Futures Contract Margin Calculator

About this calculator

Initial margin on a futures position is the collateral required to open the trade, calculated as contract price × contract multiplier × number of contracts × initial margin rate; maintenance margin is a lower threshold — if the account's equity falls below it after adverse price moves, a margin call requires topping the account back up to the initial level.

Futures traders, brokers and risk managers use this calculation before entering or sizing a position, since margin requirements (set by the exchange and often re-checked by the broker) determine how much capital must be posted and how much leverage the position effectively carries relative to the full notional contract value.