Risk Management: Protecting Your Capital

Learn the 4 deadly risks of arbitrage trading and professional mitigation strategies to preserve your wealth while generating market-neutral returns

Understanding Arbitrage Risks

Market Risk

Medium

Price volatility affecting your positions

Mitigation:

  • Use conservative position sizes
  • Monitor market conditions constantly
  • Have clear exit criteria
  • Avoid trading during high volatility

Exchange Risk

High

Platform issues or insolvency

Mitigation:

  • Use reputable exchanges only
  • Diversify across multiple platforms
  • Keep funds in cold storage when not trading
  • Monitor exchange financial health

Liquidation Risk

High

Position closure due to insufficient margin

Mitigation:

  • Use low leverage (2-3x max)
  • Maintain adequate margin buffer
  • Set stop-loss orders appropriately
  • Monitor margin requirements closely

Funding Rate Risk

Medium

Rates changing before funding payment

Mitigation:

  • Monitor rates constantly
  • Have minimum acceptable rate threshold
  • Be ready to exit quickly if rates turn negative
  • Focus on stable, high-rate opportunities

Position Sizing Guidelines

Position Size = Risk Capital × Risk Percentage

Never risk more than you can afford to lose on a single trade

Total CapitalConservative (1%)Moderate (2-3%)Aggressive (5%+)Recommendation
$1,000$10 per trade (1%)$20-30 per trade (2-3%)$50+ per trade (5%+)Start with conservative sizing
$5,000$50 per trade (1%)$100-150 per trade (2-3%)$250+ per trade (5%+)Moderate sizing acceptable with experience
$10,000$100 per trade (1%)$200-300 per trade (2-3%)$500+ per trade (5%+)Professional sizing with strong risk management

Stop-Loss Strategies

Funding Rate Stop

Exit if funding rate drops below threshold

Example: Close positions if rate falls below 0.02%

Use Case: Protects against negative funding scenarios

Time Stop

Exit after maximum holding period

Example: Never hold more than 2 funding periods

Use Case: Limits exposure to market conditions

Drawdown Stop

Exit if total portfolio drops by X%

Example: Stop trading if portfolio down 10%

Use Case: Protects against consecutive losses

Emergency Procedures

1. Rapid Market Movement

  • • Close both positions immediately regardless of P&L
  • • Do not try to "wait it out" - preserve capital
  • • Review what caused the movement before trading again

2. Exchange Issues

  • • Document all open positions with screenshots
  • • Contact exchange support immediately
  • • Consider closing positions on alternative exchanges if possible

3. Consecutive Losses

  • • Stop trading for at least 24 hours
  • • Review recent trades for mistakes
  • • Reduce position size by 50% when resuming

Pre-Trade Risk Checklist

Position Analysis

  • Funding rate above minimum threshold
  • Adequate liquidity on both exchanges
  • Position size within risk limits
  • Margin requirements met with buffer

Exit Strategy

  • Stop-loss parameters set
  • Maximum holding time defined
  • Funding rate threshold determined
  • Emergency exit plan prepared

Ready to Trade Safely?

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