Liquidation distance ≈ 1 / leverage. At 10× leverage, a 10% price move against your position wipes the collateral. At 100×, just 1% does it.
Effective margin loss accelerates non-linearly with leverage: doubling from 10× to 20× halves the liquidation distance from 10% to 5%. Real exchange liquidation triggers earlier than the math due to maintenance margin (typically 0.5-1% buffer).
| Price Change | Price | 1x P&L | 3x P&L | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -50% | $1,050 | -5,000 | LIQUIDATED | LIQ |
| -30% | $1,470 | -3,000 | -9,000 | LOSS |
| -20% | $1,680 | -2,000 | -6,000 | LOSS |
| -10% | $1,890 | -1,000 | -3,000 | LOSS |
| -5% | $1,995 | -500 | -1,500 | LOSS |
| +5% | $2,205 | +500 | +1,500 | PROFIT |
| +10% | $2,310 | +1,000 | +3,000 | PROFIT |
| +20% | $2,520 | +2,000 | +6,000 | PROFIT |
| +30% | $2,730 | +3,000 | +9,000 | PROFIT |
| +50% | $3,150 | +5,000 | +15,000 | PROFIT |
| +100% | $4,200 | +10,000 | +30,000 | PROFIT |
Educational tool. Not financial advice. Leverage amplifies losses; funding rates, liquidation cascades, and exchange-specific maintenance margin can wipe positions before the indicative liquidation price.
Liquidation distance by leverage ratio
| Leverage | Liquidation move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1× (no leverage) | −100% to liquidate | Spot — only zero kills you |
| 2× | −50% | Halve your collateral and you're out |
| 3× | −33.3% | Common spot margin |
| 5× | −20% | Crypto perp default |
| 10× | −10% | Aggressive perp |
| 20× | −5% | Day-trade leverage |
| 25× | −4% | BTC/USDT typical max |
| 50× | −2% | Very risky — minor wick kills |
| 75× | −1.33% | Extreme — pure gambling |
| 100× | −1% | Binance max — single candle wipe |
| 125× | −0.8% | BitMEX old max |
| 200× | −0.5% | MEXC-style — virtually unwinnable |
Crypto Leverage Calculator
See how leverage amplifies both gains and losses. Enter your position size, leverage multiplier, and entry price to visualize P&L across different price movements. Compare leveraged vs spot performance side by side.
How to calculate leverage
- Enter your margin (the collateral you commit) and the leverage multiplier.
- The tool shows your effective position size — margin × leverage — and the initial notional.
- Add the liquidation price based on maintenance margin requirements, so you see the move that wipes the position.
- Use the P&L projection to see how a 1% move in the underlying translates into a 10% or 25% move in your account depending on leverage.
Common use cases
- Sizing a leveraged trade so a single adverse move does not threaten your account.
- Comparing the risk profile of 2x, 5x and 10x on the same underlying to pick a reasonable level.
- Calculating the distance to liquidation after a position moves against you, before deciding whether to add margin or close.
- Modelling how a funding-rate-adjusted perpetual differs from a spot leverage position over weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Is leverage always worse than spot?
Leverage amplifies both gains and losses. It works for short-term moves with tight stops; it is brutal over long holds where small moves accumulate to forced liquidation. The higher the leverage, the shorter the safe holding period.
What is maintenance margin?
The minimum collateral required to keep a position open. If your equity falls below this, the exchange liquidates. Initial margin is what you put up to open; maintenance is what you need to stay open.
Does funding rate affect perpetuals?
Yes. Long perpetuals typically pay a funding fee to shorts (and vice versa) every 8 hours. Over weeks, funding can eat a meaningful chunk of return — it matters more than casual traders expect.
Is my data stored?
No. Calculations happen in your browser.
About leveraged trading
Leverage allows you to control a larger position with less capital. A 10x long means a 10% price increase gives you 100% profit, but a 10% drop wipes out your margin. Higher leverage = higher risk.
- P&L chart: leveraged vs spot across price changes
- Long and Short position support
- Liquidation price and distance calculation
- Leverage up to 125x (exchange-style)
- Scenario table with status badges
- Export chart as PNG
Free. No signup. Inputs stay in your browser. Ads via AdSense (consent required).
By Marco B. ·