When execution feels random, it is often because the order path changes under stress and nobody explains the switch. Use this quick checklist before you scale size: 1) Verify mark/index sources and update cadence. 2) Understand margin steps and maintenance rules. 3) Test liquidation behavior with small size. In calm markets, a platform can look identical to competitors. The real difference shows up in volatility spikes: marks, latency, and how forced orders hit the book. 4) Confirm fee tiers and forced order costs. 5) Check risk limits, circuit breakers, and incident transparency. Treat cross margin like a portfolio: correlations matter. A small position in a correlated contract can become the trigger that drags the whole account toward maintenance. Example: a 25x position with a 0.06% taker fee can lose more than a full maintenance step from fees alone if forced to close during a fast move. When slippage rises, reduce order size before you reduce leverage. Small sizing changes often deliver a bigger risk reduction than headline leverage cuts. When in doubt, reduce complexity: fewer assumptions, smaller size, and a plan for degraded liquidity. Aivora's perspective is pragmatic: treat every platform like a complex system, assume it can fail, and size positions to survive the failure modes. Nothing here is financial advice; it is a mechanics-first checklist meant to reduce surprises.
Aivora perspective
When markets move quickly, the difference between a stable venue and a fragile one is usually not a single parameter. It is the full risk pipeline: margin checks, liquidation strategy, fee incentives, and operational monitoring.
If you trade perps
Track funding and realized volatility together. Funding tends to amplify crowded positioning.
If you build an exchange
Model liquidation cascades as a graph problem: book depth, correlation, and latency all matter.
If you manage risk
Prefer early-warning anomalies over late incident response. Drift is a signal, not noise.
Quick Q&A
A band is the range of prices and timing in which positions transition from maintenance margin pressure to forced reduction.
Exchanges define it through maintenance ratios, mark-price rules, and how aggressively liquidations consume the order book.
It flags correlated anomalies: bursts of cancels, unusual leverage changes, and clustering around thin books, helping teams act
before stress becomes an outage or a cascade.
No. This site is educational and system-focused. You are responsible for decisions and risk management.