and stops further losses immediately. Waiting without acting is the one response that doesn't work, because a margin call is a live warning that your Margin Level is climbing toward the point where Pluang's system closes the position for you automatically; the notification itself doesn't buy you extra time, it only tells you the clock has already started.

• Adding balance to your USDT margin wallet increases your available margin, giving your open position more room to absorb price moves before hitting the liquidation threshold. Take this option if you still believe in the position and can afford to add funds without over-extending your account.
• Closing your open positions removes or reduces your exposure directly, which stops further losses on that position immediately. This is the more conservative option if you'd rather lock in the current outcome than risk further downside.
• Partial closes are allowed — you don't have to choose between adding margin or closing everything. Trimming part of a position reduces exposure and can bring your Margin Level down without exiting the trade entirely.
• The stage of your margin call matters. An early-stage call still lets you add margin or trade normally on that contract; a later-stage call may restrict you to closing positions only, so the options available narrow the longer you wait.
• Acting quickly matters. A margin call means your Margin Level is approaching the liquidation threshold — the longer you wait, the less room you have to respond before the position is liquidated automatically.

Related questions:

Q: What happens if I ignore a margin call?
If your Margin Level keeps rising and you take no action, your position is liquidated automatically once it hits the liquidation threshold — there's no additional grace period beyond the margin call itself. Pluang doesn't send a second chance after that point: the exchange closes the position automatically and the clearing house, Kliring Komoditi Indonesia (KKI), takes it over. On Cross Margin, your USDT margin balance is reset to 0 and the loss appears in your Realised P&L; on Isolated Margin, you lose only the margin allocated to that position. Liquidation cannot be reversed. Ignoring repeated margin call notifications is effectively choosing to let the system decide the outcome for you.

Q: Which wallet do I need to top up to respond to a margin call?
Your USDT margin wallet — Crypto Futures positions are margined and settled in USDT, so additional margin needs to be added there specifically, not to your Spot wallet or any other currency balance. If your margin balance is low, buying USDT tops it up directly, since Crypto Futures is a USDT-pair product only. A low balance sitting in your Spot wallet doesn't limit your Futures margin on its own — the two balances are managed separately within the app. Moving USDT the other way, out of your margin account, during a margin call triggers a warning, because it lowers your margin and can bring liquidation closer.

Q: Can I just close part of my position instead of all of it?
Yes. Closing part of your position reduces your exposure and can improve your Margin Level without exiting the trade completely, which is useful if you still want to hold a smaller version of the same position rather than exit entirely. A partial close works the same way as a full close mechanically — you simply specify a smaller size — and it's often the more balanced choice when you're unsure whether the market will reverse or keep moving against you.

Q: Does adding margin guarantee my position won't be liquidated?
No. It improves your Margin Level and buys more room against price moves, but it doesn't eliminate liquidation risk if the market keeps moving against you. You may need to add margin more than once during a strong, sustained move, and there's a practical limit to how much you can or should keep adding to a single losing position. At some point, closing or reducing the position may be the more sensible response than continuing to fund it.

Q: Does it matter if I'm at the Initial or Final Margin Call stage?
Yes. At the Initial stage you can still add margin or close positions freely, including opening new ones on the same contract. Once you reach the Final stage, Pluang only allows you to close positions or open new ones that reduce your existing exposure — any order that would add to or worsen your position is rejected outright. Resolving a margin call at the Initial stage keeps far more options open than waiting until the Final stage forces your hand.