The simplified formula for the Binance futures liquidation price is: Long liquidation price ≈ Entry price × (1 - 1 / Leverage + Maintenance Margin Ratio); for short, it is the opposite. The exact liquidation price is automatically displayed in the app after opening a position—you don't need to calculate it manually. The maintenance margin ratio ranges from 0.5% to 5% depending on the leverage and coin. Register an account from the Binance Official Site, get the APK via the Binance Official App, and see the cross-platform process in the Download Center. This article provides the calculation principles of the liquidation price.
Core Concept of Liquidation
Liquidation = Margin is insufficient to maintain the position → System forces closure.
Indicator: Margin Ratio
Formula:
Margin Ratio = Maintenance Margin / (Margin Balance + Unrealized PnL)
When the margin ratio > 100% → Liquidation.
Or conversely: When unrealized loss brings the margin close to the "maintenance margin" level → Liquidation.
Simplified Liquidation Price Formula
Long Liquidation Price
Liquidation Price = Entry Price × (1 - 1/Leverage + Maintenance Margin Ratio)
Or more simplified:
Liquidation Price ≈ Entry Price × (1 - 1/Leverage)
Example:
- Entry price: 60000 USDT
- Leverage: 10x
- Maintenance margin ratio: 0.5%
- Liquidation price ≈ 60000 × (1 - 1/10) = 60000 × 0.9 = 54000 USDT
Precise calculation (including maintenance margin):
- 60000 × (1 - 1/10 + 0.005) = 60000 × 0.905 = 54300 USDT
Nearly 10% reverse fluctuation leads to liquidation.
Short Liquidation Price
Liquidation Price ≈ Entry Price × (1 + 1/Leverage)
Example:
- Entry price: 60000
- Leverage: 10x
- Liquidation price ≈ 60000 × (1 + 1/10) = 66000 USDT
10% reverse fluctuation leads to liquidation.
Liquidation Thresholds for Each Leverage
Taking "long" as an example (short is symmetrical):
| Leverage | Reverse Fluctuation Threshold |
|---|---|
| 1x | 100% (Theoretically never) |
| 2x | 50% |
| 3x | 33% |
| 5x | 20% |
| 10x | 10% |
| 20x | 5% |
| 50x | 2% |
| 100x | 1% |
| 125x | 0.8% |
Maintenance Margin Ratio
Binance sets the maintenance margin ratio based on position value tiers:
BTC Futures (Example)
| Position Value (USDT) | Maintenance Margin Ratio |
|---|---|
| < $50,000 | 0.4% |
| $50,000-250,000 | 0.5% |
| $250,000-1M | 1.0% |
| $1M-5M | 2.5% |
| $5M-25M | 5% |
| $25M-50M | 10% |
| $50M-100M | 12.5% |
| > $100M | 15% |
The larger the position, the higher the maintenance margin ratio (risk control).
Altcoin Futures
Maintenance margin ratios for altcoins are usually higher (poor liquidity):
- Mainstream altcoins: 1-2.5%
- Extremely small altcoins: 5-10%
Checking the Liquidation Price in the App
The Binance app automatically displays it after opening a position:
Position Details Page
Enter the "Positions" page, where each position shows:
- Size
- Entry Price
- Mark Price
- PNL (Unrealized)
- Liq. Price (Liquidation price)
- Maintenance Margin
- Margin Ratio
Real-Time Updates
- Mark price changes
- Unrealized PnL changes
- Margin ratio changes
- The liquidation price usually stays the same (unless you add margin)
You do not need to calculate it manually; the app displays the precise value in real time.
Factors Influencing the Liquidation Price
1. Entry Price
- The execution price when you build the position
- Usually equals the market price (market orders)
2. Leverage
- The higher the leverage, the closer the liquidation price is to the entry price
- 100x leverage → Liquidation price is 1% away from the entry price
- 5x leverage → 20% away
3. Maintenance Margin Ratio
- The larger the position, the higher the maintenance margin ratio
- The liquidation price gets slightly further away (providing a buffer)
4. Adding Margin
- Adding margin to a position
- Pushes the liquidation price away from the current price
- Lowers the probability of liquidation (but increases capital usage)
5. Funding Rate
- Long-term accumulation of the funding rate affects margin
- Longs paying over a long period → Margin decreases → Liquidation price moves up (easier to be liquidated on longs)
Liquidation Price Calculation Examples
Example 1: Conservative Long
- Entry price: 60000
- Leverage: 3x
- Position: 30000 USDT (Margin 10000)
- Maintenance margin ratio: 0.4%
- Liquidation price ≈ 60000 × (1 - 1/3 + 0.004) = 60000 × 0.671 = 40240 USDT
BTC needs to drop 33% to be liquidated. The probability of this fluctuation within 30 days is relatively low.
