A unified account is a powerful, all-in-one trading solution designed to simplify and enhance the way traders manage their crypto portfolios. Built for efficiency and flexibility, this innovative account structure allows users to trade spot markets and derivatives—such as perpetual swaps, futures, and options—seamlessly within a single interface. No more juggling multiple accounts or manually transferring funds between trading segments. With a unified account, capital flows efficiently across markets, enabling smarter risk management, improved margin utilization, and a smoother overall trading experience.
Whether you're executing basic spot trades or deploying complex multi-market strategies, a unified account adapts to your needs through multiple customizable account modes: simple mode, single-currency margin, multi-currency margin, and portfolio margin. This flexibility ensures both novice and experienced traders can optimize their operations according to their risk tolerance and trading goals.
👉 Discover how a unified account can transform your trading strategy today.
Core Benefits of Using a Unified Account
Streamlined Trading Across Markets
One of the most significant advantages of a unified account is the ability to trade spot and derivatives simultaneously—without switching between separate accounts. This eliminates time-consuming fund transfers and reduces friction in fast-moving markets. You can hold and trade in multiple currencies, all within one cohesive environment.
This integration is especially valuable for traders who hedge positions or arbitrage between spot and futures markets. With everything in one place, execution becomes faster and more precise.
Enhanced Capital Efficiency
In traditional setups, profits in one market don’t automatically offset losses in another. A unified account changes that dynamic. Gains from a winning futures trade can directly offset losses in spot trading, reducing overall margin requirements and freeing up capital for new opportunities.
This PnL (profit and loss) offsetting works across different instruments and settlement currencies, depending on your selected account mode. The result? More efficient use of your available funds and greater agility in dynamic market conditions.
Smarter Risk Management
Risk isn’t siloed in a unified account—it’s evaluated holistically. Margin requirements are calculated based on your total portfolio exposure rather than isolated positions. This comprehensive view allows for better risk assessment and more accurate margin allocation.
For example, if you’re long BTC/USDT futures while shorting ETH/USDT, the system may recognize partial hedging effects and adjust margin accordingly. This leads to lower effective margin usage compared to managing these positions in separate accounts.
👉 See how advanced risk modeling improves your trading edge.
Understanding the Four Account Modes
OKX offers four distinct account modes to suit different trading styles and experience levels:
1. Simple Mode
Ideal for beginners, simple mode supports spot trading and basic derivatives with no margin functionality. It’s the default setting for new users and provides a safe entry point into crypto trading.
2. Single-Currency Margin Mode
In this mode, all positions settled in the same currency (e.g., USDT) share margin resources. PnL offsets occur within that currency, improving capital efficiency for traders focused on one stablecoin or fiat-backed asset.
3. Multi-Currency Margin Mode
This mode expands margin sharing across multiple currencies. For instance, BTC, ETH, and USDT-denominated positions can contribute to and draw from a shared collateral pool. Losses in one currency can be offset by gains in another, increasing flexibility.
4. Portfolio Margin Mode
The most advanced option, portfolio margin evaluates your entire portfolio’s risk profile using sophisticated models. It allows not only PnL offsetting but also risk offsetting—meaning correlated positions can reduce overall margin requirements significantly.
This mode is ideal for professional traders using hedging strategies across spot, futures, and options markets.
Cross vs. Isolated Margin: What’s the Difference?
Within the three margin-enabled modes (single-currency, multi-currency, and portfolio), users can choose between cross margin and isolated margin settings for each position.
- Cross Margin: Uses the entire available balance in your account (or currency group) as collateral for a position. This increases capital efficiency but exposes more of your balance to liquidation risk if the position moves against you.
- Isolated Margin: Allocates a fixed amount of margin to a specific position. Risk is contained within that allocation—ideal for traders who want strict control over per-trade exposure.
Importantly, in isolated mode, risks are measured independently across business lines (spot, futures, etc.), and they remain segregated from cross-margin positions.
How Is a Unified Account Different from Traditional Accounts?
Traditional crypto trading platforms often require separate accounts for spot, futures, and options. Moving funds between them introduces delays, increases transaction costs, and fragments risk visibility.
A unified account eliminates these inefficiencies by consolidating everything into one ecosystem. Key differences include:
- No fund transfers needed between trading segments
- Real-time PnL offsetting across markets
- Dynamic margin sharing based on portfolio composition
- Simplified user interface with unified balance tracking
These improvements make it easier to execute advanced strategies like delta-neutral trading, cross-market arbitrage, or volatility hedging—all with reduced operational overhead.
Getting Started with Your Unified Account
Switching to a unified account is straightforward:
- Navigate to the Trade section
- Tap the “…” menu in the top-right corner
- Select Settings
- Choose Account Mode
- Pick your preferred mode
Quick Tips:
- If you’re enabling an advanced mode (e.g., portfolio margin), you may need to complete a knowledge quiz first.
- You must close all open positions and cancel pending orders before switching modes.
Once configured, you’ll immediately begin benefiting from improved capital efficiency and integrated risk management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I switch between account modes anytime?
A: Yes—but only when you have no open positions or pending orders. Some modes also require completing educational steps before activation.
Q: Does a unified account support all trading pairs?
A: Yes, it supports over 600 trading pairs across spot, futures, options, and perpetual swaps.
Q: Is portfolio margin suitable for beginners?
A: It’s designed for experienced traders due to its complexity. Beginners should start with simple or single-currency margin modes.
Q: Are there additional fees with a unified account?
A: No—fee structures remain unchanged. You only pay standard trading fees based on your tier.
Q: Can I use Copy Trading with a unified account?
A: Absolutely. OKX Copy Trading integrates seamlessly, allowing you to copy or share strategies across all supported markets.
Q: Is my capital safer in a unified account?
While the system enhances risk management tools, crypto trading always involves risk. Always use stop-losses and avoid over-leveraging.
👉 Start optimizing your trades with a unified account now.
This content is for informational purposes only and may reference products unavailable in certain regions. It does not constitute investment advice, financial recommendations, or legal/tax guidance. Cryptocurrency investments are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Market data is provided for general information; no responsibility is accepted for inaccuracies. © 2025 OKX. Reproduction permitted under non-commercial terms with proper attribution.