Liquidations

When a position's margin falls below maintenance requirements, Hyperliquid's liquidation engine closes it automatically. Understanding this process helps you manage risk effectively.

Quick summary: Maintain margin above maintenance requirements. Use stop losses. Monitor leverage. Liquidation prices are visible on every position.

How Liquidations Work

  1. Trigger — Position margin drops below maintenance margin requirement

  2. Partial liquidation — Engine attempts to liquidate ~20% of the position first

  3. Full liquidation — If partial fails to restore margin, full position closes at market price

  4. Settlement — Remaining collateral (if any) returns to your account

If liquidation results in negative equity, the insurance fund covers the shortfall. If the insurance fund is depleted, Auto-Deleveraging (ADL) may reduce profitable positions on the other side.

Hyperliquid Liquidationsarrow-up-right

Liquidation Price

Your liquidation price is calculated from:

  • Entry price and position size

  • Leverage used

  • Maintenance margin requirement (varies by position size)

The Hyperliquid interface displays your estimated liquidation price for each open position in real time.

Avoiding Liquidation

Strategy
How it helps

Monitor margin ratio

Keep well above maintenance threshold; set alerts if available

Use stop losses

Exit positions automatically before reaching liquidation price

Manage leverage

Lower leverage = wider buffer to liquidation price

Add margin

In cross margin mode, deposit additional collateral to increase buffer

Auto-Deleveraging (ADL)

ADL is a last-resort mechanism. When liquidations cannot be filled and the insurance fund is exhausted, ADL automatically reduces opposing positions starting with the highest-profit, highest-leverage traders. This ensures the system remains solvent.

Hyperliquid ADL Documentationarrow-up-right

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