Example 2: Aggressive Long
- Entry price: 60000
- Leverage: 50x
- Position: 500000 USDT (Margin 10000)
- Maintenance margin ratio: 0.5%
- Liquidation price ≈ 60000 × (1 - 1/50 + 0.005) = 60000 × 0.985 = 59100 USDT
It only takes a 1.5% drop in BTC to get liquidated. This is possible within 1 hour.
Example 3: Extremely Aggressive Long
- Entry price: 60000
- Leverage: 125x
- Position: 1.25M USDT (Margin 10000)
- Maintenance margin ratio: 1%
- Liquidation price ≈ 60000 × (1 - 1/125 + 0.01) = 60000 × 1.002 = 60120 USDT
Wait, this looks wrong. Liquidated immediately after opening a 125x leverage position?
In reality, 125x leverage has a stricter maintenance margin ratio (possibly 2-5%), and combined with order slippage, many 125x positions are liquidated as soon as they are opened. Therefore, the Binance system does not allow overly large positions to use 125x.
Delaying Liquidation by Adding Margin
If you are afraid of being liquidated, you can add margin:
Operation
- Enter position details
- Tap "Adjust Margin"
- Select "Add"
- Enter the amount
Effects
- Margin increases
- Liquidation price moves further away (moves down for longs)
- Leverage is "equivalently" reduced
Example:
- Original position: 10000 USDT margin × 10x = 100000 USDT position
- Add 10000 USDT margin → Total margin 20000 → Equivalent leverage 5x
- Liquidation price changes from -10% to -20%
Note
- Adding margin ≠ Solving the problem
- If the direction is wrong, adding margin merely delays the inevitable
- Cut losses when you should
Auto-Deleveraging (ADL) Mechanism
In a few extreme situations, Binance will perform "auto-deleveraging":
Trigger Conditions
- The insurance fund is insufficient to cover bankrupt positions
- The system automatically closes profitable positions based on their "risk level"
- Profitable parties whose positions are closed will receive a notification
Impact
- You got the direction right but were forcibly closed out
- Actual profits are lower than expected
- Rare but possible
Mark Price vs. Last Price
Liquidations are calculated based on the "Mark Price," not the last execution price:
Why Use the Mark Price
- Prevents single-exchange price anomalies from causing massive liquidations
- Mark price = A composite of prices from multiple exchanges
- More stable + Better represents the true market
Actual Differences
- In most cases, mark price ≈ last price
- During extreme volatility, they might differ by 0.5-2%
- You see the price "drop to the liquidation price" but you haven't been liquidated = The mark price hasn't reached it yet
How to Avoid Liquidation
1. Use Low Leverage
The most effective method. 1-3x leverage is almost impossible to liquidate.
2. Always Set Stop-Loss
A stop-loss price is closer than the liquidation price:
- Set a stop-loss at -10% of the position (liquidation at -20% assuming 5x leverage)
- Proactively close the position instead of passively getting liquidated
- Losses are controllable
3. Keep Position Sizes Small
Single position < 5% of total funds. Even if liquidated, the impact is minimal.
4. Do Not Hold Positions Long-Term
Long-term futures holding = Funding rates + Uncertainty. Short-term trading + frequent take-profits and stop-losses is better.
5. Avoid Extreme Market Conditions
- Before and after major news releases
- Periods of poor liquidity on weekends
- During flash crashes or flash rallies
- Do not open new positions
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the margin completely gone after liquidation? A: Usually, 0-10% is left. It depends on the closing speed and market liquidity. In extreme cases, it might be 0%.
Q: Can I close the position at the last moment before liquidation? A: Yes. Monitor the margin ratio and proactively close the position when it approaches 80%. But this requires 24/7 screen watching.
Q: Can I set a liquidation alert in the app? A: Yes. Turn on the "Margin Call" alert in "Notification Settings," and it will send a push notification when the account margin ratio exceeds the threshold.
Q: Does adjusting leverage affect the liquidation price? A: Yes. However, you cannot directly change the leverage for an already opened position; you must close it and open a new one with the new leverage.
Q: Why is the futures liquidation price different from what I calculated? A: You might not have considered: maintenance margin ratio tiers, unrealized PnL, accumulated funding rates, fees, etc. The app displays the exact value.
Q: Is there insurance against liquidation? A: Binance does not provide such insurance. Third-party "DeFi insurance" covers some scenarios but is expensive. The best insurance is low leverage + strict stop-losses.
Conclusion
The simplified formula for the Binance futures liquidation price is: Long liquidation price ≈ Entry price × (1 - 1/Leverage); Short ≈ Entry price × (1 + 1/Leverage). The app automatically displays the exact liquidation price after opening a position—no manual calculation needed. The maintenance margin ratio ranges from 0.4% to 15% depending on position value and coin. Liquidation is calculated based on the "Mark Price" rather than the latest price. To avoid liquidation: use low leverage (1-3x) + always set stop-losses + keep positions < 5% of total funds + avoid holding long-term + avoid extreme market conditions. Adding margin merely delays the inevitable; it is not a solution—cut losses when the direction is wrong.