Why you can be closed out before your margin hits zero

There's still money there. Why won't it let me keep waiting?

You need initial margin to open a position. While it's open, you must also meet the maintenance margin requirement. What you put in at the start isn't how much buffer you'll always have.

Say the initial margin is 100 and the position is down 20. Ignoring everything else, the equity is now 80. If the price keeps moving against you, the buffer keeps shrinking.

When equity gets close to the platform's maintenance level, the risk system may step in. It doesn't have to wait for zero. It depends on the account type, margin mode and product rules.

So if I keep adding money, I'm safe?

Adding money doesn't change the price direction, and it doesn't guarantee you won't be liquidated. It can pull more money into the same risk.

No. One is about opening the position. The other is about keeping it open.

Check equity first, then how far it is from the warning line.

Put 100 in a box. Is the other 900 safe forever? Next: isolated margin.

Understand first, then act.