Futures Margin

Futures margin is the amount of money that you need to deposit and keep in your trading account when you open a futures position. It is not a down payment, and you do not own the underlying commodity or asset. Futures margin is a form of collateral that ensures that you can meet your financial obligations if the market moves against you.

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The futures margin is usually a fraction of the total value of the futures contract, and it varies from market to market and from broker to broker. The actual amount of the futures margin is determined by the futures exchange or the clearing house, based on the volatility and risk of the futures market.