What's Selected Margin?
Selected Margin is one of two margin modes available when trading X-Perps on OKX; the other being Isolated Margin. Rather than allocating a fixed amount to each individual trade, your collectively selected assets act as a shared pool of collateral supporting all your open positions. Only the assets you explicitly select will count toward your margin balance.
How do I set it up?
Setting up Selected Margin is a two-step process as below:
Go to the X-Perps margin settings and choose which assets you want to designate as collateral.
Transfer those assets from your Funding Account to your Trading Account. Assets that remain in your Funding Account will not be recognised as margin, even if they have been selected.
Why isn't the asset I selected counted toward my margin balance?
If you've selected an asset and it still doesn't show up in the balance available to open a position, work through these checks in order:
Confirm the asset is ticked in your X-Perps margin settings. Selecting it is a separate action from holding it.
Confirm the asset is in your Trading Account. Selecting an asset doesn't move it, so you have to transfer it yourself.
Check the margin mode on the order you're placing. Selected Margin draws on the pool of assets you chose. Isolated Margin allocates a fixed amount of a single asset to one position instead, so a position opened in Isolated Margin won't draw on your selected pool.
Check whether the balance is already committed. Assets supporting an open position aren't available to open another one, so your usable balance can be well below your total holdings.
Remember that a haircut applies to each asset, so the value counted toward your margin is lower than the asset's market value. Haircuts are tiered and can change — see the current discount rates.
You can reach the X-Perps margin settings from your assets page, from your Trading Account page, or from the margin icon on the trading screen. The assets you can select, and the margin value each one carries, are shown in those settings — check there rather than relying on a fixed list.
Which assets are eligible?
The assets you can designate as Selected Margin collateral are listed in your X-Perps margin settings, together with the margin value each one carries. Check them there rather than working from a fixed list, because the eligible set can change.
Note that each asset may be subject to a haircut, meaning its effective collateral value may be lower than its current market value depending on the asset's volatility and liquidity profile.
Does the asset I post as collateral change the currency my profit or loss is paid in?
No. Selecting an asset as collateral doesn't change the currency your position settles in. Posting an asset as margin and being paid out in that asset are two different things: your profit or loss is credited in the contract's settlement currency, whatever you posted as margin.
See USD-margined futures contracts FAQ for how the settlement currency is set and what happens if your settlement balance goes negative. Check the contract details for the market you're trading before you open a position.
Am I able to change my selected assets after I've started trading?
Yes. You can add or remove assets from your selection at any time through the X-Perps margin settings.However, removing an asset, or transferring it back to your Funding Account, will reduce your available margin and could impact your open positions. Review your margin ratio carefully before making any changes.
Why can't I select the leverage I want?
The highest leverage you can select isn't fixed. Larger positions move into higher risk tiers, and each tier carries a higher maintenance margin requirement and a lower maximum leverage. Collateral already supporting an open position also isn't available to a new one, so the leverage selector on a new order can offer less than you expect. The values available to you are shown in the leverage selector on the order panel — use that rather than a figure quoted elsewhere.
How does my margin balance change over time?
Your margin balance reflects the combined value of your selected assets held in your Trading Account. As market prices fluctuate, so does the value of your collateral. A decline in collateral value will reduce your margin ratio, which can lead to a margin call or liquidation if it falls below the required maintenance level. If your margin ratio drops below the maintenance margin threshold, your positions may be partially or fully liquidated to prevent a negative account balance. We recommend enabling notifications in your account settings so you can act before liquidation occurs.
Can a position be closed out even if I set no take-profit or stop-loss on it?
Yes. In Selected Margin your selected assets are one shared pool, so a loss on one position draws on the same collateral as all your others. If the margin ratio of the pool as a whole falls below the maintenance margin requirement, your positions may be partially or fully liquidated — including a position whose own price hasn't moved much and that has no take-profit or stop-loss attached. If you want one position's risk contained to a fixed amount, open it in Isolated Margin instead.
Why is my balance different after I repay a margin loan?
Repaying a margin loan won't return your balance to exactly what it was before you borrowed. Your collateral is valued at current market prices, so its value moves while the loan is open, and the figure you see after repayment reflects those price moves rather than a missing asset. If the amount isn't what you expected, open your position details and compare the current value of each asset one by one instead of reading the balance total on its own.
What's the difference between Selected Margin and Isolated Margin?
You can choose between Selected Margin and Isolated Margin during the trade process. With Isolated Margin, a fixed amount of a single asset is allocated to one specific position, and your maximum loss on that position is limited to that allocated amount. With Selected Margin, a pool of assets you have chosen supports all your open positions collectively. This can improve capital efficiency across multiple positions, but it also means a loss on one position draws from the same collateral pool as your others.
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Disclaimer: X-Perps (Expiry futures) are leveraged derivatives. Leverage can amplify gains and losses. Losses may occur quickly and these products may not be suitable for all investors. OKX Europe Markets Limited is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority under the Investment Services Act.