Perpetual Futures
Perpetual futures on crypto and indices with up to 10× leverage. Isolated margin and algorithmic liquidation protection — risk is always capped at what you deposited.
A leveraged product: losses may significantly exceed expectations. Available after an appropriateness assessment.
Leverage under control
Up to 10× with isolated margin: the liquidation of one position never affects the rest of the account.
Anti-Liquidation
The algorithm proactively reduces the position as it approaches a margin call — rather than instant liquidation at the worst price.
AI hedging
Strategies use futures to hedge spot portfolios — reducing drawdown during corrections.
Perpetual Futures: Mechanics and Risk
What you need to understand before your first leveraged position.
How a perpetual futures contract works
A perpetual futures contract tracks an asset's price with no expiry date. The contract price is anchored to spot via the funding rate: when the perp trades above spot, longs pay shorts, and vice versa. Payments occur every eight hours.
A mechanics breakdown with examples — in the article "Funding Rate in Perpetual Futures".
Leverage and isolated margin
Leverage of up to 10× multiplies both gains and losses: a 1% price move changes the position value by 10%. At I-Trade, margin is always isolated — a separate amount is reserved per position, and the worst-case loss is limited to that amount, not the entire account.
The anti-liquidation algorithm proactively reduces the position at the margin call threshold, without waiting for forced closure at the worst price.
Who the instrument suits
Perpetual futures are an instrument for experienced investors: a significant proportion of retail investor accounts lose money when trading leveraged instruments. Access is granted following completion of an appropriateness test, as required by European investor protection rules.
Within the platform, futures most often serve as a hedge: strategies such as Quant's use them to hedge spot portfolios, earning from market inefficiencies rather than directional exposure.
Questions & answers
What leverage is available in Perpetual Futures?
I-Trade offers leverage of up to 10× on perpetual futures for crypto assets and indices. Margin is always isolated: liquidation of one position does not affect the rest of the account. The product is available only after completing a suitability assessment — a retail investor protection requirement.
What is isolated margin?
Isolated margin means that a separate collateral amount is reserved for each position, and the maximum loss is limited to that amount. In the event of an adverse market move, only that position is liquidated — all other funds and positions in the account remain untouched.
How does the algorithm protect against liquidation?
A built-in anti-liquidation algorithm reduces the position in advance as it approaches a margin call, without waiting for forced closure at the worst price. A significant proportion of retail investor accounts lose money when trading leveraged instruments; accordingly, this product is intended for experienced investors and requires completion of an appropriateness test.