> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://countertrade.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://countertrade.gitbook.io/docs/trading/isolated-and-cross-margin.md).

# Isolated & cross margin

How isolated and cross margin differ, and what gets force-closed under each.

When you open a position, you choose how its margin is backed: **Isolated** or **Cross**. The mode decides what gets force-closed if the market moves against you. You pick it per position.

In isolated margin, each position reserves its own margin and carries its own liquidation price. If the market reaches that price, only that one position is closed. Your other positions and your account keep going.

In cross margin, your cross positions share the account's margin pool instead of each standing on its own. There is no per-position liquidation price. If the shared equity backing that pool falls too low, the whole cross pool is liquidated together in one go.

You set the mode with the **Isolated** / **Cross** toggle in the order ticket. A reduce-only order inherits the mode of the position it reduces, so you can't flip an open position from one mode to the other. The in-app note reads: "Isolated: each position reserves its own margin. Cross: positions share the account pool and have no per-position liq price."

|                           | Isolated                  | Cross                              |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| Margin backing            | that position alone       | shared account pool                |
| Liquidation price         | per position              | none per position                  |
| If it's liquidated        | only that position closes | all cross positions close together |
| Effect on other positions | contained                 | shared                             |

## Example

Say a room starts you with 10,000 paper USDT and you open a BTC long and an ETH long.

In isolated, each position reserves its own margin and has its own liquidation price. If BTC falls to its liquidation price, the BTC position is closed and the ETH position is untouched. You keep trading with whatever paper balance remains.

In cross, both positions draw on the same pool plus your free balance. There is no separate BTC liquidation price. Instead, a winning ETH position's equity can help hold the BTC position up — but if the combined equity behind the pool drops too low, both close at once.

## Neither ends your account

Neither of these is full account liquidation. Losing an isolated position, or even an entire cross pool, does not by itself end your account — you can open new positions with the paper balance you have left. [Full account liquidation](/docs/trading/liquidation.md) is a separate event: your account equity falls too low, everything force-closes, and you cannot trade in that room again.

## Related

* [Leverage](/docs/trading/leverage.md)
* [Position liquidation](/docs/trading/liquidation.md)