Futures Margin Requirements
A futures margin is the amount of equity (collateral) a client is required to have in their account. The amount is set by futures exchanges using a formula based upon the current value and volatility of a specific contract.
The two common types of futures margin requirements are initial margin and maintenance margin:
Initial margin is based upon a percentage of the purchase price that the investor must pay for a position with their own cash on the date of purchase.
Maintenance, or variation, margin is the minimum amount to be collateralized in order to keep the open position. It is generally lower than the initial requirement. This allows the price to move against the margin requirement without forcing a margin call immediately after the initial transaction.
Margin Requirements By Exchange:
Please note: FCMs may apply variances to these margin requirements.
Please check with your broker.
CME Group Margin | ICE Exchange Margin | MGEX Margin | EUREX Margin