You cannot reduce your leverage if your Available Balance is too low to cover the additional margin required. This typically happens after increasing leverage whilst the position is in a loss, because the unrealised loss consumes the margin that was freed up.
How do I fix this and regain leverage control?
There are three ways to resolve a locked leverage situation:
- Deposit additional funds. Adding more capital to your account increases the Available Balance, which may satisfy the margin requirements for a lower leverage level.
- Close part of the position. Reducing position size lowers the total margin required, freeing up Available Balance for a leverage adjustment.
- Wait for the position to recover. If the market moves in your favour and the unrealised loss decreases, the Available Balance increases. This may allow you to reduce leverage.
The key principle is that decreasing leverage requires more margin than your current allocation. If that margin is not available, the system blocks the change. Always check your Available Balance before increasing leverage on a losing position.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I lower my leverage on BitMEX?
You cannot lower leverage if your Available Balance is insufficient to cover the additional margin required. This happens when unrealised losses on the position have consumed the freed-up margin from the leverage increase.
How can I unlock my leverage?
Deposit additional funds, close part of the position to free up margin, or wait for the position to recover and reduce the unrealised loss. Any of these actions can restore sufficient Available Balance.